Well, we’ve waited long enough and now it’s finally here. For anybody who has been wanting to get the most out of their 3D scanner or smartphone 3D scanning app, then the new MODO for Repotology series from industrial design training site cadjunkie is just for you.

For the low price of $39 ($14 for cadjunkie Premium members), this downloadable video series includes everything you need to know about converting 3D scan data into workable geometry, as well as some slick MODO scripts designed exclusively for the series to help speed up your workflow.

In the series, EvD Media’s very own resident industrial design pro Adam O’Hern takes retopology for a spin and boils it down into simple terms for getting the most of your 3D scan data and converting it into a working and manufacturable CAD model in MODO or SolidWorks.

In addition to the nine feature-packed videos and included MODO scripts for speeding up your retopology workflow, the series also includes process files to help guide you every step of the way.

Here, Adam breaks it all down:

So, what is Retopology you might ask?

Perhaps you’ve spent some time on your smartphone with one of the many 3D scanning apps such as Autodesk’s 123D Catch, or maybe you want to make a sculpted model from ZBrush more friendly for manufacturing. Essentially, the end goal of retopology is to take an existing 3D model and ‘trace’ its form with workable geometry so that it can be further manipulated in a dedicated CAD software package like SolidWorks. In a nutshell, retopology is the process of rebuilding an otherwise ‘dead’ model with functionality that you can use for 3D printing, rendering and manufacturing.

Key Skills You’ll Add to Your Toolbox:

For the series, Adam breaks down each step for converting real world objects into clean geometry that you’ll be able to use to take your product designs to the next level in MODO and/or SolidWorks. Whether your end goal is to just hone your modeling skills or build off of handmade prototypes, you’ll be guided through the process of using retopology to step up your design game.

Importing 3D Scans from Smartphone App

Rebuilding Meshes in MODO

Exporting and Finalizing Your Design in SolidWorks

Head over to cadjunkie to download and get started with the MODO for Repotology series, or sign up for a cadjunkie Premium membership to get access to the entire industrial design video training library.

Read Learn How to Model from 3D Scans with New MODO for Retopology Series at SolidSmack.

It’s no secret that Luxion has been teaming up with everybody from software companies to material manufacturers left and right these days. Regardless of what program you use, chances are there’s some sort of a KeyShot plug-in, LiveLink, or Direct Import option for that. Now you can add one more to the pile.

Yesterday, it was announced that Luxion has partnered up with 3D Systems to establish Keyshot as the standard rendering solution to be included in 3D Systems products.

To jog your memory, Luxion had a partnership with Alibre around the same time that Luxion had a partnership with Geomagic. In what sounds like a game of CAD software PAC-MAN, Geomagic acquired Alibre, and then Geomagic was acquired by 3D Systems.

‘KeyShot for Geomagic Design’ is the first to kick off the new bundled option offerings from 3D Systems with more KeyShot integration on the way for their other products.

“We are reimagining the engineer’s desktop with our complete line up of solutions for Scan-based Design, mechanical design and haptic-enabled freeform design,” said Calvin Hur, VP and GM of Geomagic Solutions at 3D Systems in the official press statement. “Engineers will love having KeyShot’s world-class rendering as part of their Geomagic software.”

As for what 3D Systems has cooking in terms of their entire product ecosystem with the new integration, their goal is to push users into rendering their designs in KeyShot and then exporting the full-color models directly to their ProJet x60 line of Color Jet 3D Printers. The final models would then be used as a communicative asset with photo-realistic qualities for showing design or engineering team members and clients. Altogether, KeyShot provides a valuable step in the process by live-linking what the final print result will look like before committing to the final print.

“With 3D Systems’ seamless workflow from physical to digital to print creating product visuals can now easily be done throughout that entire process,” added Luxion CEO and co-founder Claus Wann Jensen. “When users need visual representations of their scan, design, modifications or 3D print, KeyShot provides the quality they expect.”

If you’re already using Geomagic Design, ‘KeyShot for Geomagic Design’ is available as a bundled option. An upgrade to ‘KeyShot HD for Geomagic Design’ is available for an additional $199 through 3D Systems and their resellers. As for other 3D Systems and KeyShot product integrations, expect those to be releasing in the near future.

Read Luxion Piles On the Awesome, Partners Up with 3D Systems at SolidSmack.

Looking for something to keep your design engineering muscle strong this weekend? For anybody who has been wanting to get the most out of their 3D scanner or smartphone 3D scanning app, then the new MODO for Repotology series from industrial design training site cadjunkie is just for you.

For the low price of $39 ($14 for cadjunkie Premium members), this downloadable video series includes everything you need to know about converting 3D scan data into workable geometry, as well as some slick MODO scripts designed exclusively for the series to help speed up your workflow.

In the series, EvD Media’s very own resident industrial design pro Adam O’Hern takes retopology for a spin and boils it down into simple terms for getting the most of your 3D scan data and converting it into a working and manufacturable CAD model in MODO or SolidWorks.

In addition to the nine feature-packed videos and included MODO scripts for speeding up your retopology workflow, the series also includes process files to help guide you every step of the way.

Here, Adam breaks it all down:

So, what is Retopology you might ask?

Perhaps you’ve spent some time on your smartphone with one of the many 3D scanning apps such as Autodesk’s 123D Catch, or maybe you want to make a sculpted model from ZBrush more friendly for manufacturing. Essentially, the end goal of retopology is to take an existing 3D model and ‘trace’ its form with workable geometry so that it can be further manipulated in a dedicated CAD software package like SolidWorks. In a nutshell, retopology is the process of rebuilding an otherwise ‘dead’ model with functionality that you can use for 3D printing, rendering and manufacturing.

Key Skills You’ll Add to Your Toolbox:

For the series, Adam breaks down each step for converting real world objects into clean geometry that you’ll be able to use to take your product designs to the next level in MODO and/or SolidWorks. Whether your end goal is to just hone your modeling skills or build off of handmade prototypes, you’ll be guided through the process of using retopology to step up your design game.

Importing 3D Scans from Smartphone App

Rebuilding Meshes in MODO

Exporting and Finalizing Your Design in SolidWorks

Head over to cadjunkie to download and get started with the MODO for Repotology series, or sign up for a cadjunkie Premium membership to get access to the entire industrial design video training library.

Read Learn How to Model a Bicycle Helmet From a 3D Scan This Weekend at SolidSmack.

