Table of Contents
The use of 3D printing in the industry is spreading quickly. Prototyping and product design frequently use 3D printing because of its unique capacity to produce objects that are either too complicated or fragile for traditional manufacturing procedures. 3D printing has now established itself as playing a more permanent position in the product development cycle. By enabling engineers and extended design teams to enhance their designs, quicken the time it takes to sell a product, and lessen reliance on the global supply chain.
When choosing the best CAD software for 3D printing, it’s crucial that the platform is built for an iterative process, makes use of an intuitive graphical user interface, and can easily share designs. All of the needs mentioned above are fully encapsulated by the cloud-native 3D CAD software Onshape. Onshape enables users to create high-quality 3D prints from beginning to end with little effort by providing an iterative design process where engineers and designers can swiftly adjust their designs while they work.
Are You Using the Best CAD Software for 3D Printing?Collaborative Environment
Utilizing its cloud-native architecture, Onshape allows users to access, share, and work on the design from anywhere in the world in real-time. Users can access all their designs using any web-connected device. Since the CAD is stored in the cloud, there is a single source of truth that is accessible to engineers and the extended design team.
Are You Using the Best CAD Software for 3D Printing?
Iterative Design Flow
Iterative design processes cannot be employed with traditional file-based CAD applications. Due to their private nature, it is challenging for other team members to participate when updates or adjustments are needed. Onshape, on the other hand, is ideal for iterative design and prototyping because it was created expressly for 3D printing. It does not require you to install any plugins or switch between different applications or formats to begin creating your project, in contrast to typical CAD software. No additional technical software is required to produce designs for 3D printing. It is simpler for the designer to see their design and make adjustments as necessary while designing in a 3D environment. Additionally, it shortens the time needed to make changes that can be made quickly from anywhere in the world. A product can reach the market more swiftly than ever before when designers can iterate rapidly.
Are You Using the Best CAD Software for 3D Printing?
Custom Features With Onshape
Some features of Onshape are not found in other conventional file-based CAD platforms. For instance, the “branching and merging” tool enables you to work on a complex design without dividing it up too much. To preview your design in virtual reality before printing it, Onshape also offers virtual reality integration.
Currently, 3D printing is only widely used for metal part prototypes and low-volume production. However, as the printers themselves become more affordable, the possibility for an industrial revolution in additive manufacturing is rapidly approaching. Onshape’s unique feature, Hex infill, can be added to a user’s toolbar to enable them to easily construct complex designs for specific sorts of geometries without programming as software developers transition from 2D to 3D in their workflows.
In addition, Onshape’s turing-complete scripting engine is called FeatureScript. It is adaptable and expressive, and it supports all of Onshape’s capabilities. The features that users want to enable on their models are entirely under their control. Different settings that determine whether a function will be enabled or disabled on a model instance can be specified. A collection of parametric design guidelines can be used by users to construct new bespoke features. The power of this programming language for designing customized features is increased by the fact that these rules were also developed in FeatureScript.
Are You Using the Best CAD Software for 3D Printing?
Importing & Exporting
The software Onshape supports the importation of a sizable library of 3D models and templates for use in your projects. Additionally, you can export your models as .stl,.obj, or.3MF files for use in other applications or 3D printing.
A CAD program created especially for 3D printing operations is called Onshape. You can collaborate with others on the same topic there because of the collaborative atmosphere it features. Additionally, it offers unique features that make importing and exporting files from other programs simpler.
Are You Using the Best CAD Software for 3D Printing? Comment below or on our Facebook page to let us know! Remember to sign up for our free weekly newsletter to receive all the most recent 3D printing info in your email!
