3D CAD software Archives - Perfect 3D Printing Filament

Interview with Aaron Breuer, the CEO of SelfCAD

With perhaps only ten to twenty million people being proficient in CAD we can maintain that everyone could or should 3D print but the reality is that this isn’t in our hands. 3D modeling and CAD software let people design for 3D printing and if they are still too complex or take thousands of hours to master then the pool of available people that can really fully use 3D printing will always be limited. There are a number of easy 3D modeling tools out there that make the learning curve less steep and are entry-level alternatives that get you closer to making your ideas, faster one of these is SelfCAD. We know SelfCAD’s CEO Aaron Breuer well because he teaches the 3D modeling component of our 3D printing classes. We thought it high time that we interviewed him to find out more about SelfCAD.

What is SelfCAD? For who is it intended?

SelfCAD is an easy to use fully-featured online 3D modeling and slicing software. It enables users to model, sculpt and slice all under a single platform. SelfCAD is intended for Do It Yourself people and hobbyists. That is, those who design 3D models as a hobby and those own a 3D printer and design models for 3D printing.

Why should I get it?

The future of manufacturing is 3D printing and in the near future people will be able to design their own 3D models and 3D print them, and hence this is the right time for one to get into it.

What are some of its features?

SelfCAD is a fully functional CAD application because everything that one can do with professional CAD software can be done in SelfCAD too.

SelfCAD has several unique features that allow both novice and professional users to create simple and complex designs. For example, the Image generator that converts any type of Image into a 3D model. There is also the magic fix tool that automatically fixes your model to make it printable. SelfCAD also has an in-built slicer for slicing the model to prepare it for any FDM printer. Now we are working directly with other 3D printing companies in order to add more new interesting versions of 3D printing.

In addition to its unique tools, there are also standard CAD features like the technical drawing and sketching tools which are easier to use to enable users to explore their imagination and design abilities. There are also artistic features like the Sculpting tools that are easier to use.

How many people are working on SelfCAD?

20+.

Where do you hope to be in five years?

In a few years to come, we hope that most people with 3D printers will be using SelfCAD because they can design any type of 3D model and slice it too.

How do you make money?

SelfCAD is software as a service. We have a monthly and yearly subscription but we are far less expensive than our competitors.

How is SelfCAD optimized for 3D printing?

SelfCAD is an online program, hence users can share and collaborate on the cloud with others with ease. Secondly, everything created in SelfCAD is printable, whether it’s a model imported into SelfCAD or designed from scratch, the magic fix tool prepares the model for 3D printing.
There is also an in-built Slicer that generates the G-Code of the model after designing it without leaving the software. So from start to finish, one doesn’t need any additional software as one can design, customize and slice in a single program.

What does the education version include?

We give a 65% discount to the educators and it includes the same features as the paid version.

Why is it so easy to use?

SelfCAD has a simplified user-friendly interface that is simple to work with and one can master easily. It has also been designed in a way that the number of tools is less when compared to other programs, and these tools are reusable. That is, one can use the same tool to do different things. This is because SelfCAD was created by creative minds and brilliant UX designers who put a lot of emphasis on the usability of the program and hence they consolidated many similar tools.
There are also video tutorials and instructable guides that help the beginners to master SelfCAD in just a few days.
It has also been created in a way that makes it’s easy to work with basic shapes, unique designs, innovative concepts, and both simple and complex designs.

What’s it like competing with Autodesk and other huge companies?

Our main goal is not to compete with anyone, rather, we focus on providing a program for all people, both beginners, and professionals that will solve their design and slicing challenges. The users who have been struggling to create 3D models in other professional software can now get started easily in SelfCAD without taking months of designing. So generally our joy is to see people creating useful things and 3D printing them. Additionally, we are also working with schools directly to make 3D designing easy for them.

Who would you like to partner with?

We would like to partner with everyone, more so those who won’t our development resources. So far we have partnered with some 3D printing companies and schools and we look forward to more partnerships in the future.

Discuss this article and more on the 3DPrintBoard or comment below to tell us what you think.

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What Makes for a Great 3D Printing Webinar?