For anybody who’s been wanting to get the most out of their 3D scanner or smartphone 3D scanning app, the new MODO for Repotology series from industrial design training site cadjunkie is just for you.

For the low price of $39 ($14 for cadjunkie Premium members), this downloadable video series includes everything you need to know about converting 3D scan data into workable geometry, as well as some slick MODO scripts designed exclusively for the series to help speed up your workflow.

In the series, EvD Media’s very own resident industrial design pro Adam O’Hern takes retopology for a spin and boils it down into simple terms for getting the most of your 3D scan data and converting it into a working and manufacturable CAD model in MODO or SolidWorks.

In addition to the nine feature-packed videos and included MODO scripts for speeding up your retopology workflow, the series also includes process files to help guide you every step of the way.

Here, Adam breaks it all down:

So, what is Retopology you might ask?

Perhaps you’ve spent some time on your smartphone with one of the many 3D scanning apps such as Autodesk’s 123D Catch, or maybe you want to make a sculpted model from ZBrush more friendly for manufacturing. Essentially, the end goal of retopology is to take an existing 3D model and ‘trace’ its form with workable geometry so that it can be further manipulated in a dedicated CAD software package like SolidWorks. In a nutshell, retopology is the process of rebuilding an otherwise ‘dead’ model with functionality that you can use for 3D printing, rendering and manufacturing.

Key Skills You’ll Add to Your Toolbox:

For the series, Adam breaks down each step for converting real world objects into clean geometry that you’ll be able to use to take your product designs to the next level in MODO and/or SolidWorks. Whether your end goal is to just hone your modeling skills or build off of handmade prototypes, you’ll be guided through the process of using retopology to step up your design game.

Importing 3D Scans from Smartphone App

Rebuilding Meshes in MODO

Exporting and Finalizing Your Design in SolidWorks

Head over to cadjunkie to download and get started with the MODO for Repotology series, or sign up for a cadjunkie Premium membership to get access to the entire industrial design video training library.

Read Latest Cadjunkie Series Gets You Started with 3D Scans, MODO and SolidWorks at SolidSmack.

If you’ve been on the fence about whether to purchase MODO 801 or not, you have until Friday (12/19) to purchase the software package for 40% off of its retail value, which would bring the cost down to $897.00 (normally $1495.00).

Discounted as part of a MODO Flash Sale, the steep discount is almost unheard of in CAD software. So, if you want to take the plunge into eye-melting, ooey-gooey Sub-D modeling and rendering, you have until 12:00 AM PST on Friday to make the purchase over at The Foundry.

After you get suited up in MODO, the new MODO for Repotology series from industrial design training site cadjunkie is a great way to get started if working from 3D scans and creating product designs is your objective.

The downloadable video series includes everything you need to know about converting 3D scan data into workable geometry, as well as some slick MODO scripts designed exclusively for the series to help speed up your workflow.

In the series, EvD Media’s very own resident industrial design pro Adam O’Hern takes retopology for a spin and boils it down into simple terms for getting the most of your 3D scan data and converting it into a working and manufacturable CAD model in MODO or SolidWorks.

In addition to the nine feature-packed videos and included MODO scripts for speeding up your retopology workflow, the series also includes process files to help guide you every step of the way.

Here, Adam breaks it all down:

So, what is Retopology you might ask?

Perhaps you’ve spent some time on your smartphone with one of the many 3D scanning apps such as Autodesk’s 123D Catch, or maybe you want to make a sculpted model from ZBrush more friendly for manufacturing. Essentially, the end goal of retopology is to take an existing 3D model and ‘trace’ its form with workable geometry so that it can be further manipulated in a dedicated CAD software package like SolidWorks. In a nutshell, retopology is the process of rebuilding an otherwise ‘dead’ model with functionality that you can use for 3D printing, rendering and manufacturing.

Key Skills You’ll Add to Your Toolbox:

For the series, Adam breaks down each step for converting real world objects into clean geometry that you’ll be able to use to take your product designs to the next level in MODO and/or SolidWorks. Whether your end goal is to just hone your modeling skills or build off of handmade prototypes, you’ll be guided through the process of using retopology to step up your design game.

Importing 3D Scans from Smartphone App

Rebuilding Meshes in MODO

Exporting and Finalizing Your Design in SolidWorks

Head over to cadjunkie to download and get started with the MODO for Repotology series, or sign up for a cadjunkie Premium membership to get access to the entire industrial design video training library.

Read Purchase MODO 801 for 40% off, Then Jump into Cadjunkie’s New MODO Series at SolidSmack.

For anybody who’s been wanting to get the most out of their 3D scanner or smartphone 3D scanning app, the new MODO for Repotology series from industrial design training site cadjunkie is just for you.

For the low price of $39 ($14 for cadjunkie Premium members), this downloadable video series includes everything you need to know about converting 3D scan data into workable geometry, as well as some slick MODO scripts designed exclusively for the series to help speed up your workflow.

In the series, EvD Media’s very own resident industrial design pro Adam O’Hern takes retopology for a spin and boils it down into simple terms for getting the most of your 3D scan data and converting it into a working and manufacturable CAD model in MODO or SolidWorks.

In addition to the nine feature-packed videos and included MODO scripts for speeding up your retopology workflow, the series also includes process files to help guide you every step of the way.

Here, Adam breaks it all down:

So, what is Retopology you might ask?

Perhaps you’ve spent some time on your smartphone with one of the many 3D scanning apps such as Autodesk’s 123D Catch, or maybe you want to make a sculpted model from ZBrush more friendly for manufacturing. Essentially, the end goal of retopology is to take an existing 3D model and ‘trace’ its form with workable geometry so that it can be further manipulated in a dedicated CAD software package like SolidWorks. In a nutshell, retopology is the process of rebuilding an otherwise ‘dead’ model with functionality that you can use for 3D printing, rendering and manufacturing.

Key Skills You’ll Add to Your Toolbox:

For the series, Adam breaks down each step for converting real world objects into clean geometry that you’ll be able to use to take your product designs to the next level in MODO and/or SolidWorks. Whether your end goal is to just hone your modeling skills or build off of handmade prototypes, you’ll be guided through the process of using retopology to step up your design game.

Importing 3D Scans from Smartphone App

Rebuilding Meshes in MODO

Exporting and Finalizing Your Design in SolidWorks

Head over to cadjunkie to download and get started with the MODO for Repotology series, or sign up for a cadjunkie Premium membership to get access to the entire industrial design video training library.

