I’ve been using Blender for CAD work, but I’ve found out about FreeCAD. Perhaps it’ll be quicker to draft an idea on Blender and then build it on the other software. Has anyone tried this or is it easer to just stick with Blender? What are some add-on’s you would recommend?
Here are 2 add-ons that increases Blenders CAD functionality:
i don’t know about machine and motors but for architecture blender is a pain
some small adjustment to blender edit mode could make it. for example something simple:
having the knife locked on the normal face on the X/Y/Z axis and having a logical snapping system.
For cad work, stick to CAD software. Freecad (and any decent cad software BTW) can get you far more.
Should you need:
Bill of Materials.
Calculate data from model. (Volume, Center of Mass, Weight, structural design, etc.)
Print and export for clients.
BIM data.
Cloud Point data.
Layout organization.
You probably will get some or all of these from any cad software. Blender is not CAD, is a mesh modeler (And a pretty good one), but lacks of many CAD tools and precision required for modern CAD work.
As a visualization tool, is fantastic, unless you’re an senior architect. But that’s for another day.
Design is all about process less what software you use.
I very often start blocking out and exploring ideas in Blender because it simply is faster to model an idea than the way how a CAD package wants you to model.
Then the mesh I transfer to Fusion 360 the CAD app I use and rebuild the design.
If the design is simple enough then also sometimes I just start in Fusion.
This really depends on the type of geometry the design has.
BTW Fusion360 is free for hobby users and has the ability to import low poly quad OBJ mesh and turn it to perfectly fitting CAD data.
If FreeCAD works for you obviously you can use that one too. If found however Fusion to be more useful and feature rich for modeling.
I was thinking the other day that having the ability to import the STEP format that would create inside blender models in nurbs surfaces, even if blender initially wouldn’t be able to edit them, except in the most basic forms of move, rotate, scale , and stretch in object mode … it would be a good basis to encourage new devs to start new CAD tools on them little by little …
And while the editing was being developed you would have all the advantages of blender on CAD models …
instill in the CAD a large part are Boolean and Trimming operations …