Software for 3. D Printing - 3. D Modeling Software/Slicers/3. D Printer Hosts. An Overview Of The Best 3. D Printing Software Tools. Your prints are only as good as the software you’re using. D printing software serve many different functions from modelling to sculpting to customising. These software provide users with various abilities ranging from modelling to rendering to concepting and presenting to clients. There are a diverse range of applications and many come with perks like cloud database capabilities. Naturally, it can seem cumbersome to navigate a field this broad, so we’ve rounded up the cream of the crop, and we’ll present to you a list of the best 3. D printing software tools, categorized into either 3. D modeling tools or slicers/printer hosts. D Modeling Software. These tools are all about creating models for 3. D printing. Some of them are pretty easy to use while other programs are only suitable for professional users with years of experience. D Slash focuses on providing design software with a uniquely fun user interface and enough advanced features to work with a high level of precision. You can also make logos and 3. D text with this software. Designing 3D parts is tough, but with good software it becomes easier. Everyone has their favorite tool, and below we outline some of the most popular CAD programs. Here are the best free CAD software tools (2D/3D CAD programs) for beginners, intermediates, and advanced users. Open SCAD is software for creating solid 3D CAD objects. It is free software and available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows and Mac OS X. D Slash is free to use and ideal for beginners, however there a range of price packages that add in features for cooperative use or commercial use depending on the needs of the consumer. Additionally, the free versions has limitations in terms of functions, higher resolutions and colours you can apply. It’s intuitive interface with a block cutting style to create shapes makes it simple enough for anyone to use. Even if you can’t find the creative spark to start a design from scratch, there are a multitude of files available for download that you can import and then cut apart into something new. Novel features like the cursor mode that makes interior designing much easier are great additions. Aside from its ability to run on standard mode, it an can also be used with VR head sets. While the blockish style can be limiting in terms of range of shapes one can make and less pleasing to the eyes, it is nonetheless efficient and practical. There are few software that are as quick from concept to finish as 3. D slash. This is an online 3. D design app geared towards beginners. The software features an intuitive block- building concept, allowing you to develop models from a set of basic shapes. Tinker. CAD is full of tutorials and guides to aid any aspiring novices get the designs they’re looking for. It even allows you to share and export files with ease. With a library of literally millions of files, users can find shapes that suit them best and manipulate them as they wish. It also has a direct integration with 3rd party printing services, allowing you to print and have your print at your door- step at the press of a button. Even though it can be a bit too simple to the point of limitation, it serves as a great way to learn about 3. D modelling. A parametric 3. D modeling tool that is open- source and enables you to design real- life objects of any size. The parametric component makes editing your design a piece of cake. Simply go to your model history and change the parameters, and you’ll have a different model. As the name suggest, it is in fact totally free. The upside of this is that none of the tools are blocked behind a pay wall, so you can tweak your models to your heart’s desire. It’s not the best for professional purposes, but it’s a great training tool. Despite it’s basic options and design elements it’s worth a try if you’re new and don’t want to have to invest in something before you dip your toe in the water. Sketch. Up is another good modeling software because it maintains that balance between usability and functionality, making it ideal for most skill levels. The software has an easy learning curve and there are advanced features available for professionals at an extra cost. It is especially good for designing interior and exterior architectural projects but also has tools for a diverse range of other purposes. Anything complex can take quite a while, but simpler designs aren’t too time- consuming. A freeware version, Sketch. Up Make, and a paid version with additional functionality, Sketch. Up Pro, are also available. This is a powerful yet accessible piece of software to help create and edit 3. D designs. You can take photos of objects and make 3. D models from these photos, and the software is also available on smartphones. Many newer printer models are supported. It runs on a freemium payment model and is great for those just starting out with their models. While the download file is quite large, once it is up and running it is smooth and operates with simplicity in mind. The software allows you to do mark- ups, leave comments, make changes and put up red lines, making it ideal for collaborative efforts. In essence, Blender covers many facets of 3. D creation, including modeling, animation, and simulation amongst others. This open- source software has a steep learning curve and is ideal for users who feel ready to transition to designing complex 3. D models. Check out our Blender tutorials for 3. D Printing page. Blender is actually a free 3. D modeling software which was originally for 3. D animation and rendering using polygonal modeling techniques. Despite its origins as a software for artists, it is considered quite accessible. One of the software’s interesting features is the photorealistic rendering option. This gives the models an air of realism that few free software can achieve. Now we move on to Solid. Works. This is a CAD program often used by professional 3. D designers. There are a plethora of advanced features included, such as design validation tools and reverse engineering. Solidworks comes in three distinct packages, depending on the exact features you need. Solidworks tends towards the industrial side of things. It is practical and detailed. While most software, mimic curves through gently inclining flat structures, Solidworks uses a system of nurbs that create averages of the edges to produce fantastically detailed curvatures. It only does away with polygonal modelling, opting instead for dimensional sketching. As a result, resizing becomes far less of a hassle. The company behind this software markets it as the world’s most versatile 3. D- modeler. The software is available for download in a variety of bundles on their website at various prices. The program uses a precise and mathematical model known as NURB, allowing you to manipulate points, curves, meshes, surfaces, solids, and more in all sorts of ways. Ultimately, given the range of design features available with Rhino. D, it’s hard to argue against its claims about unrivaled versatility in creating complex 3. D models. Users have commented on how the software can be very difficult to learn. This is a natural trade- off between capabilities and user friendly many designers have to make when creating a detailed software. While it is not the most accurate software at capturing user intent, it is one of the best on the market. Inventor 3. D CAD software offers professional- level 3. D mechanical design. The program comes with freeform, direct, and parametric modeling choices. Furthermore, you also get automation and simulation tools. Developed by Autodesk, Inventor comes in different packages depending on level of proficiency (student, professional etc.). One of the great things about Inventor is how they improve the software with user feedback. New versions include improvements to visual data representation and the ability to easily reference 3rd party designs without the need to convert file formats. This nifty and free CAD software is ideal for professionals and advanced hobbyists alike. The user interface is relatively straightforward and the software runs quickly, meaning efficient designing. You also have the capability to generate a bill- of- materials that calculates the cost of printing potential 3. D design projects. Design. Spark Mechanical allows users to utilise an in- built library to mix with own drawings. Another feature that new users might find useful is the pull feature that allows users to create 3. D models from only a surface. It is feature- rich for a free software and quite beginner- friendly. Primarily marketed at animation professionals, Maya is useful for many aspects of 3. D modeling, especially in terms of mathematically smooth surfaces and shapes. Maya was originally slated as a 3. D animation software, but is very useful in 3. D printing as well.
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October 2017
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