Read Learn the Workflow of Scanning an Object with Your iPhone and Manipulating It in SolidWorks at SolidSmack.

If you’ve been looking for a way to keep those SolidWorks muscles strong going into 2015, then you’re in luck friend. For this week and this week only, industrial design video training site cadjunkie is offering the entire SolidWorks 101 course for free (normally $39) using the following coupon code: happyholidays.

The sub-two-hour course starts with a simple Erector-like scissor joint before guiding you through developing a functional robot that can be 3D printed, rendered, or sent off for manufacturing with detailed drawings.

Created by industrial designer Adam O’Hern, the series focuses on using SolidWorks as an iterative design tool while learning the basics of creating models and then putting them together into assemblies and understanding export options including drawings and 3D printable files.

Get it for free here and use coupon code: happyholidays.

…when you’re done, don’t forget to check out the other two courses in the series below!

SolidWorks 201 | Design a Remote Control

While there are many different ways of approaching a design problem in SolidWorks, this series focuses on ‘throwing your ideas out there’ in real-time with the goal of building up multiple iterations that can be easily modified, organized, and shared. Additionally, we’ve included an extensive amount of content focusing on easily adjusting design details based on engineering constraints…such as “how will these batteries fit” or “will my buttons line up with the circuit board?”

Get the Course

SolidWorks 301 | Design a Subwoofer

In the previous SolidWorks courses, we focused on both the building blocks of a well-organized workflow as well as using that knowledge as a springboard for designing quickly and iteratively. In this series we’ll continue our focus on designing iteratively like we did in the SolidWorks 201 Remote Control series, but with a magnified focus on working with the internal components of our assembly.

Get the Course

Remember, members have full-access to the entire library of streaming industrial design training videos and project files starting at just $19/month. For more information, head on over to the cadjunkie sign-up page.

Read This Week Only, Download Cadjunkie’s SolidWorks 101 Course for Free at SolidSmack.

If you’ve been looking for a way to keep those SolidWorks muscles strong going into 2015, then you’re in luck friend. For this week and this week only, industrial design video training site cadjunkie is offering the entire SolidWorks 101 course for free (normally $39) using the following coupon code: happyholidays.

The sub-two-hour course starts with a simple Erector-like scissor joint before guiding you through developing a functional robot that can be 3D printed, rendered, or sent off for manufacturing with detailed drawings.

Created by industrial designer Adam O’Hern, the series focuses on using SolidWorks as an iterative design tool while learning the basics of creating models and then putting them together into assemblies and understanding export options including drawings and 3D printable files.

Get it for free here and use coupon code: happyholidays.

…when you’re done, don’t forget to check out the other two courses in the series below!

SolidWorks 201 | Design a Remote Control

While there are many different ways of approaching a design problem in SolidWorks, this series focuses on ‘throwing your ideas out there’ in real-time with the goal of building up multiple iterations that can be easily modified, organized, and shared. Additionally, we’ve included an extensive amount of content focusing on easily adjusting design details based on engineering constraints…such as “how will these batteries fit” or “will my buttons line up with the circuit board?”

Get the Course

SolidWorks 301 | Design a Subwoofer

In the previous SolidWorks courses, we focused on both the building blocks of a well-organized workflow as well as using that knowledge as a springboard for designing quickly and iteratively. In this series we’ll continue our focus on designing iteratively like we did in the SolidWorks 201 Remote Control series, but with a magnified focus on working with the internal components of our assembly.

Get the Course

Remember, members have full-access to the entire library of streaming industrial design training videos and project files starting at just $19/month. For more information, head on over to the cadjunkie sign-up page.

Read PSA: Download Cadjunkie’s SolidWorks 101 Course for Free This Week at SolidSmack.

So much news and so little time!

As the world of product design and engineering continues to shift shape thanks to recent developments in digital fabrication, cheaper and more powerful CAD platforms, an ever-increasing interest from a younger generation, and all-around interest in the field, SolidSmack exists to help drive the future of product design and engineering forward by bringing you the news.

Over the last year in CAD-related news, we saw more software move into the Cloud, prices drop and subscription models erected, industry-changing acquisitions, and new perspectives on what it means to use CAD as a designer in 2014.

Here, we’ve rounded up ten of of our most-read stories over the past 12 months that helped lead us into another great year of pushing the boundaries for what’s to come next in 2015.

What We Found Out About SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual (and the Future of SolidWorks)

“On the first day of SolidWorks World, you can always expect a big announcement. The big one this year is the announcement of SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual (SWMC). Last year they announced it as well, but this time it comes with a release date and pricing. $249/user/mth, available April 2nd. The price is already being discussed and debated online, but after a few discussions and even more questions we were able to determine and verify the overarching direction behind this new product and others to come….”

Gravity 3D Sketching: New Sketchpad Brings 3D to 2D Using Augmented Reality

“Between the new Mod Notebooks that include return postage for digitizing your analog sketches as well as other sketch tools such as the new(ish) Wacom Cintiq Companion, designers and engineers looking to get their ideas on ‘paper’ have never had as many options for getting their ideas out there as they do today. Perhaps one of the bigger jumps out of the traditional analog sketchbook however is the new Gravity 3D Sketching pad that uses augmented reality to bring your ‘napkin sketches’ to life…”

Bernard Charlès on ‘The Future of Designing in SolidWorks’

“Having been President and CEO of Dassault Systèmes (parent company of SolidWorks) since September of 1995, Bernard Charlès has seen better than most how much the 3D software—and software in general—landscape has changed in the last twenty years…”

Stratasys Acquires GrabCAD to Further Accelerate Collaboration and Adoption of 3D Printing

“We’ve been known to like GrabCAD a whole lot here on SolidSmack. While the list of reasons ‘why’ is quite long, we can sum it up by saying that similar to our friend Al Dean over at Develop3D, we have been believers in the company from day one and have enjoyed watching it grow up to be a ‘big kid‘ in a landscape dotted with Fortune 500 companies and millions of users in an ever-expanding (and unpredictable) community…”

Dassault Dishes the Goods on SolidWorks 2015 (and the Future of SolidWorks)

“Today, SolidWorks 2015 peels itself from the cocoon of the Dassault dev chamber and releases itself into the loving arms of users around the world. (Fly free, fresh software, fly free.) Adam, Simon and I were flown to Boston last week to snuggle up around a conference table at the SolidWorks Corp HQ in Waltham, Mass to hear about development plans, new software products and get a look at what’s hot in the new version of SolidWorks…”

Luxion Piles On the Awesome, Partners Up with 3D Systems

“It’s no secret that Luxion has been teaming up with everybody from software companies to material manufacturers left and right these days. Regardless of what program you use, chances are there’s some sort of a KeyShot plug-in, LiveLink, or Direct Import option for that. Now you can add one more to the pile…”

We Have a Piper Down. Autodesk 123D Web Apps Play Last Note.

