3d Graphics Software for lasering -- can anyone recommend?

[David Fairfield]

Been looking at various lower priced software for 3d CAD type design. Sketchup, Rhino, Alibre, etc. Are there any users here who can discuss interfacing with laser?

Ideally, I'd like to be able to draw a shape in 3d, and have the software break it down into flat parts, of the specified material thickness... and maybe with tabs and slots, too!


Am I just daydreaming, or is there software that will do this? I guess Boxit does that, but I do also need a general purpose 3d software.

Thanks!
Dave

[Doug Griffith]

For what you want to do, I don't think you have many options besides Boxit. I normally recommend Ashlar Cobalt for an intuitive lower priced CAD system but Rhino has a few add-ons such as Rhino Nest (http://www.rhinonest.com) that may be applicable to laser users. Pepakura is also interesting.

[Keith Outten]

David,

Take a look at Vectric's web site. Aspire has some features that can be used for laser engraving according to the owners manual. I own Aspire and a laser engraver but I haven't had an opportunity to try using it to process bitmaps for engraving yet.
.

[Glenn Chua]

David,

I use Sketchup with the Slice Modeler & Flight of Ideas plugins. Slice Modeler will take a 3D object you have rendered and slice it about the X & Y axis and lay it out in 2D. Flight of Ideas will take the 2D items and convert to Vector.

It takes a little while to get used to the process, but it definitely works. The other option is to use Rhino with a plugin called grasshopper. I have not yet had the opportunity to play around with this, but from what I have read it is more powerful then Sketchup combination I mentioned above. There is a steeper learning curve going the Rhino route unless you are already proficient with that application.

I'm working on a cardboard chair at the moment... I am brand new to 3D modeling so it has been challenging for me.

Google "Chick and Egg Chair"... trying to replicate it.

Forgot... Slice Modeler does add the notches

Good luck...

[Darryl Jacobs]

Hi David,

I have been using Rhino for about a year now for my detailed modelling work, and I find it to be a very good and easy to use 3D modelling tool. I have tried Designer, Solidworks, Sketchup, Turbocad, but I have found none compare to the ease and performance for the price of Rhino. Grasshopper is a good addon to Rhino for parametrics and things like tabs etc., though I am just getting into that. I still do most of my tabbing etc, manually, which is not that hard when you have a 3D model already built.

To to from the model to parts I usually "section" the area I want and add tabs etc to the section and project everything to the "X" plane. Then export the parts as a DXF and into Corel for adding textures, text etc, and then printing to the laser (Epilog style).

I have not seen anything yet that automatically breaks down your surfaces and turns them into tabbed flat parts for the type of stuff like your model buildings, but with Parametrics and some macros you could come close!!

Darryl

[Zsolt Paul]

I am also doing (or I should stay starting to do) the same thing you are trying to accomplish. I spent some time with skethup. In the end, I did not find it accurate enough and that fact that the view was always 3D made it a bit awkward when I REALLY needed to zoom and get super accurate. Not to mention, the fact that sketchup does not do true cuves, is disappointing and it's a deal breaker for me.

After doing some research, I found that basically, for manfucturing / engineering purposes, where precision cutting is important, Rhino is best. (Many other top 3D programs such as Maya are best for animation for example). What I also LOVE about Rhino, is that you can have a 2D and 3D view at the same time. Switch back and forth, or use all views at the same time. Get some Lynda.com tutorials and to get you started. I too am finding that grasshopper will be my best combination for slicing, but you can "project" onto planes as had been mentioned, which also works. Anyway, one thing is for sure: Rhino is far superior to sketchup.

[Paul Grothouse]

David,

I do this quite often with Solidworks. I can also be done quite easily in AutoCad (with 3D), Inventor and Sketchup Pro.

In solidworks I create the 3d Assembly, then create 2D drawings from the model that can be exported directly to the laser, you have to setup the laser as a plotter, your scales need to be right. You can also save these drawings as Dxf's and use Corel if you like. This is very powerful stuff, you can use the parametric features and have muliple sizes on the same box.

To increase the functionially of this feature (if I did this a whole lot), you could use the sheetmetal features of Solidworks or Inventor to draw up a folded up model and then flatten it out for lasering automatically. AutoCad and Sketchup won't have this capability.

If you want automatic nesting of your designs you will need to use a CAM software like MasterCam or AlphaCam with nesting. This is primarly designed for CNC cabinet work, and exporting to G-Code, but it could work with a laser as well. This kind of software is pricey to just get this feature.

[Paul Grothouse]

Here is an example of an assembly, and a flattened out drawing.

[Doug Griffith]

If you are getting into CAD with intent to create useful mechanical designs I highly recommend learning a parametric solid modeler where there is a history tree. Rhino is not this type of modeler. The lowest cost parametric solid modeler I've used is TurboCAD. It works well and imports Illustrator files without much fuss. Punch Shark and Ashlar Cobalt are based on the same kernal.

[Russell Ludwick]

I also like using solidworks to design all of my fixtures. I design out all the parts, then put them down on a blank drawing sheet as a flat pattern. Save it as a DXF and open it in corel and print to the laser.

If you cannot get your hands on solidworks, I think you can do this same type of stuff with turbocad for a fraction of the price. If I didn't already have access to both Solidworks and Pro E through my workplaces, I would have already bought it. Unfortunately, i can't speak for rhino, but solidworks is good when you are designing precision fixtures that have tapped/clearance holes, pressfit/slipfit pins etc.

[Darryl Jacobs]

Grasshopper is the add-on to Rhino that gives parametrics and takes advantage of the history tree. It puts Rhino closer to Solidworks, but is still a 3D modeller at its base. It is very accurate for tight tolerance work, and an excellent NURBS modeller for the price.

I would agree that Solidworks is the way to go ultimately, but it is timeconsuming to learn and very expensive. Turbocad was OK, but poor 3d modelling (IMHO).

Like cars, software is a personal preference and opinion. I can't speak for all of them, but what got me going on Rhino was that many in the Scale modelling world used Rhino and the Free demo download got me going. It was a full version of Rhino, and just locks you out of saving after 25 free saves. It costs more than Turbocad at about $700 to $800 for the full license, but a lot cheaper than Solidworks at about $6K if I remember correctly.

[David Fairfield]

Thanks for all the interesting and useful replies so far! I'm getting a better feel for the choices now.

I found this too, and its free!?

http://www.doublecad.com/Products/Do...0/Default.aspx

Dave

[Dean Fowell]

Hey all,

I use solid works all the time and also just got solid edge its cheaper, I use both for work and at home

als-ma 1.jpg

[Paul Grothouse]

Solidworks Standard edition is only $2,996 ($3,995 retail) with the current discounts, there is a maintainence fee once a year for $1,295, Press your reseller for discounts on the software, they usually the ability to discount the software, but little room to move on the price of the maintainence. You can go without the maintence, but I don't recommend it.

You only need Solidworks premium ($7-8k) or office ($10k+) if you need all the finite anaylsis or photo rendering capability. I personally prefer Maxwell Render ($700) for rendering anyway and it's a lot less.

I have tried them all (I have used AutoCad for 3D work for 20 years) and this is the way CAD is going plus Solidworks includes a 2D drafting program. It took me a little effort to make the switch but I am very happy I made the change.

[Russell Ludwick]

If your going the solidworks route, I would recommend the pro version. The toolbox and photo rendering plugins are worth the upgrade.

Overall it is about 6 grand + 1500 maintenance per year, that can be completely financed. Another option is to pay the maintenance every other year and pay the 500 penalty for not upkeeping your maintenance. That way you save 1000 bucks every two years. You really don't need the newest version every year.