I designed this trophy in OpenSCAD, but the procedure for generating the text is tortuous (Illustrator->Inkscape->OpenSCAD and then hand tweaking some of that code in OpenSCAD). So I think it’s time to learn a new CAD program.
Any suggestions for 3D CAD software that would be good for this? Ideally I’d like to add and warp the text inside the program.
Tinkercad? It’s basic but i found it useful. Further i use shapr3d which only works on an ipad pro because of the pencil. However it is a great tool for ppl with little cad background
I usually go to FreeCAD if OpenSCAD doesn’t do what I need.
123Design or OnShape for easy, free work. Fusion360 is immensely powerful and still free, but has a steeper learning curve (but excellent training material!)
Tinkercad is a favourite of mine when I want to make something geometric and simple. It has severe limitations but is so quick and easy to use, it’s ideal for things like what you made above.
I agree, tinkercad could handle your design but nothing much more complicated.
I would have just used blender, it can import any font… and wrap text like this: http://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/6226/whats-the-simplest-way-to-wrap-extruded-text-around-a-cylinder
Blender is only a good option if you’re already very skilled with it.
Otherwise, blender isn’t designed as a CAD program, and is very difficult to use to make good 3D models for printing.
If it’s already part of your skill set, that’s great. Otherwise, don’t bother.
Freecad is very good for the most things. But when it comes to text or svg import it gets its limits very fast. I would also suggest 123d design or fusion 360.
Thanks everyone. I’m working my way through a good Fusion 360 tutorial. Added bonus is I’ll soon be able to customize a few of my Voron CoreXY pieces.
Fusion is really easy to learn to a basic level and there are tons of tutorials, but it can’t bend the text the way you want it, so use Inkscape for that, and import as SVG to Fusion.
If you have monumental patience, Blender can do that all in one app, and a heck of a lot more. It has the steepest learning curve of any program I have used, ever.
But it is better to import a svg to fusion than goofing around with blender. At least that’s my two cents. Never got used to it. Monumental patience is a very good description.
@Daniel_Stauffer Indeed. Blender is a tremendously difficult program to use. It’s an incredibly powerful piece of software, but people who have learned to use it often forget how tremendously steep that learning curve is.
If you needed Blender for more than some stuff that other (way easier) programs can do too - if you were doing 3D modelling (not CAD) then I’d be 100% behind spending the time to learn Blender.
But if you’re just looking at CAD for 3D printing purposes, the time/effort costs in learning Blender are really, REALLY over the top.