“Aaaaaand, just like that. Autodesk 123D Web Apps are dead…”

Sharing is Caring: How Real CAD Users Share Data

“Last week on cadjunkie we took a survey about data portability. You see, last month we asked the same crowd about The Most Annoying Things in CAD, and much to our surprise, it turned out that data portability was arguably the most infuriatingly pull-out-your-hair-by-the-handful stab-yourself-and-your-cubical-mate-in-the-eye frustrating. Really?…”

From iPhone to SolidWorks – New Cadjunkie Series Launching Tomorrow

“Whether you use a free 3D scanning app on your mobile device (such as Autodesk’s 123D Catch) or a stationary 3D scanner commonly seen in prototyping shops, this series touches all of the steps required to work with both input methods and create the same desired final outcome: a cleaned up and workable model for taking your designs further…”

How Power Surfacing for SolidWorks Supercharged the Way I Model

“Do you know why its called “Complex Surfacing”? Because its complicated! I have spent several years specifically working with complex surfacing inside Solidworks…”

Read The SolidSmack Year in Review | Top Ten CAD Stories of 2014 at SolidSmack.

Without even being a full week into the new year, we’ve already been seeing an avalanche of new product announcements, tech trends and software announcements that will help shape the next year in product design and engineering.

Never one to disappoint when it comes to announcements, Luxion announced today that they have released the KeyShot Enterprise Edition that bundles all of KeyShot’s features and add-ons you’ve come to love into a single package including KeyShot Animation, KeyShotVR, Network Rendering and Siemens NX integration.

Designed to be the ‘ultimate’ single KeyShot product option, the Enterprise Edition aims to enhance the product designer or engineer’s 3D visual workflow with a single license and a single product that activates all of KeyShot’s offerings seamlessly. It is also the only way to access the NX integration.

The new release also opens up a discussion centered around what other 3D software integration may be included in the Enterprise Edition in the future.

As for what’s included in the $3995 price tag, here’s a breakdown:

KeyShot Pro Floating – KeyShot Pro Floating is the full-feature, floating license version of KeyShot. Features include unlimited realtime and output resolution, KeyShot HDRI Editor, View and Scene sets, Render layers and passes, NURBS import, OBJ and ZPR export and more with FlexLM license server management.

KeyShot Animation – KeyShot Animation uses Luxion’s Animation technology for creating animations quickly through the use of individual animations applied directly to any part or camera. Users can work on a scene, as the animation plays, changing materials, lighting or camera views to see it update instantly in real time.

KeyShotVR – KeyShotVR brings the advantage of interactive 3D-enabled viewing via desktop, laptop or mobile device to websites, portfolios, presentations and design reviews. KeyShotVR guides the user through creation and automatically generates all content for integration into any HTML5 compliant website for a completely touch-enabled experience.

KeyShot Network Rendering (32 Cores) – KeyShot Network Rendering allows you to take advantage of your network’s computer resources for rendering images, animations, and KeyShotVR’s. With master/slave system, user/queue management and scalable options the time it takes to create renderings and animations is greatly reduced.

NX software plugin – Luxion develops KeyShot to import the widest array of 3D file formats in the industry. With this plugin, users gain additional features in the transfer of data from the software to KeyShot while keeping the software independent of each other. Users of Siemens NX 8.5 and 9 are able to import their models directly into KeyShot from NX with the transfer of all assembly structure, color information and camera views. A streamlined workflow is maintained across the interfaces with the option to send any changes made to the NX model to KeyShot through Luxion’s LiveLinking™ technology, without the need to re-apply materials or redo animations.

You can pick up the new KeyShot Enterprise Edition here.

Read Luxion Releases KeyShot Enterprise Edition with Integration for Siemens NX at SolidSmack.

When it comes to configuring that ideal computer for your 3D design needs, every last little bit of power can help. However, when you’re working within a set budget, the challenge of swapping some components for others can become a tedious task that sometimes feels more like rocket science than a ‘fun’ build project.

Earlier this week, a Reddit user by the name of sn0m0be set out to ask this very question: How do you build the ultimate industrial design dream machine?

With his needs centered around configuring a machine that can accommodate a heavy load of SolidWorks, KeyShot and the Adobe Creative Suite applications (including the processor-heavy Premiere Pro for video editing), sn0m0be’s challenge lies in creating the best possible machine for less than $1600 USD:

Hi everyone.

Looking to build a fairly serious workhorse here at a top-end budget of about $1600 (one or two hundred less would be preferable). I’m reading up as much as possible to get caught up to the latest in technology here, but am no expert, hence asking this community for their expertise.

I do serious SOLIDWORKS modeling and render in KeyShot. I heavily use Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Lightroom, as well as Bridge and Premiere Pro for photo/video/timelapse work. Also, I’m not ready to leave Windows 7 yet, so that’s my OS of choice.

As for what his basic blueprint looks like, here is what he is starting with based on initial research:

GPU: I know that Quadros are the preferred card for running SOLIDWORKS, which is why I selected the K2000 (upgrading from my current Quadro FX1700)– Seems to be solid at a mediocre price point. However, I really need a card that will perform with Premiere Pro as well. What would be an advisable GPU for running these two programs? I was also looking into the FirePro W5100 because it’s similar in price to the Quadro K2000 but has some nice specs. However, I’ve read about the FirePros not playing well with some Adobe software.

Processor: Looking to render quickly in KeyShot as well as video in Premiere Pro. (I also want to get into After Effects.) I’ve chosen the i7-4790K as it’s not going to break the bank and rates highly everywhere I’ve looked so far. I know that the GPU will do a lot of the work in these applications, too, but I don’t quite understand what is always crunching the numbers here. (My naïvety is showing.) Also, I have no idea how to OC and would like some insight into whether it’s worth it or not. I’m assuming I need a nice cooler.