Tools and insights to help people choose the right 3D printer, materials, or become more knowledgable about how disruptive technologies can benefit the industry, are very important. This is one of the reasons why a lot of well-established companies and startups are turning to webinars to help users boost their understanding of a 3D printer they already own or to attract new customers. Nevertheless, webinars take up time, usually around an hour or more. On average people spent one-third of their time on work and around five hours a day for leisure (at least in the US), so whether you’re taking time out of a work project, using your much-needed coffee break at the office or staying up late at night, that webinar should be worth it for you to consider it.

Faris Sheikh using Form 3 during a webinar

With so many different types of manufacturing methods available, it’s difficult to decide which one is better suited for your needs, and the overwhelming amount of 3D printers currently on the market makes choosing one challenging, even more so if you need to add software, scanning devices and post-processing machines. 3DPrint.com has been surfing through quite a few webinars; these online sessions are great sources to become more informed about the technology and how to use it. Over the last year, we have tagged along with Faris Sheikh, a growth marketing specialist at Formlabs, to get a glimpse of the company’s new Form 3 printer; witnessed a live demonstration on how Markforged‘s new Blacksmith AI software can help us accurately design 3D printed parts, and learned how to take advantage of high-strength thermoplastics PEEK, PEKK, and ULTEM from specialists at Montreal-based firm AON3D. Balancing so much information is fun, and we learned a lot, yet choosing the right webinar is not easy so we have summarized the top qualities we consider can take your online viewing experience from great to amazing.

Before signing up for your next webinar you might want to read over our six-pointers. We consider a live demonstration to be on the top of our list, followed by experienced public speakers who will address at least one of the challenges when working with the product, as well as allowing for a Q&A session since we have noticed that some of the most interesting tips arise from audience questions; examples of some of the successful experiences are a great way to illustrate what can be achieved with a product, and finally, we give a lot of credit to webinars that stick to the originally scheduled time frame (remember, time is a valuable commodity).

We love powerpoints, they are great visual aids, and extremely useful when speakers need to convey complex terminology and a lot of information. However powerpoints during a 3D printing webinar are ok for a few minutes, but the audience can benefit much more from a live show, watching someone on screen explain a particular process makes the webinar worth your time. We have witnessed almost everything, from scanning and designing parts with CAD software to preparing a machine for printing.

Using Dot3D’s ruggedized tablet, software and RealSense camera for 3D scanning

Last May, 3D scanning enthusiasts were able to tune in to a webinar to witness a live broadcast of DotProduct’s Dot3D during scanning, this is one of the firm’s professional handheld 3D capture solutions which has joined forces with Intel RealSense to better capture real-time 3D data, making both indoor and outdoor 3D capture possible. One of the highlights of the session was a demonstration by company specialist Chris Ahern who performed a live daylight 3D scan of a sample field pipeline, using RealSense’s D415. After capture, Ahern moved onto optimization for cleaning any noise recognized from the data, done within just a few minutes and with ease, showing what it takes to handle the scanning features and post-data analysis. During this webinar, the audience was able to appreciate a walk through all the steps necessary to perform the scan as well as observe how Ahern dealt with one of the more challenging features, needing to manipulate the output a bit to get the acceptable quality required. This is a great example of a company that was able to channel a lot of the qualities we value most.

Some processes like metal printing and machining are not as easy to demonstrate live. In this case, webinars with lots of examples and information supporting the process are very well received by an audience, which is usually more knowledgeable about the specific process and expects to hear about successful cases and know-how. For example, one of Optomec‘s latest webinars proved how useful the company’s laser engineered net shaping (LENS) technology could be when applied on sustainable repairs to some of the most complex machinery around, including plane parts and tank gear repairs. Here, examples were paramount to convey the benefits of the complex machining process.

How Optomec was able to repair broken teeth on a gear thanks to their LENS repair machine

Webinars are one of the most effective online marketing tactics for any business, they usually bring in new customers and help keep users up to date on the latest advances in the technology that they bought. A great way to engage the audience is through a robust Q&A session. Since questions usually come in throughout the presentation, the speaker can choose a few to answer at the end, but we noticed that some of the best webinars have specialists really committed to dealing with unusual and interesting questions. Sauber Motorsport AG (the company operating the Alfa Romeo Sauber Formula 1 Team), went deep into the underlying benefits of SLS additive manufacturing processes during the Q&A of their on-demand webinar, talking about everything from accuracy to printing with different materials. Expert Richard Broad didn’t hold back in the question session proving that this is one of the reasons we really enjoyed their presentation.

