has anyone else tried DesignSpark Mechanical.?

a few weeks ago i saw a hackaday link to DesignSpark Mechanical. i have just fiddled with it so far, and so far i am unsure what to think of it. I can do more complex things with it than i could do with sketchup. I still have yet to learn how to do some very basic things still like erase lines and faces.

but i was wondering if anyone else out there has used it, and what they think of it.

i will say this much though, it is much nicer to deal with STL files with it, over sketchup.

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[mike-mack.blogspot.com]

My First Post was to mention it when I got an email from RSOnline about it. I have been messing around with it and find it pretty good, there some SpaceClaim tutorials which are helpful.

lol i never even knew that forum thread was there.

they have apcb one too that i have been eyeing to try too. what little i have tried with it though i do like.

i have never been able to figure out how to do this in sketchup rounded corners or to get the middle to meet up like that.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2013 03:54PM by dissidence.

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[mike-mack.blogspot.com]

I have been playing with it the last few days.

Quote

I still have yet to learn how to do some very basic things still like erase lines and faces.

To erase lines use the trim (blue arrow on attached pic)
To round use the create rounded corner (red arrow on attached pic) or if it is already in 3d, you can PULL to round the corners as well.

Here is a 90 degree 10 mm rod connector I made last night, which is attached as well.

There is alot of experimenting and using Ctrl - Z (undo) to try something else when the first try doesn't work. Slowly getting the hang of it.

Just so you know, SpaceClaim, on which DesignSpark is based, is a mechanical CAD solid modeler, that is, its purpose is to create solids. So you don't as a rule erase faces because that would destroy your solid model.

But reading a little on DesignSpark, there seem to be a few differences with SpaceClaim. Like working with STL files. Usually in CAD you don't import STL as it is a purely export format intended for a single purpose: rapid prototyping. STL being a mesh format, it is mostly useless in MCAD.

Sketchup can work with STL files because it is a mesh modeler, not a solid modeler. That's also the reason why it is so tricky to produce watertight models. You don't have those problems when you work with a solid object. The STL export from a solid will almost always produce a valid file.

One other thing that makes DesignSpark stand apart from SpaceClaim is the available export formats. There are no CAD formats supported (open formats like IGES and STEP or proprietary formats like ACIS, Parasolid). I believe you can only export to STL.

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One other thing that makes DesignSpark stand apart from SpaceClaim is the available export formats. There are no CAD formats supported (open formats like IGES and STEP or proprietary formats like ACIS, Parasolid). I believe you can only export to STL.

Not sure if you are talking about SpaceClaim or DesignSpark, but DesignSpark can do:

dxf
obj
pdf
skp
stl
xaml
jpg
png

I just saved my drawing as a dxf and could open it fine in CAD. DesignSpark cannot open a DXF though.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2013 07:46PM by mattmc.

Yes, I was talking about DesignSpark. But let me rephrase that. It cannot export to 3D CAD formats. Unless DXF exports as a 3D file?

All other formats you listed are not CAD formats.

Not too familiar with the 3d CAD programs. When I opened the dxf in my Cad program, it looked more like wireframe, but was 3 dimensional. I did not try and rotate or anything as I only use this particular CAD program for 2d cad and never messed with its 3d capabilities.

What program is it?

It is called BricsCAD from Bricsys.

BricsCAD

It is $300 CAD program similar to AutoCAD. We use it for electrical schematics and panel layout drawings, only in 2D.

It does have 3D capability, but it is not near as intuitive as tinkercad, sketchup, or design spark.

I find it very hard to use for 3D.

I know BricsCAD, I tested the Linux version a few years ago. It mimics AutoCAD' GUI and console commands. As far as I know the $300 Classic version can only create 3D surfaces, not solids. The Pro and Platinum versions have "Direct modeling" which works similarly to DesignSpark.

Yes, BricsCAD is very similar to AutoCAD, I bought it 3 or 4 years ago cause my customers all use AutoCAD and I needed something 100% compatible, without the $5K price tag. I have never had any issues with it as a 2D CAD program. Works great.