Hard Drives: Looking to use a SSD for application installation and possibly RAID 0 on the two media HDDs for increased file reading/writing speeds. I’ve never done a RAID setup before so I’ll be checking other discussions when needed, although high level suggestions would be great here. Does RAID 0 work when one drive fills up and the other is not full? Also, can you have three HDDs– drive 1 in RAID 0 with drive 2 and drive 1 in RAID 1 with drive 3? Speed is great but so is having a backup!

Memory: I want this machine very good at multitasking and also future-proofed to a certain extent, hence 32GB. What am I looking for when choosing the speed? How does it relate to motherboard compatibility?

Motherboard: I really don’t know much about motherboards, other than that I need enough slots for everything and that it has to fit in the case. My current mobo is an ASUS M3A79-T Deluxe and half the times I restart the computer, it hangs on a boot up screen that says “Express Gate” and I have to manually restart. It’s quite annoying and I’m fine with jumping ship to another manufacturer like MSI.

Using PC Part Picker, sn0m0be generated a configuration that he is hoping the community can help him modify based on his needs:

Do any experts want to chime in? What could sn0m0be do differently? How would you approach a configuration if you were given $1600 to play with?

(Feature image via Maximum PC)

Read How Would You Build an Ultimate Industrial Design Dream Machine Computer? at SolidSmack.

Rather than unveiling any new hardware last week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2015) in Las Vegas, MakerBot quietly announced a wide array of ecosystem updates to make their platform more useful to a wider variety of users. Considering that their range of existing FDM 3D printer models are still among the most technologically advanced in the FDM 3D printer market, expanding their platform to appeal to more users makes a lot of sense.

Among other announcements that SolidSmack reported on last week, MakerBot has also teamed up with The Foundry to introduce the MakerBot Kit for MODO (AKA “MakerBot Kit”). The kit, which utilizes the Thingiverse and MakerBot Cloud Library API, allows MODO 801 users to both publish directly to MakerBot’s Thingiverse platform as well as store models within the MakerBot Cloud Library directly from within MODO.

The goal of the platform is to further optimize 3D design workflows for easier and faster sharing and printing of 3D objects. Users of the MakerBot Kit are able to create their own designs to share or iterate on existing designs from directly within the existing Thingiverse or MakerBot Cloud libraries.

“The MakerBot Kit for MODO is a logical starting point for us to bring the benefits of our partnership with MakerBot to the creative design community,” said Christopher Kenessey, Chief Officer of Sales & Marketing for The Foundry. “We’re focused on delivering intuitive modeling solutions that allow the Real-Time Prototyping of watertight meshes for 3D printing. Meanwhile, MakerBot’s customers and the large Thingiverse community continually push the boundaries of what’s possible in 3D printing, through both individual and collaborative design.”

Among other features, the MakerBot Kit includes:

• Load and save .thing files due to native file support
• Authenticate MakerBot accounts from inside MODO
• Explore Thingiverse and download free objects/files
• Update and delete objects on Thingiverse and their own personal MakerBot Cloud Library from within MODO
• Generate photorealistic renders of objects and upload the cover image for that item to Thingiverse and/or the MakerBot Cloud Library from inside MODO
• Upload and store MODO files (.lxo) on Thingiverse and/or their MakerBot Cloud Library for improved editing and easy sharing with other MakerBot users

“The Foundry’s software is already used for some really incredible graphics and special effects and used in movies and games created by companies like Pixar, ILM, Double Negative, Walt Disney Animation, Weta Digital, and Sony Pictures Imageworks,” added MakerBot CEO Jenny Lawton. “We think that the capability to output those designs directly into a 3D printable file, and then share or house those designs within Thingiverse, will be incredibly exciting to realize those digital creations and bring them to the physical world”

You can download the free kit (Windows and Mac) over at The Foundry.

Read New MakerBot Kit for MODO Connects MODO Users to MakerBot’s Cloud Libraries at SolidSmack.

As far as animated movies go, The LEGO Movie ranks high on the list for not just simply having a great story, but also its impressive use of CG and the fact that everything – including water, explosions, smoke and landscapes – are actual LEGO bricks. Of course, creating a feature-length film of walking and talking LEGO toys isn’t without its challenges.

Unlike the majority of other animated films – where characters can be modeled into more organic shapes – everything in the LEGO movie had to not only be modeled but also, built in LEGO.

To build the world, which featured LEGO toys from nearly every LEGO set ranging from Batman to City, the filmmakers tapped into their own childhood nostalgia to create a final product that feels like a hollywood action film…but is so accurate to real-world LEGO toys that every single frame is possible to be built in real life. Yes – you can build every scene from the movie on your living room floor if so desired.

In “Creating Bricks”, a new behind-the-scenes short from Warner Bros, directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord (along with some animators and lead modelers) give us a rundown on just how high their standards were when creating the life-like bricks and what sort of challenges went into modeling a plastic toy collection into a 101-minute animation:

For more info, head over to The LEGO Movie.

Read “Creating the Bricks” Goes Behind the Scenes of Modeling The LEGO Movie at SolidSmack.

For anybody who has been wanting to get the most out of their 3D scanner or smartphone 3D scanning app, then the MODO for Repotology series from industrial design training site cadjunkie is just for you.

For the low price of $39 ($14 for cadjunkie Premium members), this downloadable video series includes everything you need to know about converting 3D scan data into workable geometry, as well as some slick MODO scripts designed exclusively for the series to help speed up your workflow.

In the series, EvD Media’s very own resident industrial design pro Adam O’Hern takes retopology for a spin and boils it down into simple terms for getting the most of your 3D scan data and converting it into a working and manufacturable CAD model in MODO or SolidWorks.

In addition to the nine feature-packed videos and included MODO scripts for speeding up your retopology workflow, the series also includes process files to help guide you every step of the way.

Here, Adam breaks it all down:

So, what is Retopology you might ask?

Perhaps you’ve spent some time on your smartphone with one of the many 3D scanning apps such as Autodesk’s 123D Catch, or maybe you want to make a sculpted model from ZBrush more friendly for manufacturing. Essentially, the end goal of retopology is to take an existing 3D model and ‘trace’ its form with workable geometry so that it can be further manipulated in a dedicated CAD software package like SolidWorks. In a nutshell, retopology is the process of rebuilding an otherwise ‘dead’ model with functionality that you can use for 3D printing, rendering and manufacturing.

