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3D Modelling
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Topic starter
2025-05-05 12:27 pm
Hello!
Up until now I've always made the STL files for my 3D printer with Blender. I am familiar with it and up until now have not had problems with pieces fitting or having to change often.
Blender isn't very precise though and its modeling is destructive (If a bolt hole diameter changes I have to make new bolt hole cutters, I can't just change the bolt hole radius to some other value). Blender is intended to make something that looks good.
So I'm afraid I have to start looking at some tool that's actually meant for making things for manufacturing (3D printing) that work non-destructive.
I have found FreeCAD and it seems to be able to do that.
I have dug up some friendly websites that try and explain how it works but they tend to use lingo I don't grok. Youtube video's go from HERE to HERE and the steps in between are so fast it seems like magic. I can't even see if I selected a vertex (i hope that's the correct term). That may have to do with me being colourblind.
I'm trying to invest time now so I can reap the advantages later, but it seems rather steep to me.
Right now I'm trying to model a clamp for an electromotor so I can mount it on different things.
The motor has a diameter of 7.0mm (or radius 3.5mm, that was the constraint I used).
It is 20.15mm long.
I want the clamp to be 1.5mm thick so the radius I need is 3.5+1.5=5.0mm.
I have tried adding a circle (radius 5.0mm) and a rectangle (6.0x10.0mm) together but the padded form was something really weird.
I have tried making a rectangle (10.0x11.0mm) and giving the top two corners a fillet (radius 5.0mm) but after I removed all the "unnecessary constraints" FreeCAD indicated I had a collection of not-attached lines.
Which of the two ways is best if I want to later print a clamp for an electromotor with diameter 6.0mm and a length of 10.15mm?
(In Blender it'd look like this).
(... and in FreeCAD ehhh)
This topic was modified 1 week ago 2 times by Sandbender
Topic starter
2025-05-05 3:37 pm
Never mind. I can't see half the colours FreeCAD uses.
Problem solved.
2025-05-05 6:35 pm
Fusion is a popular 3D drawing package that a lot of makers and hobbyists use. They have a free version.
I would recommend trying that out when you have some time. Also a lot of youtube vids to get you started.
2025-05-05 9:25 pm
You may want to take a look at an ultrasimple tool called OpenSCAD.
It's a scripting language that uses additive and subtractive geometry to create the part that you need. It's very, very basic and doesn't include any polishing effects like fillets or rounded edges or fillings but if you just want basic parts it may be of use to you.
Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're talking about.
Topic starter
2025-05-06 4:33 pm
@noweare
Thank you.
I'll go take a look at it. I've heard the name thrown around but the "Autodesk" kind of scared me off until now.
Topic starter
2025-05-06 4:38 pm
@will
Oh a scripted CAD. That sounds interesting. I'm going to try that out.
The fancy stuff is nice but not necessary for my prototype-level things.
I'll go dust off VIm 😉