I'm Ditching Blender for Onshape

You've probably heard 3D printing content creators like myself say it before, and it's worth saying again: If you're not designing your own custom parts to solve your unique problems, then you're only getting a fraction of the benefit out of your 3D printer. But where to begin?

In this video I'm going to compare and contrast two of the major free options available to makers, share which one I use for what, and explain why you might want to do the same.

Whether you're just starting out with 3d design and cad modeling, or you already know how to use a parametric design software and design your own STLs for 3d printing, this video will explain which program I use for what, and why you, too, might want to consider checking those apps out.

🎥 IN THIS VIDEO: 🎥
00:00 Introduction to 3D design software
01:35 Mesh Modeling: Blender
03:45 Parametric CAD software: Onshape
08:29 Which One Should You Use for 3D Printing?
11:07 Conclusion

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[thenextlayer]

Thanks for watching! Let me know if you liked the video, disagreed, agreed...? I love your comments.

[doodleslice]

OnShape is great, but it is important to know that if you want to own the rights to your creations, or use them commercially, then you have to bump up to at least the standard plan which was $1500 annually at last look. On their free plan all models are public and it specifies non-commercial use only. Definitely a great tool but those things can be deal breakers depending on your budget and project needs.

[MostlyHarmlessEDC]

FYI, there is a 3D printing add-on for Blender that helps find and fix non-manifold geometry. I have really only just gotten started with blender, but it seems to work pretty well so far.

I agree that it makes sense to learn blender along with a proper CAD program though. As you said, they're fundamentally different tools that serve different purposes.

[cerebralvision]

My problem with Onshape is privacy. With blender or fusion360 you can keep the stuff you design private.

[thedabblingwarlock]

Just wanted to point out that there are non-destructive workflows for Blender. Chipp Walters is one of the guys that's worked on this. I think his Nitrox 3d workflow is meant to be used with vanilla blender. There are also plugins that help with this, like Meshmachine (though that plugin does a lot more than just non-destructive workgflows.)

Blender is more of a 3d modeling, animation, and video toolbox than it is just a 3d animation software. You can use it to make models, animate models, composite video, edit video, do 2d animation with the grease pencil, sculpting (like with zbrush, ) and even some parametric modeling with plugins like Cad Sketcher. While it's been a while since I've checked, it also had NURBS and metaballs which are not strictly mesh modeling features. NURBS are more akin to the models that parametric CAD software puts out. Metaballs were, as far as I can tell, a way to generate organic shapes that were then refined by sculpting.

There's a lot to Blender, but at the end of the day, what software you use is up to your preferences and what you need out of it. Blender is a great option for making things that don't need a lot of precision or are more organic, even if you can use it to make precision mesh models. CAD, specifically parametric CAD, is great if you do need precision and the ability to iterate.

Just my two cents.

[MrBrigadierArchived]

I'm actually not an 3D printing guy (at least for now), but I would say the Blender add-on mentioned is "CAD Sketcher" which really helped me to make correct house plan and keep it usable both for 2D and 3D view.

[azdip]

I started using Blender years ago before I got into 3d printing. And for me personally, this is still the best program, with huge modeling capabilities. But there are few lessons for 3D printing. And at the level at which I use it, I did not find it at all. The biggest problem so far for me in modeling is rounding and chamfering, but mostly this is because I often model non-destructively. And I made the technical details. And unlike cad programs, I easily combine technical elements with artistic ones. It helps me a lot at work.

[RocktCityTim]

I started with Fusion and then jumped to FreeCAD. A lot of the Fusion workflow translated to FreeCAD (plus, I've had real mechanical engineering and design training so I already had a basic knowledge of the general workflow). Since I spend 3/4 of my computing life in Linux, using FreeCAD on my Linux platform without resorting to a VM was another plus. Aside from decorative minis just because, the bulk of my work is in the design and testing of engineered mechanical parts. FreeCAD gives me the power to handle even the most complex assembly that I need to create.

[cat_citizen]

I tried onshape, and for a few simple objects it worked fine, but when faced with a more complex part in a project I encountered a few annoying bugs, so I went back to fusion. Mostly while trying to select things, or when I wanted to enter constraints and exact numerical values to multiple dimensions when placing simple geometric shapes in sketches.

[chillonfunsmart]

Open source software is always going to have the longevity factor and not come with licensing issues.
Some software is going to have new features that make them stand out, but eventually the open source software will also implement those features and just be better.

[felineboy]

Blender and Onshape serve different purposes and excel in their respective domains. However, if you're seeking a middle ground, consider exploring Plasticity as an alternative option.

[djispro]

I mostly knew that Blender was a mesh program and that Onshape was a parametric CAD program, but I am sure others who don't know will find this useful. I personally started using Fusion 360. I think a video about Marlin vs. Klipper would be interesting.

[muhammadzazulirizki]

Hi, have anyone tried both plasticity and onshape? Would love to hear the objective comparison, the pros and cons between those two

[GlennBrockett]

Great video. I started using OnShape about a month ago and love the work flow. Still learning the advanced stuff like assemblies.

[NathanielStickley]

I've been using FreeCAD, but Onshape seems cool. I might try it out. One thing I like about FreeCAD is that the parameters can be put into a spreadsheet and you can simply modify the spreadsheet to change the dimensions of things in the 3D model / sketch.

[Mdxmdx]

Sorry, where can I find the video you show at min 10:40 about the giraffe? Thanks

[jomitoh]

I tried opening blender but it says I need a better opengl, is there a site to download an upgrade

[brianprice]

I agree with your observations between organic and parametric modelling. I prefer Freecad because it is NOT cloud based and my internet connection is not always reliable. I enjoy seeing different approaches to CAD modelling so welcome to the band of u-tube demonstrators.

[rbettsx]

Nice straightforward assessment. Blender is a visualization and animation application, whose modeling workflow is centrally geared towards creating meshes that deform well and play well with physically-based rendering. Those constraints simply do not apply to 3D printers, who, on the other hand, need more precision. Optimizing one application's architecture and UI for both is pretty much impossible. It's better to have two. 'Bye Bye Blender' is a bit harsh..😅.

[olivianoel]

I’m currently having problems in blender because it’s not staying symmetrical even with it selected. Then when I figured out how to re set the symmetry it left holes in my design.