Plasticity may be the 3D design software you’ve been looking for

The best option is always the one that works best for you. When it comes to 3D CAD, there are multiple approaches and some just don’t click for some users. So in this video, we showcase Plasticity, a new design software intended for artists with a freer workflow.

Plasticity is new and there will no doubt be plenty of development and new features to come. It’s also worth noting that there are always multiple ways to create the same geometry, so what you see in this video is not exhaustive of everything on offer.

0:00 Introduction

1:02 What is Plasticity?

2:15 Scope of this video

2:48 Getting acquainted with Plasticity

4:23 Object: Tool rack

4:31 Main twin rectangular prism body

6:40 Adding holes

8:12 Adding fillets

9:56 Editing features

11:47 CAD for artists

12:08 Alternate application: Editing others’ source CAD

12:43 Alternative application: Parametric CAD to Plasticity

14:36 Conclusion

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[Mark_]

I applaud Plasticity for not only having a non-web based program, but also a non-subscription based program. Both are becoming increasingly rare.

[guscrossing]

As a Fusion user, I think the pricing model is the best thing about Plasticity. It can do all the basics, allowed for commercial use, and does a one-time fee. For now however I would be more curious to learn Blender to make something actually different.

[CsoszGergo]

I'm using plasticity for a while now, and as I'm coming from a gamedev background, I find plasticity really really easy for me to do presice objects for 3d printing. I love it!

[circleofowls]

If OnShape had a license that supported people just trying to make a few dollars on a side-hustle it would be the go-to CAD platform IMHO. It's great to see Plasticity doing it. Great review showing the differences in these platforms!

[xxxbudi]

First may I thank you for making this video, I purchased the licence thinking it would have some documentation to assist in its use. Up until I came across your video, my money had been wasted. Your video, explained far more in the expert way you do in a very short time. I now will go back and try again, as I thought it was the sort of program I needed. YOU have made it possible for me to now try it again. Also thank you for your other videos, which I have found very helpful too.

[scotthoffmaster]

This looks like exactly what ive wanted all along. Something like tinkercad but a bit more powerful. I can use perimetric cad fine but i enjoy using tinkercad for the simpler stuff. This looks like it bridges the two enough to still bring that joy but with more user friendly features! I am certainly going to try it!

[jeweldey]

This seems very similar to Shapr3D, which I have been using for just over a year and I love it. It's very easy to us and I have made a lot of parts. These easier software programs will help a lot of people who find parametric software too complicated, get into 3d modeling. I will be looking into Plasticity more.

[polycrystallinecandy]

Having used a constraint-based approach, I'm never going back to a Blender-like program for building precise parts. It's awesome to have the features update automatically when you change something, with only the needed relationships between them set in stone. But the last use case is very intriguing once you reach the part of your project where you've already figured out the functional design, tolerances, etc. and are only looking to work on aesthetics. But of course you better be sure your functional design is locked in, since changing anything in the CAD will need you to redo everything in Plasticity.

[waylandcool]

I know there is a bridge add in for Blender under development so you can create objects in Plasticity and then push it to Blender if you want to texture and render it. I'm going to try out Plasticity at some point as it looks very promising.

[mysticmarble]

Having watched some Plasticity videos It felt more like a tool for entertaiment media 3d modelling.

[orange_district]

Fusion 360 is still my software of choice. Intuitive, meant for technical parts and it has a private plan, so it is free for non-commercial use. I would even pay for it if needed.

[streetguru]

It's very similar to Design Spark Mechanical which is completely free, but it has additional features that might be worth the jump for sure.

[CookieTube]

This method (the 'push/pull' method) looks much like *Google Sketchup* (in fact, I dare to say, identical, but a lot less refined and less consistent, so it seems from this short demonstration). Sketchup is much much more mature than Splasticity, and in all honesty, seems a lot more logical in its methods and far more intuitive (Sketchup is already more than 20 years old and still being updated. So yeah, lots of time to mature....).
Sketchup can also be as advanced as you wish it to be (including full blown rendering, animations, simulations, even 'sandboxing' and you can even create 'organic' models), or as simple as you want it to be.
Nevertheless, thank you for informing us of this new piece of CAD software! Having more options to choose from is always good!

[PaulMeredith]

Good video, I switched from Freecad about 6 months ago and I've not looked back since. Plasticity is advancing at an amazing rate. Now sure what version it was you were using there, but you missed out the Dimension and measuring tools (V1.4) Also I don't claim to be an expert by any means, but you could of put the holes in at the beginning on Plasticity and just extruded the part. Also you don't need the construction lines if you start to say drop another circle in just move to any points you want to reference and hit shift and an reference line will be drawn you can snap a part to. Its so quick and easy to make things and later adjust easily, I'm loving it. Keep up the good work, love watching your videos !!

[grahamcoster]

Hi Mark, I think your conclusion is really insightful. The idea of using Plasticity as an additional tool in a workflow, rather than a replacement, is brilliant. At times I’ve had to use parametric stuff, whether I like it or not, but then been massively slowed down with finishing the simpler or cosmetic parts. Your idea will definitely make designing things much faster and be less daunting. Thank you so much!

[traj]

Plasticity looks like what I've have been wanting. Here's another instance of quickly learning my options by watching your videos.

[Mat-zljx]

In my work, I have tested SolidWorks, Creo, Inventor, and for personal use, Onshape, Fusion, and FreeCAD. Finally, after testing Plasticity, it is clear to me that it is the best choice for personal use in 3D printing. I haven't hesitated to purchase the paid version.

[incogneato]

Tinkercad has an object named Metafillet in the shape generators. Useful for fillets and chamfers along straight edges.

[PinkAsKitty]

The last shown use case is exactly where I’m currently stuck. I designed a more complex object in Fusion 360, but adding aesthetic details is a challenge. I installed Blender to maybe handle this job and closed it rather quickly again. This looks like a nice alternative, that won’t require hours over hours to learn. I will give it a try, thanks!

[kevinbernitz]

Something that makes Tinkercad easier to use and involves less gurss work is if you click on the circle in the middle of the ruler tool it sets it to "mid-piont" mode - where is measures and resizes objects from their midpoint - a game changer!