Key Skills You’ll Add to Your Toolbox:

For the series, Adam breaks down each step for converting real world objects into clean geometry that you’ll be able to use to take your product designs to the next level in MODO and/or SolidWorks. Whether your end goal is to just hone your modeling skills or build off of handmade prototypes, you’ll be guided through the process of using retopology to step up your design game.

Importing 3D Scans from Smartphone App

Rebuilding Meshes in MODO

Exporting and Finalizing Your Design in SolidWorks

Head over to cadjunkie to download and get started with the MODO for Repotology series, or sign up for a cadjunkie Premium membership to get access to the entire industrial design video training library.

Read Speed Up Your Workflow and Learn How to Use MODO for Retopology for Just 39 Bucks at SolidSmack.

It’s been a forest of quiet chirps, gentle rains and hidden high fives in Cambridge, MA, headquarters of Onshape. The company launched quietly in 2012 as Belmont Technology Inc. and started turning heads with an all-star roster of CAD industry elite. Now with a shapely new name and a team of nearly 100, you can expect they’re working on something big. From the crew they have amassed, licensing the Parasolid kernel, and website copy that reveals they are indeed “applying cloud, web and mobile technologies to CAD”, it’s evident a new 3D modeling platform is set to emerge. And, with a pre-production version already in the hands of design teams, set to emerge soon. We’re certain it could change the landscape of product development and everyone we’ve talk with is anxious to learn more.

Last week that happened.

Onshape published their first blog post, their first tweet and their first Facebook post. Why break the silence? Well, we suspect it’s leading up to the highly anticipated product launch, but also to ask one question.

“Why?”

Jon Hirschtick, founder and Chairman at Onshape, provides the answer. What does he say after 50 years of CAD development history and 30 years of personal experience in the industry?

“Today is still the beginning. Today, we’re still just getting started.”

Now, if you’ve just turned into an old lady, crossed your arms and started shaking your head at that, flatten out that scowl. He breaks down why he views today as the beginning, addressing the desire to start completely fresh with five reasons.

The Design World Has Changed – The way that design and manufacturing teams work together has dramatically changed. Teams that used to be under one roof are now fragmented and globally distributed. And teams are also changing faster, with people coming on and off projects all the time. Traditional CAD was never built for this new model of distributed design – we know because we’re the ones who built it.

The Computing World Has Changed – We are in the midst of the biggest change ever in computing platform technology, from the old world of desktop PCs to the new world of cloud, web and mobile computing. Younger people have grown up in a post-desktop world and have different expectations about computers. They don’t even think about having “a computer.” They walk in with their laptops and their tablets and their mobile phones. They expect computing to be modern and available anywhere, anytime on any device. Cloud, web and mobile technologies are our exciting new raw materials for creating CAD – they are like carbon fiber is to Boeing or battery chemistry is to Tesla. And if used properly, they have tremendous potential to solve many of the problems faced by today’s CAD users.

I Feel an Obligation to My Customers – I feel a strong connection to the countless designers and engineers who have bought CAD systems that I’ve helped build. I can’t walk away from them now. I’m an engineer, too. At Onshape, we truly think we have an obligation to try to improve the way our fellow engineers design products. Personally, I’ve also dreamed of eliminating the everyday hassles of traditional CAD. I just love the idea of not having to install software and never having to worry about backing up my stuff.

Nobody Else is Meeting the Challenge – We’re not alone in realizing it’s time to move CAD to the cloud. Others in the CAD industry are now enhancing their file-based installed software with some kind of cloud storage. This is a step in the right direction, but it is not really a complete cloud solution. You cannot fully take advantage of the latest cloud, web and mobile technologies unless you architect your CAD system from scratch specifically for the cloud, web and mobile. That’s what we are doing here at Onshape. The cloud is not an afterthought — it’s our primary thought.

I Want to Make CAD Fun Again – I visit CAD users all the time. Years ago, we’d talk about all the fun stuff in CAD: how to design cool shapes, cool products, cool machines. But recently, users mostly tell me about the hassles of sharing files and using different versions of CAD, the prohibitive cost of software licenses, and the challenges of PDM. Sigh.

Those are some potent arguments. Number five, let’s just say it, Make CAD Fun = Disrupt Things, because yeah, those hassles make us sigh too, Jon. Number one may seem a stretch if working collaboratively for you means shouting over a cubicle wall, just as it did 20 years ago. However, nothing is more true that number two. If you have kids, you’ve probably experienced them jabbing their fingers into your desktop monitor or asking you to see what’s on the ‘screen’ of anything you’re holding in your hand. I’m convinced there will be a surge of rebellious, young 8th grade Onshape users with ‘This ain’t your grandpappy’s CAD’ spray-painted on the back of their tablets.

Jon’s reasons reveal the foundation of why they’re starting fresh and why we may look back at this as when CAD software really took shape, but you’ll have to request early access to actually see how they plan to disrupt things with the new software. Of course, the comments of a blog post always reveal a little more.

First, Jon addresses some questions about platform…

“We let you run on pretty much anything: Mac, Chromebook, Windows, Linux, phones, tablets, etc. The goal of pure-cloud systems like Onshape is that you do not to even have to think anymore about whether we run on this-or-that computer or OS or version of an OS. Any device, anywhere.”

Then addresses PDM…

“We tried with traditional PDM, but fundamentally the architecture of copying files around, to and from servers and desktops, is just not a good basis for solving version control and collaboration problems. We think we have a better way to solve the problems, and no PDM system is needed.”

In addressing current CAD user interface design and “too many buttons on buttons,” he replies…

“We think we have some true strategies to solve that. And we definitely have a different UI look.”

Mac, Windows, phone or tablet. No PDM system needed. The files stay in one place. Different UI look. Now those sound like interesting and wonderful things. We’ll continue to anxiously anticipate what they have planned and what you have to say about it.

Read Why Onshape Is Developing a New CAD System (and Five Reasons This is Just the Beginning) at SolidSmack.

The second week of February is coming up, which means last minute plans for Valentine’s Day, Bacon Week and the SolidWorks World Conference. On February 8-11, SolidSmack will be in Phoenix, AZ covering the event, whilst avoiding rattlesnakes, rabid prairie dogs and (having good intentions of) ensuring everyone drinks and talks SolidWorks responsibly. With three weeks to go, SolidWorks is making final preparations for the throngs of thousands who will be attending the shindig.

You saw that Gian Paolo Bassi is now the new CEO of SolidWorks, so expect some stage time from the fine fellow. There’s also a possible indication that there may be cage fighting at the CSWE Event, open voting on the Top Ten List, the early reveal of the SWW Keynote speakers and, a first, the SolidWorks World 2015 trailer.

