CAD recommendations for 3D printing

[NinOz]

After more than 12 months trying to get FreeCAD to produce a usable model I have decided to switch to a different package.  FreeCAD is just too buggy to rely on.

Anyone have any recommendations for a usable program for an amateur?

[TangoOscarMike]

It's not for everybody, but you might want to try OpenScad. I've used it for all my 3D models.

[AndyID]

I stumbled into TurboCAD 25+ years ago. It's not free but it's not that expensive either and it does work quite well. The main thing for me is it's still going. Anything free ends up not being free or not very good.

 

I'm sure someone will now prove me wrong 😀

[Giles]

I use Design Spark Mechanical, free from RS. I do find it good.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2022 by Giles

[JimFin]

Tinkercad is great for quick and basic stuff, Fusion 360 personal copy (free) for more complex.

[KeithHC]

I will go with Giles Design spark. For me as I have a few Wi-Fi issues in my house it’s the ability of DS to be used stand-alone.

 

Keith

[EDDY100]

SketchUp/Blender/Makehuman my programs of choice.

Check out my channel for tutorials on how I created my layout.

Model Railway The Easy Way

 

Also my RMweb page

Essex Brick

Edited July 31, 2022 by EDDY100

[mdvle]

18 hours ago, AndyID said:

I stumbled into TurboCAD 25+ years ago. It's not free but it's not that expensive either and it does work quite well. The main thing for me is it's still going. Anything free ends up not being free or not very good.

 

I'm sure someone will now prove me wrong 😀

 

Well...  Linux (much of the Internet runs on Linux and the large amount of server related open source and free software that runs on it.  Blender (has a thriving community around it).  Python - programming language that has become essential to scientific research.  etc.

 

Alternatively, Visicalc.  Wordperfect.  Lotus 1-2-3. And multiple thousands of other commercial software that died when their corporate owners died or killed them.

 

Software is something that has no guaranteed future so all you can do is base a decision on what works best for you today whether it be free software with a quality community supporting it or a decent company.

 

[monkeysarefun]

23 hours ago, NinOz said:

After more than 12 months trying to get FreeCAD to produce a usable model I have decided to switch to a different package.  FreeCAD is just too buggy to rely on.

Anyone have any recommendations for a usable program for an amateur?

Hey mate, what kind of models are you trying to draw? Architectural? Engineering? sculptural shapes like car bodies? Different packages have their strengths and weaknesses depending on the subject, I've yet to find the perfect one-size-fits-all. 

Edited August 1, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[NinOz]

At the moment I am trying to make some n gauge wagon models for myself.  So I would say engineering, all dimensions and such.

Have them drawn in FreeCAD but it is so buggy that I can't reliably get a clean export to STL.  Incredibly frustrating!

 

Thanks everyone who replied. 

Some CAD packages I have never heard of.  Lots to explore.🤓

Loved the loco picture and drawing from Giles.

[Giles]

 

009 Ashanti Bagnall drawn in Design Spark.

 

 

And working 009 tippers designed in Design Spark Mechanical.

[njee20]

Fusion 360 for that purpose for me. Hugely powerful, there are some limitation on the free version, the most notable ones I’ve found are the limit of 10 editable files (you can just convert any files to read only and back as needed though) and the difficulty in sharing files with other people. You used to be able to share within the platform, but they restricted that. 

[Quarryscapes]

Fusion360 is pretty comprehensive, however it is most definitely not bug and hassle free. 

[PaulaDoesTrains]

11 hours ago, NinOz said:

At the moment I am trying to make some n gauge wagon models for myself.  So I would say engineering, all dimensions and such.

Have them drawn in FreeCAD but it is so buggy that I can't reliably get a clean export to STL.  Incredibly frustrating!

 

 

 

I can't say that I've had any problems exporting STL from FreeCAD. As for buggy, version 0.18 crashed quite often for me. Version 0.19 is much better.  I haven't tried version 0.20. Have you asked for help on the FreeCAD forums?

[simonmcp]

My copy of FreeCAD on a Windows 10 install has become very buggy since the last disastrous Windows Update. Haven't have any problems exporting to STL though, in fact it's much better than Tinkercad.

[NinOz]

6 hours ago, PaulaDoesTrains said:

 

I can't say that I've had any problems exporting STL from FreeCAD. As for buggy, version 0.18 crashed quite often for me. Version 0.19 is much better.  I haven't tried version 0.20. Have you asked for help on the FreeCAD forums?

Tried V.18, V.19, V.20, V.21 as well as Thunder's better branch.  FreeCAD seems to work OK for simple models but adds weird effects as model complication increases.  As multiple details are added to the main body with mirrors, polar and linear replications then weird stuff starts to happen.  Distortion of bits and pieces, odd planes of fill added to the model, difficulty of viewing the current status of the model and actually including previously removed parts of the model (pocketed volumes).

Have had successes; boxes, covers for Digitrax signals, face panels for electronic constructs but the problems with wagon models are just too much for me.

FreeCAD forums seems a bit hit and miss for help.

 

[AndyID]

A screenshot from TurboCAD