Is 3d Modeling A Requirement For 3d Printing? (Where To Start)

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In today's video we discuss all things 3d modeling. I take you through my journey over that past 7ish year with different pieces of software and discuss the importance of 3d modeling for 3d printing. We will cover quite a few different pieces of software and I will share my favorite resources for each.

NEIKO Digital Calipers that I use (AFF):

Links mentioned in video:

CHEP From Filament Friday's TinkerCAD Playlist:

TinkerCAD Tutorials:

Lars Cristienson Fusion 360 Tutorials:

Product Design Online Fusion 360 Tutorials:

Parametric VS Direct Modeling:

Shapr3d Channel:

PDO Shapr3d channel:

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NEREUS - Lotus

[danielhastings]

Great video! Personally, I tend to use OpenSCAD and FreeCAD the most. I do a lot of parametric modeling and these are both good for that. (Parametric modeling makes it easier to tweak and adjust a model after you create it.) I tend to switch between Windows and Linux and these run on both platforms. Also, both are free, an important consideration if you are just a hobbyist like me. OpenSCAD is pretty solid, but everything is defined in code. There are no tools for freehand modeling. FreeCAD let's you be a little more artistic, but can be buggy at some of the worst times. When using FreeCAD remember to save your work often because it can crash unexpectedly.

[HarmanMotorWorks]

Fusion 360 has been amazing for me so far. I only got my 3D Printer in December last year and since then I have designed and printed an R/C half-track vehicle completely from scratch. 💯

[DJapan]

I've been a professional 3D artist for 20 years. The whole reason I got into 3D printing was to see my models in real life. I mainly use Lightwave 3D and 3D-Coat, Occasionally MoI3D for CAD. As someone who mainly worked in animation one thing I had to get used to was always making my models water tight. For animation I could often leave holes in it or leave one entire side open and just jam it into the rest of the model to hide it.

[jothain]

Yes. Parametric 3D CAD learning is mandatory if you want to make functional parts.

[cthonic]

This is the perfect video to come out right now as I'm transitioning between printing/mastering a printer and wanting to custom build items!

[cbuckle]

Blender now is actively developing "Sketcher" add in. It's available now in alpha or beta. It brings parametric modeling to b
Blender

[dartstudio]

Valuable insights into the options. Good job!

[danlopez]

That was awesome, friend if mine & i recently picked up a printer a piece. Both of us enjoy the tools so far but have generally different trajectories. This video pretty much covered both needs considering how new we both are to the whole sorted affair. Thank you for your work & effort, it's very much appreaciated. Now off to learn enough to earn enough😊 i hope

[OZtwo]

OMG same here. I was waiting for HP to hit the market yet they never came so finally got my QIDI Printer for some needed projects which well..got pushed away as I'm having so much fun with other FreeCAD/Printing projects! :) I worked with AutoCAD it high school over 30 years ago yet never really got into CAD since I got the printer. But find learning FreeCAD took only about a month. Have had the printer now for little over a year now but have started to design some really cool stuff: Bladeless fan (fan is new in that it pulls air in from the top and out again unlike most all others bladeless fans that pull air in from bottom), copper spool winder built around a 3d filament dryer.

[DarrenHughes-Hybrid]

I've been using 123D Design and TinkerCAD since their beginning. I love them both. I use TinkerCAD when I need to create something simple and quick. 123D Design is better at filet/chamfer/etc. Years ago I learned Blender basics and got pretty good, but like you it's too organic for the kinds of things I 3D print. Also, I too have been trying to get myself to learn Fusion 360. Thanks for a couple other resources, I didn't know about, like Shapr3D and FreeCAD.

[Ben-qhku]

You right, Sharpr3D you can used in iPad and bring it with you where ever you go, for my that the best one.😀👍

[FrancoisMathieu]

Onshape is browser based and very powerful. It’s a direct competitor to Fusion 360.

[Eadsn]

It's soo satisfying to be able to imagine a solution to a problem, make it in CAD, and then print it.
Don't have the right tool? just make it. Doesn't the robot vaccum get under the tv bemch? Print raisers.
Broken 10$ hair guard for your bathtub (again)? No problem anymore!

[Christian-czbu]

A great resource you didn't mention, was more and more local community colleges now have 3D modeling and Rapid Prototyping (3d Printing) as part of their manufacturing departments. They might have classes listed in other departments, like architectural/drafting, but they all will give access to student versions of different software. And you'd be surprised to see the variety of printers some cc's have, binder-jet, SLA, Polyjet, SLS (nylon 12 and metal.)

[mcorrade]

Yep totally agree. I spent the 6 months with Lars prior to getting my first 3d printer learning Fusion 360 and I've never looked back. It was the best prerequisite I could have done for my journey into functional 3d printing. My very first 3d print wasn't a Benchey but a part I created in Fusion which was SOOOO satisfying

[Deveyus]

Thanks for mentioning FreeCAD; it's nice not to have to worry about showing or selling a design I make in something like Fusion 360 being mentioned. Blender now has a parametric modeling extension as well!

[KimmyR]

modelling is not required for 3d printing, but it definitely add a whole new world to explore. i personally find great satisfaction seeing my sketches on a paper, turn to 3d models, and eventually a physical item that i can use.

I'm also quite surprised that there are few solidworks users around here.

[JasonGillmanJr]

Rhino 3d is what I use. I actually got into modeling before getting a printer. Blender never really jived with me, and I had previous hands on time with Rhino, so that's what I ended up getting. Certainly not the cheapest, but it is a one time buy, and it's worked well for engineering prints as well as just more artistic 3d modeling purposes.

[billerb]

Thanks for the video. Was about to comment ‘wot no Freecad’ but you got to it in the end, from my research freecad is like an open source Fusion360 parametric with what felt to me like quite a learning curve. I’m definitely going to check out direct modelling after your video, but a bit conflicted, I feel like I have put in a lot of effort with freecad for modest results, not sure about committing to another tool. Shout out to adventures in creation channel for their freecad tutorials - my go to learning resource.

[cxob]

I thought was good at modeling, doing a bunch for game jams and art projects. But when i got into engineering adapting to a parametric workflow was quite a lot of work coming form free from modeling. But you will never done learning, looking a tricks form other models on how to make stuff better printable.
My tip for today is to really focus on what your critical dimensions are and what shapes of the part don't really matter. This way i manage to make some really wacky looking part with bolt holes in all sorts of funky angels and using a plane that is totally crocked to xyz to join it all together to print without any supports or overhangs.
Not all dimensions matter and going of axis can really improve your designs.