I upgraded in the last few months to v13 and went to PRO as well, thinking I would use the 3D part of it for skid layouts or panel stands, and to tell you the truth, I wish I would have known about tinkercad and design spark, as they are much easier to use.

I am sure the 3D cad part of it is just fine, and I just don't know how to use it. But I figured out Design Spark in about 15 minutes and I have messed with the 3D in BricsCAD on at least 4-5 different occasions and still can't do much at all besides draw a box with filleted corners.

I feel like bricsys took at 2d program and added the 3D portion to it, while the newer free programs started with 3d design and ease of use in mind.

Dare I ask, how does Design Spark Mechanical compare to FreeCAD?

It's an interesting thing, but both Farnell and RS are moving horizontally into CAD tools, software tools, making dev boards etc. I am slightly wary of "free" tools, because they are not really free, there are always some strings. These tools are obviously provided to lock the user base into the supplier, not out of the goodness of their corporate heart, if they have one It also leads to fragmentation, some people will use the Farnell tool, others the RS tools.

bobc, exactly what I was thinking, I did try designspark pcb, but decided I was being lulled into
something.

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Random Precision

There are a few reasons why they do it. That's how eagle came to be one of the top used PCB tools. If you want people to buy your program the best way is to get them when they are beginning. In some ways it makes a lot of since. It not like eagle looses anything by giving away there limited free version.

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[mike-mack.blogspot.com]

I have not used FreeCad, only tinkerCAD and Sketchup. I like it better than Sketchup, although I am still a noob at both. Maybe it is not as powerful, but so far it has been a good experience with Design Spark.

They do have a parts library with their part numbers and a BOM function, so it may just be them trying to get makers to use their stuff as well.

We use Allied Electronics all the time. Price is a little higher than our local guys, but they are 1 day UPS ground from Ft Worth, Texas to me, and they stock a million parts. My local guys seem to have cut back on relays, timers, etc. when the recession started in 2009 and have never really brought alot of it back. We pay a few percentage points more, but finish the jobs faster, which gets us paid faster.

And no I don't work for Allied! I realize the preceding probably sounded like a paid advertisement.

Try DesignSpark and see if you like it. If there is something better to create STLs with that I can learn quickly and is free or very low cost, I am definitely all ears

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2013 02:50PM by mattmc.

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mattmc
I upgraded in the last few months to v13 and went to PRO as well, thinking I would use the 3D part of it for skid layouts or panel stands, and to tell you the truth, I wish I would have known about tinkercad and design spark, as they are much easier to use.

Well, BricsCAD being a clone of AutoCAD, the 3D modeling workflow really is counter-intuitive, because it's been designed before the current century. I thought that "Direct modeling" which comes with Pro and Platinum versions improved on that, but I did not try that version, I just watched a couple videos when it came out.

Quote
mattmc
I feel like bricsys took at 2d program and added the 3D portion to it, while the newer free programs started with 3d design and ease of use in mind.

It might be very close to the truth. I know that's how AutoCAD evolved.

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bobc
Dare I ask, how does Design Spark Mechanical compare to FreeCAD?

I am very proficient with FreeCAD, but I have only quickly tested SpaceClaim a few years back. I have not tested DesignSpark because I now use Ubuntu (a GNU/Linux distro) at home. FreeCAD provides multiple and widely different workflows. You can for example use constructive solid geometry (using primitive shapes and boolean operations), through python scripting or the GUI, or create constrained sketches and use them to build 3D parametric features. This latter method is similar to pro CAD software like SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor or CATIA.

FreeCAD has so many different tools it can be overwhelming for some people, yet others pick it up quite quickly. Being open source and an ongoing project, it suffers a little from lack of cohesion of its interface, and has some bugs. It is only limited by the fact it's "unfinished". The devs (who contribute to FreeCAD in their spare time!) are very responsive, once one of them added a feature I had requested in less than a day.

