How would I design such a unique shape?

I'd like to start off by saying this is my first post here and I hope I posted this in the right place.

I haven't designed too much yet. Mostly arduino cases and other simple shapes in OpenSCAD. I have a project I would like to start working on and need a little guidance.
Here are some pictures of the part I will be making, this is however made out of aluminum:




It is just a little switch panel for a Chevy Trailblazer. I guess some help starting off would be which program would be easiest to design this part in? And in that program you suggest what would some functions be that would really help to learn?

Thanks for any advice!

... in the years before 3D-printing gets common we 'modelled' the basic shape by filing polystyrol in shape and used glass-fabric and 2K-resin to get the form ... then cut the holes and painted the hardened part

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Viktor
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My instant reaction is 'Creo' as that's what I use and it has a sheet metal design function, however this is a professional bit of kit with a hefty price tag, so not worth it for you I don't think. Might be worth producing a drawing on paper and asking someone to model it for you.

You may be able to use something like sketchup of freecad, unfortunately I have noe experience with them.

Do you have any idea where I would be able to find someone to model it for me if I were to grab dimensions?

Also I have Inventor 2015 Student, which I am slowing leaning in hopes that it will be enough for me.

I would start with a block that encompasses the design, select one face to remain when complete and extrude cuts thru the block to gain the final shape. I am thinking this is about a 10 minute deal ( I wander off sometimes though).

I am solid works and older package trained, but starting with a cube too big and cutting what I do not want works well for me. I can imagine needing to make angled datums, offsetting edges, shelling out a form or using sheet metal, but there are so many ways to get it done that I doubt two designers would come up with the same features, although they would all match the design.

If you have Inventor Pro Student it has a sheetmetal function. I don't have too much experience with it but I think that should be not too hard to do.

Hi,

Using Inventor I would not use sheet metal function for this one. This object is rather complex and sheet metal has its limitations when working on more complex functions.
I would rather use a plain ipt. I would go like kengineer wrote, a block to large and cutting what's not needed. A (about)10 minute job indeed.
Don't print it to thin.
And is your bed large enough for this one..?

Something else : When placing a coke in the left holder, you can't reach a few switches imho --> ergonomics..!

Chris

You could start with something like 123D sculpt.
or other VRClay
Push a virtual lump of clay into the shape you want
then go to STL or other CAD to finish design

The most user friendly and quickest program to learn 3d modeling is Solidworks. It's so popular, in fact that you'll find more tutorials on the web and youtube of this program than anything else (Grabcad, an online resource for uploading 3d models, is pretty much 90% solidworks models). It too can do sheetmetal, but since you're here, i'm guessing you want to 3d print it.

Solidworks

User Friendly maybe

Wallet sucker for certain!

Solidworks $4000 annual support $1300

I would get the flat profile using a flatbed scanner. Trace the shape using illustrator or directly in a cad or 3D modelling application. Extrude, Cut the side flap pieces to separate pieces and rotate. Join the shapes together and round the bends/corners.