SolidWorks Top Ten

Voting is now open for this year’s top ten. Submissions were taken from October through December and now, users who give a flip have until January 23rd to vote on their favorites. (Note: Requires login to the SolidWorks forum.) There are a load of great suggestions, but with one week to go, the current top ten suggestions are:

1. Support Zero Thickness Geometry (135 votes)
2. Selection list box too small; should be bigger or flexible size (119 votes)
3. Bidirectional Sweep (107 votes)
4. Display the exact item being cause of the error (94 votes)
5. Topology Optimization from Tosca for all Engineers (91 votes)
6. Export sheet metal parts of an assembly to dxf/dwg in flat state (85 votes)
7. Cut across bend (75 votes)
8. Ability to make the inferred relations permanent in sketch (70 votes)
9. Selecting inner loops on a selected face (69 votes)
10. Multi-phase flow analysis (67 votes)

SolidWorks Keynote Speakers

SolidWorks has announced the Keynote speakers for this year’s conference. Sometimes they keep their guests as a surprise. This year, they’ve pulled the curtain back early. If you’re unfamiliar with SolidWorks World, they don’t do one, measly keynote–that would just be 3D CAD conference amateur hour. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the conference, they have a General Session, starting at 8:30 with a big name Keynote speaker each day. (You can see (and print) the conference agenda here.) During the General Session, there will be announcements and other speakers of course–you know, people who use SolidWorks–and we usually find those the most interesting. This year’s guest speakers are:

Bre Pettis led MakerBot as CEO from its beginning in 2009. Now, as creator of Bold Machines — The Innovation Workshop at Stratasys — he’s pushing 3D printing into striking new directions. Pettis has a long history of making things and inspiring others to make things.

Dr. Michio Kaku, one of the most widely recognized figures in science today, is a theoretical physicist, best-selling author and popularizer of science. As the co-founder of string field theory, he continues Einstein’s search to unite the four fundamental forces of nature into one unified theory that will summarize all the physical laws of the universe.

Jinsop Lee’s design background began when he was five years old and his mother refused to buy him a Star Wars X-wing fighter, so he built his own from Lego. While he was traumatized with his multi-colored Lego X-wing fighter, it taught him an important lesson: You don’t have to follow the instructions that come with the box.

SolidWorks World Trailer

SolidWorks kicks off each General Session with an impressive video on the massive conference hall screen. It usually features visuals made in SolidWorks. The CSWE event has done trailers, but this is the first ‘movie trailer’ for the conference. It’s 2D and features a strange cross over of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Tron and, I think, the Mummy?? It does of course start with, “IN A WORLD.”

Well, with that, we know your day will now be 10 kinds of happy. Keep your eyelids peeled back. We’ll have the low down on the show, with photos and commentary, so follow us @solidsmack on twitter and be sure to watch the #SWW15 twitter stream as well.

Read See It Now: SolidWorks World Trailer, Top Ten List & SWW15 Keynote Speakers at SolidSmack.

Morphi is a free iPad app that allows users to quickly design and print items using touch alone; targeting younger people to inspire interest in design for all things 3D and artists/designers interested in taking a new approach.

Back in June 2014, we covered their first release and we’re fairly impressed with Morphi’s powerful set of features and easy-to-use design. We even covered how kids in an Indian after-school program were using it to learn more about 3D design.

Last month, Morphi released version 2.0, implementing new features and upgrades to create a more complete and easy-to-use app. So far the reviews have been completely positive (4.5 stars), lauding its intuitive UI/UX and noting no substantial bugs or problems. My own experience with Morphi was smooth. Here are the latest features in v2.0

DRAW BUTTON – Draw and extrude 3D objects with your fingers using the Draw button. Combine drawn objects with other pre-made shapes/text in the app. Use the X and Y mirroring tools to perfect your drawn designs.

CLIPBOARD – Cut and paste objects from one scene to another using the new Clipboard button.

CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT – Your environment is important. Using the new Settings button, change the Background or Grid at any time to suit your mood or to inspire.

EASY UPLOADING TO THINGIVERSE – You can directly upload your 3D models in the Gallery to Thingiverse.com. Wifi is required for this function.

Also included and/or upgraded in v2.0 are Better Alignment, Improved Rotation, Merge and Group, Enhanced Ruler, Simple Snap to Grid and Lost button

Although I prefer the sheer power of Rhino or SolidWorks so I can say “If I can imagine it, I can make it“, Morphi v2.0 strikes me as the perfect introductory app for your small ones or your friendly, CAD-illiterate artist friends. Two features I really enjoyed were the direct-upload to Thingiverse, which simplified sharing, and the choice of printing options. You could choose from a range of 3D printers, avoiding the common problem of ‘it’s too big for my machine!’

The latest version also offers a $3.99 ‘Shapes Pack’, but there is no other way of getting other models from elsewhere into the app. I do wish one could select and customize objects, which I believe is the real power of 3D Printing. Go for it in the next version, Morphi!

Read New Morphi App Release Makes 3D Design on Your iPad Even Easier at SolidSmack.

One long-standing user problem for 3D content creators has been in turning 2D images into 3D models, as we have the tools of photography within our grasp at all times but fewer tools for 3D capture. Smoothie-3D, a new and free modeling tool, doesn’t automatically turn 2D images into 3D models, however it gives a user the basic tools to upload an image from their personal library and lets them use their own judgement to sculpt it into a three-dimensional shape appropriately. It’s free, it’s browser-based and you can play with it right now.

Other modeling features aren’t any more advanced than other basic and free 3D modeling programs such as TinkerCAD, but the Shapeways export option for 3D printing is definitely unique and certainly helpful for some users. For example, it’s easier now to take your kid’s ‘artwork’ and make it 3D printable even if you don’t have access to a 3D printer. The EvD team was debating whether or not Smoothie3D was related to this particular project, as they share some outwardly similar goals of building CAD tools around image to 3D design processes. We contacted Smoothie-3D for more information and we got a short reply from a mysterious ‘Sébastien’ with some press material. So the mystery deepens!

You can see in the following videos that utilizing just a few trace, scale and mirroring tools, one could make a relatively realistic squirrel. Not too shabby for a free piece of kit.