By opposition DesignSpark is probably a pretty mature product already (being based on 6-year old SpaceClaim), with a potentially easier GUI. But it cannot export to solid CAD formats, only to mesh formats. So you couldn't use it to design injection mold plastic parts which require solid models. Of course, for people who only want to print their designs it's sufficient, but I don't like to be restricted, and I am also weary of free proprietary software with an agenda (you know the saying, there is no such thing as a free lunch).

I will admit I am not exactly impartial. I made my choice on FreeCAD three and a half years ago and I've since been contributing many hours to the project, not coding as I'm no programmer but with other tasks (helping newcomers, wiki work...). The software has evolved tremendously since then.

NormandC
I use linuxlite, the best operating system in the world, ubuntu based.
you have sold freecad to me, I shall install tonight.

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Random Precision

Hello John,

I didn't know LinuxLite. I checked it out and it seems based on the 12.04 LTS version of Ubuntu, which I'm using. You should have no trouble installing FreeCAD. But the version in the Ubuntu repositories is almost 2 year old. I recommend you add either of our two PPA repositories. One has the "stable" v0.13 release, the other offers a package built daily from the development branch, which will become the v0.14 release when it's complete.

This page explains how to add the Daily PPA: [www.freecadweb.org]
Link to the stable PPA: [launchpad.net]

I hope you like it, and visit the FreeCAD forum if you need help, you'll most certainly meet me there.

Sorry for hijacking this topic!

bobc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's an interesting thing, but both Farnell and RS
> are moving horizontally into CAD tools, software
> tools, making dev boards etc. I am slightly wary
> of "free" tools, because they are not really free,
> there are always some strings. These tools are
> obviously provided to lock the user base into the
> supplier, not out of the goodness of their
> corporate heart, if they have one It also leads
> to fragmentation, some people will use the Farnell
> tool, others the RS tools.

Farnell owns element 14/Newark/MCM in the US as well as CADSoft the guys that do Eagle. The DIY design movement is gaining traction and the tools are a response the that particuarly in the US where there is a movement back to US manufactured (or at least assembled) hard goods particularly small batch or prototyping for large batch to be made in Guangdong. In terms of PCB fab the two most widely used in industry are Eagle and Altium (was Protel). There are a variety of libraries and CAMs available to make the exchange of information and assembly/BOM requirements more streamlined for all parties. For example Sparkfun provides a lib for all thier parts and Seeed provides a CAM to ease the creation of Gerbers for thier fab house. I'm all for using open tools when it's appropriate but sometimes they just aren't up to the task or they aren't mature enough to be used in an environment where productivity and cost efficientcy are required. The US$5k for Autocad or Solidworks (or Eagle or Protel) may be out of reach for many here, if you need that tool it can pay for itself over the life of the tool. This is amplfied when one is working in an environment where the information needs to be shared among multiple entities and compatability and feature parity is a must.

very good point vegasloki, but i have been noticing that some of the open source tools are starting to get more mature, i hope in time i can use more fully open tools.

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[mike-mack.blogspot.com]

I'll have to give it a try - thanks for re-sharing. I'm trying to redesign my printer's X axis and extruder carriage, and I'm looking for more visual tools.

Don't forget we have a list on software on the wiki: [reprap.org]
I don't want to add it yet because I'm not familiar with it, but if someone beats me to it...

frontier204 Wrote:
>
> Don't forget we have a list on software on the
> wiki: [reprap.org]
> I don't want to add it yet because I'm not
> familiar with it, but if someone beats me to it...

BTW correct info about solvespace.
[solvespace.com] is open source

"SolveSpace is free software, distributed under the GPLv3. Source code is available for download at:
The source code is also hosted in git at Gitorious."

SolveSpace has only been open sourced recently, it used to be closed source. Here's some info about this software. [libregraphicsworld.org]

I just down loaded SolveSpace.

It took less than one second to down load, and to fully install, amazing.

I'm interested in the solver, it can map linkages.


TUTORIAL: LINKAGES
[solvespace.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/26/2013 08:34PM by A2.