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New to 3D Printing, Software suggestions?

Discussion in 'General Questions' started by Stera8, May 27, 2017.

  1. Stera8

    Stera8 Member

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    I am enjoying my C2 so far as my first printer. I have mastered TinkerCAD for creation and editing already great files from Thingiverse, but I'm not sure which software to move to next. The C2 gives you a year free of Adobe Fusion, but it seems a little overwhelming. I may take a course on Udemy to learn a software. Any recommendations? What should be the next step in software creation after TinkerCAD?
     
    #1 Stera8, May 27, 2017
  2. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    Nobody can tell you the best modeling software, experiment with all the free ones. I use fusion 360
     
    #2 Geof, May 29, 2017
  3. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    @Stera8 The free subscription to Fusion is just a marketing ploy. Fusion 360 is free to entrepreneurs and startups that make less than $100,000 on a year to year basis. It is free to Academics on a three year basis. So basically it is free unless you run a bigger business.

    Google has SketchUp
    Autodesk also has TinkerCAD
    FreeCAD is OSS
    OpenSCAD iis OSS and fits mathematical thinkers
    OnShape has a web based 3D modeling suite

    And if you are more artistic than mechanical there is always something like Blender.
     
    #3 WheresWaldo, May 29, 2017
    Stera8, mark tomlinson and Geof like this.
  4. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    SolidWorks has both student and veteran discounts. The discounts they offer vary by country.
     
    #4 mark tomlinson, May 29, 2017
  5. daniel871

    daniel871 Well-Known Member

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    Sculptris is also a really powerful bit of software for the less mechanical/more artistic bend of modeling.
     
    #5 daniel871, May 31, 2017
  6. KTMDirtFace

    KTMDirtFace Well-Known Member

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    They are ALL overwhelming at first.

    I started with google sketchup it sucked. ( google no longer owns it though I don't think )

    Then I went to Moment of Inspiration which is great, has a 30 day trial for free otherwise its about $300 http://moi3d.com/

    But.. once I went to Fusion 360( free ), I have not touched moment of inspiration.( which I paid for )

    There is tons of tutorials on fusion 360 and Moment of inspiration on youtube. ( and every other CAD program )

    I tried blender for awhile, but its more of an organic artist modeling program. I have a math brain and like to sketch and extrude in easily seen dimensions.
     
    #6 KTMDirtFace, May 31, 2017
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  7. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    I like fusion, I suppose the paid software for the art style modelers (organic) would be Z Brush. Very expensive but powerful. Downside...very little to no demensional control of what your doing. You'd have to scale in a different program (slicer works)
     
    #7 Geof, Jun 1, 2017

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