My own test experience with Smoothie-3D has led me to believe that it takes a little more time to figure things out than they lead off…particularly, the UX/UI isn’t 100% intuitive. With that being said, if you have some spare time on your hands and you’ve been looking to create 3D models of those underwater photos from that recent snorkeling trip, Smoothie3D just might be your new best friend.

Check it out over at Smoothie-3D.

Read Smoothie-3D is a Deliciously Free Photo-to-3D Modeling and 3D Printing Tool at SolidSmack.

When it comes to CAD software, ZBrush, like many other types of digital sculpting software, can oftentimes be compared to the odd friend in the group that nobody really knows well, but always wants to be better friends with. Most often used by character designers and conceptual artists, the extremely powerful digital ‘clay’ modeler is known throughout the 3D industry as the go-to software for developing digital sculptures both quickly and cleanly.

Paired with the eyeball-melting power of Luxion’s KeyShot rendering platform, the fast and accurate sculpting tool is capable of creating some of the most striking 3D imagery ever created…not to mention their latest hard modeling tools have made it more suitable for generating concepts in the realm of mechanical and industrial design (mechs, anybody?).

Today, both Luxion and Pixologic (makers of ZBrush) announced that they were taking their partnership a step further by introducing KeyShot for ZBrush and the ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge. While KeyShot for ZBrush offers a standalone rendering solution with direct ZBrush modeling power inside of KeyShot, ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge offers the same powerful results with a LiveLink between both ZBrush and KeyShot applications.

“The feedback from artists has been instrumental in the development effort.”

This powerful new workflow system allows 3D content creators to visualize concepts, create light studies, analyze materials and more in real-time as they continue to digitally sculpt their ZBrush models on both Windows and Mac OS X machines.

“The speed and realism KeyShot offers, compliments the ZBrush artist’s workflow perfectly,” said Pixologic COO Jaime Labelle. “The feedback from artists has been instrumental in the development effort, for a process that is faster than ever before. It’s this partnership with Luxion and the new modeling capability in ZBrush 4R7 which allow artists to explore beyond the limits of imagination.”

To use Keyshot for ZBrush ($249), a user simply activates the link from inside of ZBrush when they have reached a stage in their workflow where they are ready to set lighting, material, color and other features in their scene. All of the Subtools are then sent directly to KeyShot.

For ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge ($149), users can apply materials and lighting while continuing to work on their model within ZBrush. Updates are made immediately in a separate KeyShot window when a user wants to preview their results.

Features included within the $249 (limited offer pricing) KeyShot for ZBrush + Bridge package:

• KeyShot for ZBrush + ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge
• All KeyShot features, including material and lighting presets
• Realtime viewing of material, lighting and camera changes
• Custom materials and lighting environments
• Unlimited output resolution
• Import ZBrush mesh via the ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge
• Maintain mesh size, position and structure on transfer
• Retain all SubTools, Polypaint and MatCaps® on transfer
• Update mesh through Luxion’s LiveLinkingTM technology

“The first time I saw KeyShot, I immediately realized how I could show my art, my models, my products
more effectively than other render engines,” said ZBrush artist Cki Vang. “For me the KeyShot Bridge is the cool feature of the year. Each SubTool can have a different material shader–light, glass, metal, etc.–It’s very useful for the designers, offering us the possibility to obtain final presentations faster.”

Interested users can download a trial version of KeyShot for ZBrush here or find out more about ZBrush upgrade options and compatibility by heading over to Pixologic.

Read It’s Finally Here: Luxion and Pixologic Partner to Release KeyShot for ZBrush + Bridge at SolidSmack.

At only 12.7 MB, this new CAD package packs a punch! Although it may come with a bit of a steep learning curve, Monolith enables users to vary the quantity of multiple materials on a voxel-by-voxel basis. New 3D Printing technologies – such as those seen in Stratasys’ Objet multi-material 3D printers – allow the creation of monolithic hinges with a varying gradient of flexible and hard materials and color options.

With Monolith, users are no longer confined to just designing with just shape and form…they are now able to mix materials in a seemingly endless array of design possibilities.

Created by Panagiotis Michalatos, assistant professor of architecture at the Harvard School of Design, and Andrew Payne, Architect and graduate from the Harvard School of Design, Monolith was created with the purpose of filling a hole in the Landscape of CAD software, namely how one can fully explore the possibilities of multi-material 3D Printing in Design.

“What’s a voxel? Well, think of it like a three-dimensional pixel. In fact, the word voxel is short for volumetric pixel. Much like a pixel, which describes the attributes (like color) of an element within a larger composition (an image); a voxel can describe attributes about a physical location within a 3D volume. These attributes can include information about its material properties, density, color, and more.”

This ‘Voxel Modeling Engine’ is pretty amazing – you can have full control over how a part may look and feel without feeling hungup on how to design for manufacturing and assembly.

Need to cover a certain part of your model with a rubber material for better grip properties?

No worries – just model accordingly and vary the gradient between the boundaries so that there’s a seamless change between materials. Using an Objet Connex, for example, this is important. Back in 2013 when I attended the SolidWorks 2013 Object launch, the reps gave us a few pieces of printed toolboxes – complete with flexible hinges. Sadly, the hinges broke off in a day or two, right near the edge where it went from hard to flexible. Had the materials been mixed by design using ‘Voxel modeling’ this problem would have been avoided. Attention Rhino/Grasshopper users! You can link the two programs to make designing with Monolith easier.

Here’s a breakdown of how Monolith works with existing workflows:

Features:

• Parametric/Function-based Design
• Free Paint
• Image Sweep (blend two or more images along an axis)
• Twist
• Inside/Out
• Gaussian Blur
• Symmetry
• Minimum (Erosion)
• Maximum (Dilation)
• Import Slices
• Export Slices
• Export Meshes
• Import/Export Voxel Files (.vol)
• Saving with Resources (.lith)
• Bitmap Patterns
• Mapping
• Voxel Patterns
• Topological Optimization

Be forewarned: Monolith has a steep learning curve. I spent an hour playing with the features creating some quick designs. The product documentation and tutorials are extremely well-done, but more tutorials would be appreciated. There are also simulation features which I am still trying to figure out – these are extremely promising for creating high performance parts, one could imagine. Combining 3DP and FEA is still in it’s infancy, and so far, only been tested on single-material pieces. 

Monolith is available for download here – give it a shot and tell us what you think!

Read Monolith – Hybrid CAD Ushers in True Parametric Multi-Material Design at SolidSmack.