I know that many times this topic was on forum.. but then no AI around software development.
I believe that now we can have easy adopted good solution as CAD.
No sense to move to new again, if we like Blender GUI..
Last time big software are replicated by AI as free, eg.
The Proposal
Just adopt in good way modificators like “solid”, “bool” etc, to export as applied objects or add “linked” function where to apply this functions parallely.
Maybe define a “CADtype” modificators for this, including collections, etc.
I feel Blender not doing here (collections) any progress..
Well.. CAD-apps are something different than 3D modeling apps. You may use some real CAD app like for example FreeCAD.org or any other to do CAD work instead of demanding some polygonal model based 3D suit to be more like CAD ??
So when you does not want to learn some new GUI..
(Who is “we”.. ??)
Why then trying to change the way blender works ?? Because CAD in general works “different” than the usual polygonal modeler..
Also you yourself mentioned CADSketcher which seems to be a well progressing blender extension..
..so: What’s the uproar ?? It’s simple not the “main audience” blender is made for but still because of extension it is extendable.. it there is “something”.
I would agree with what everybody has said, why should Blender add CAD functionality, there are plenty of other free CAD apps, which would most likely always be better.
Blender is 3d modelling software, not CAD software, if it started to diversify and branch out, chances are it would get worse at doing both. As less budget and time can be allocated to it’s original tools.
The fact that dedicated CAD software, and blender, both put pretty 3D things on the screen, is about where the similarity of how this software works ends.
Many commercial CAD softwares with NURBS license specialized code libraries to make it work. This is not an option for blender.
Creating your own library is of course possible, but requires very specialized knowledge and skills in that area to do it. Plus a lot of budget and time.
I’m sure if you wish to partner with blender, with a donation exceeding about $2 million dedicated to CAD–like improvements, they would be interested in speaking with you.
Back in day Amapi Pro was a beast both mesh subd and nurbs under one hood.
Maya also offers mesh subd and nurbs. I actually learned modeling and animating figures with NURBS first.
Even as an artist CAD tools like Plasticity show the weakness of mesh modeling - and visa verse.
I work daily with all and having access of both under one UI would be useful.
By the way there is also:
and for Blender there is Forge:
The main issue for NURBS is the kernel. while there is openCascade which is fine it has issue - actually also Parasolid has limits.
But now NVIDIA dropped and open-sourced SMLib.
Bringing NURBS into Blender in theory is doable but not a click and done task.
In my workflow I model mesh (furniture) or organic (prosthetics) in Blender and export as STEP and finish in what CAD app I am currently using.
The two step exporter I made really speed the up now since even mesh bevels are being converted to G1 fillets.
Oh btw there is also now a Fusion clone in the works
I noticed Nvidia is releasing an open source solids kernel. I had a glimmer of hope that maybe this could one day lead to Blender having solid modeling features… Just a pipe dream for now but I’d love to see that happen. That would not make Blender a CAD system but would open up some great hard surface modeling options.
I tested cad sketcher it is more mesh modeling focused to my understanding
Forge is similar and produces cad geometry which then is being meshed when switching back to blender work space
For cad blender would need to be able to load and display Nurbs surface or brep solids
Surface Psycho is a pretty crazy implementation of Nurbs surfacing with Geometry Nodes.
I could be an interesting project to see how through opencascade Nurbs and spline drawing and modeling tools could be provided in a lightweight mode and to what degree blender itself has expanded to load and display Nurbs data.
There is still issues around modificators, eg. solidify, if used many, and want use final object as .stp etc. you need apply all.. and discuss should be about.. how to use potential of blender and cutted functionality in irrational way..
The proponents of modeling clay talking “don’t touch this is not for this..” : )