Online webinar sessions usually go for an hour tops, so when they extend beyond the allotted time, it can be a bit daunting, the audience usually loses interest and can get easily bored. An average 3D printing webinar should last around 45 minutes, with presentations usually ending after 30 minutes, followed by 10 to 15 minutes for answering questions. However if a speaker will not stop at 30 minutes, presentations can last an hour or more. If companies expect their audience to keep coming back for more online sessions, they need to prove that they can deliver all the necessary information in the promised time.

Web conferences aren’t new, the first ones date from the 1990s and companies have been using them as a tool for years. Today 3D printing webinars are getting better, allowing for audiences around the world to interact, by asking live questions or filling out surveys (which later help the company determine who is tuning in, where from and what industry they work in); having some of the most experienced employees offer technical demonstrations for viewers, and especially trying to prove that their product is worth considering. We’re really looking forward to future webinars, trying to imagine what some of the most innovative minds out there could come up with to engage audiences with their product, such as using virtual reality to help viewers become even more immersed in an interactive webinar experience, or for companies with large room-size machines, a walk through their processes to witness how the systems work would be amazing. But for now, we’ll stick to our six points. What other qualities would make a 3D printing webinar experience worth your viewing time? Join in the discussion.

[Images: 3DPrint.com, Dot3D, Formlabs and Optomec]

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What is Metrology Part 2: CMM

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CMM

A CMM is a widely used machine used to measure objects. A CMM is a coordinate measuring machine. This refers to any machine that measures the geometry of physical objects by sensing discrete points on the surface of the object with a probe. This is the essence of many a metrology system. The precision of a CMM is vital for determining the geometry of objects. This then leads to more precision in the manufacturing and replication of objects.

Probes are the engine of a CMM. They sense objects through their surfaces. There are various types of probes as well. The types of probes used in CMMs include mechanical, optical, laser, and white light. Mechanical probes typically have a ball and rod looking setup attached to them, or have a nozzle setup. These physically touch the surface of a material that is in need of measuring. Optical probes typically refer to spectral analysis and measuring through these means. One can think of a fiber optic probe in particular. These type of probes are usually used in Raman spectroscopy, and diffuse reflection applications. Raman spectroscopy is a spectroscopic technique based on inelastic scattering of monochromatic light, usually from a laser source. Inelastic scattering means that the frequency of photons in monochromatic light changes upon interaction with a sample. The scattering of the photons within a monochromatic light source allows for a device to detect if an object is within the path of monochromatic light. This thus leads to measuring capabilities that are important in terms of a CMM as well. Diffuse reflection is similar to Raman Spectroscopy aside from the optical source is typically infrared. When an IR beam passes through a physical object, it can be reflected off the surface of a particle or be transmitted through a particle. The IR energy reflecting off the surface is typically lost. This transmission‐reflectance event can occur many times in the object, which increases the pathlength. This pathlength is vital for measuring. Finally, the scattered IR energy is collected by a spherical mirror that is focused onto the detector. The detected IR light is partially absorbed by particles of the object, collating the object information.

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Typical Raman Spectroscopy Setup

A CMM is heavily reliant on a built-in coordinate system of, typically, three axes. This is similar to the coordinate systems we are aware of within a 3D build environment. This is a Cartesian Coordinate system. The main structure of which includes three axes of motion. The material used to construct the moving frame has varied over the years. Granite and steel were used in the early CMM ‘s. Today the major CMM manufacturers tend to build frames from aluminium alloy or some derivative and also use ceramic to increase the stiffness of the Z axis for scanning applications. CMM axises need to be stiff because there should be minimal outside inference with forces that may misalign the device during measurement. Any misalignment will cause higher error ranges for measurement.

Cartesian Coordinate System

Scanning techniques are becoming more reliant on data collection and compilation. These methods use either laser beams or white light that are projected against the surface of a part. Thousands of points can then be taken and used not only to check size and position but also to create a 3D image of the part also. This “point-cloud data” can then be transferred to CAD software to create a working 3D model of the part. The ability to hold various point cloud data from these methods is essential for the future development of the field. Big data is something of interest most definitely for this field.

CMM’s are very interesting and are the basis of most metrology methods. It is important to understand how in-depth and fascinating this field is. It is a very vital one as well for the future in terms of 3D printing and manufacturing. Stay tuned for the next installment where we take a look into different subfields within Metrology as well.

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