Week 2 Computer Aided Design

Week Objectives:

1. Try out 3D CAD Software
2. Try out 2D CAD Software
3. Create a Simulation
4. Use CAD to design components for my Final Project

3D CAD Software

This week, I tried out 3 different 3D CAD softwares: Blender, SculptGL and Autodesk Fusion

Blender

Before this week, I had never used Blender. Ms. Horstman, teacher at Charlotte Latin School and fellow Fab Academy student, helped me learn Blender.

This is my first attempt at modeling in blender. I started with the default cube and used the features in edit mode like adding and adjusting vertices. This is how I got the rocky looking shape.

Here is my blender design

Simulation: Blender

Now that I understand the basics of creating and modifying in blender, I wanted to learn simulation because I had seen many simulations in blender before fab academy.

I added this test monkey by pressing shift+a and then pressing Monkey.

I added a plane using the same command then moved it above the monkey's head. I then right clicked and pressed sub divide on the plane until I got the desired amount of sub divisions. This allows the plane to be able to fold to mimic a cloth.

After selecting the monkey, navigate to the physics tab. For this simulation, the monkey needs to stand still and be able to collide with the falling piece of cloth. Press the collision button to lock the monkey in place and allow the piece of cloth to fall onto it.

Now, select the plane, navigate to the physics table and press cloth. Now the plane will behave like a cloth.

After pressing the slider button seen in the physics tab, you can select different types of cloth which affect how the plane behaves when interacting with the monkey. I used the silk setting.

After setting up the physics, I pressed the play button and this video above is the simulation that blender ran.

Here is my blender simulation

SculptGL

SculptGL is a open source, online CAD software that runs in the browser. Contrary to most CAD softwares, SculptGL is a organic modeling software that allows the user to create natural and flow like features rather than rigid models like in most CAD softwares. SculptGL is best for chracter design and art but is harder for technical design because of its lack of dimensions and dimensioning tools.

In SculptGL, you start out with a ball that acts like clay. You can add more clay to it or modify the existing piece of clay by using features like press, pull, twist, crease, etc. These tools allow features to be made that would be almost impossible in other softwares.

Here is an image of all the tools in SculptGL

The radius tool is also used to change the size of the tool you want to use. You can go from large modifications to very small and precise modifications.

This is my first model in SculptGL. I attempted to make and elephant however since it was my first time trying organic modeling, I wasn't to good at doing it. I do think however I could make an elephant better in SculptGL than in Autodesk Fusion (which I have a lot of experience with). I can't see myself using this for anything other than art/character design however I think it is a really cool and powerful software.

The reason the quality looks so bad is because I needed to reduce the file size. For a high quality native file, it would be around ~10mb. I reduced it to <200kb

Here is my SculptGL file

Autodesk Fusion

Autodesk Fusion is a cloud based 3D CAD software. Out of all softwares I have used, I am the most comfortable with Fusion.

I decided to use Fusion to model something for my final project because I have the most experience with it and I want to make sure my final project is as good as possible.

I choose to model the wind tunnel's manifold because it is a complex part requiring many different features that Fusion offers.

I started off with a 2d sketch. I wanted to revolve a profile around an axis. I sketched a line to revolve around and then created the profile I wanted to revolve.

I finished the sketch and used the revolve feature to create a single 3D manifold.

I used the shell feature to hollow out the inside so air can travel through.

I copy and pasted the manifold 8 times and placed each one on top of eachother. The total height is approximately 6 inches.

I added a base for this mistmaker so that the mist it produces gets fed into the manifold.

This is the complete manifold. Additionally, I added a space for a fan to be connected to help push the mist into the manifold and to make sure that it doesn't become a low pressure zone. I found a diagram of a 50mm fan here. The hole on the side is for the wires from the mist maker to come out of.

You can access my model here

Fusion Simulation

This week I wanted to try something new in Fusion. I decided to try making different sized gears move together. I watched this YouTube Video to learn about how to do it.

Navigate to the utilities tab and select Add Ins, then select spur gear.

Once the spur gear is selected, this menu comes up. I wanted to create two gears. The only thing I changed was the number of teeth. One of my gears had 12 teeth and the other had 36 teeth.

I added a shaft component in between each gear to give it something to rotate around. I grounded each shaft so they dont move. I used as built joints to rotate the gears around their shaft.

After that, I used a motion link to synchronize the movement between the two gears. In the menu, I made the 12 tooth gear spins 360 degrees when the 36 tooth gear spins 120 degrees. Now I had set up a 3:1 gear ratio. I also had to make sure the gear direction was reverse because two gears together spin in opposite directions.

This is my simulation in fusion. As you can see, the gears spin properly together.

You can access my simulation here

2D CAD Software

QCAD

QCAD is an opensource 2D vector based CAD software.

I found QCAD to be very beginner friendly and I didn't need any tutorial to learn it.

In QCAD, this is your main toolbar. When you click on each one for instance line or circle, the toolbar changes to a more specific layout of that one tool. If you press line, the tool bar changes to a menu full of options for your line like angle or length.

I decided to create a stop sign. Since there is no built in octagon tool, I would need to do all the angles myself.

The angled-line tool came in handy because I could change the lines angle, without changing its length all by typing in a value. I could then drag the line wherever it needed to be.

I also used the text tool to write the word "STOP" and then I used the built in nodes to allign the text.

I added a pole by using the angled-line tool and setting it to 270 degrees.

Here is my stop sign. I think it turned out pretty well.

I could see myself using this software for laser cutting or CNC. I think setting the angle of lines in this software is easier than CorelDraw, which I have much experience in.

Here is my QCad file

Gimp

Gimp is a free open-source 2D raster based CAD software.

I decided to use Gimp to draw a sunset, then to use the built in tools to modify the drawing.

This the sunset I created using the drawing tools in gimp. As you can see, it could use some work.

After I created the sunset, I used gimp's features like blend and swirl to make my drawing more smooth. I think it turned out pretty well.

Here is my Gimp file

Reflection

3D CAD

Of all the 3D CAD softwares that I used this week, Autodesk Fusion is definitely my favorite. It has a easy to use, yet powerful user interface that I am very familiar with. I have used it in the past a lot and I plan on using it for the rest of Fab Academy. Blender was really cool however I don't think it meets the technical requirements of fab academy because of its dimensionless nature. If I need to do any artistic 3D modeling, I think I use blender. SculptGL very interesting. It is very lightweight and some of the features it offers arent able to be done in many other CAD softwares. Like blender, it is dimensionless which makes it hard to use for technical use. If I need a smooth 3d model with natural organic curves, I SculptGL is more than capable.

2D CAD

This week I decided not to use CorelDraw because I already felt very comfortable with it and didn't need to try anything new on it. My favorite 2D CAD software was QCAD. It felt easy to use, almost like Fusion's 2D sketch menu. I really liked the pre-existing nodes in the drawing area. They really help create even looking designs without having to use dimensioning features. This software felt very capable to use during Fab Academy and I think I might use this software later in Fab Academy. Gimp is a very powerful software, however I didn't like using it this week. The interface felt foreign and hard to learn. It felt more like an art software than a technical software. I have to give it credit though; It was able to transform my toddler art sunset into a smooth sunset.

Image Compression

This week, I used 2 different websites to compress my files.

I used imagecompressor to compress my .jpg images

I used freeconvert to compress my .mp4 videos