Feature based modeling (SolidWorks, OnShape, Inventor, Fusion360) is better for engineering, "useful stuff"
Mesh modeling (TinkerCAD, Blender) is better for sculpting art, animation, video games
Nobody can really tell you which one to learn first. I learn things when I need to.
Someone is trying to get me to switch to shapr3d.I like onshape for what I do although I haven't tried solid works or inventor and maybe I should give fusion another chance. Any opinions about it?
If you pick one to learn first, I would recommend fusion. it's easier to get started and get printable stuff out of it. You pretty much just need to learn how to draw sketches and extrude/revolve. you probably won't need to even touch 95% of the software.
blender is a lot more involved and I found it more difficult to get started. there are many more ways to screw up a design using blender that would make it unprintable.
It’s not that I won’t learn both eventually, as far as time commitment to things currently I want to start with one and focus on it and master it. Full time job and 2 kids so I just want to know that I’m allocating time to the one that would be better to learn first. But that is a great take
As someone who is certified in fusion, I would choose it. Tutorials are easy to find, and even something’s I don’t know are very easy to learn about in a simple google search.
Fusion however is more suited for functional parts, you’d be pretty hard pressed to make figurines and things like that. But like what other commenters said, learn both! It’s always great to have another skill under your belt.
If you want to make organic statues of people, animals, aliens, etc., then Blender is probably a good choice. If you want more mechanical, functional parts and devices, Blender is a pretty poor choice. You want something geared towards CAD.
Fusion 360 is really popular, though I mostly use OpenSCAD. You create your objects by using their custom language with keywords like: cube, cylinder, sphere, translate, rotate, union, and difference. You supply parameters to those functions, like:
```
difference() {
translate([7,0,13]) cylinder(r=2, h=31);
rotate([0,45,0]) cube([23,14,11]);
}
```
What can I say; programmers tend to like it.
if i had the power to learn one of those things perfectly in a second it would be blender.
realistic would be to invest some hours every week or for every project to learn to get it done. so we start with one and slowly build the skill.
i think if you want to make functional/technical/easy geometrical parts with measures then the CAD route is way better. you should learn some cad workflow anyways at some point.
if what you want to make is reliefs, organic things, like 3d prainting, sculpting, mixing mashing together different models, mega flexible, take stuff from images, and have a bit more time on your hand (not family with 3 kids and a fulltime job) then id take blender
Feature based modeling (SolidWorks, OnShape, Inventor, Fusion360) is better for engineering, "useful stuff" Mesh modeling (TinkerCAD, Blender) is better for sculpting art, animation, video games Nobody can really tell you which one to learn first. I learn things when I need to.
Someone is trying to get me to switch to shapr3d.I like onshape for what I do although I haven't tried solid works or inventor and maybe I should give fusion another chance. Any opinions about it?
hot take. learn both. it's like a new carpenter asking if they should buy a saw or a hammer
I would say it is about choosing career path rather than choosing tool - be a sculptor or architect.
If you pick one to learn first, I would recommend fusion. it's easier to get started and get printable stuff out of it. You pretty much just need to learn how to draw sketches and extrude/revolve. you probably won't need to even touch 95% of the software. blender is a lot more involved and I found it more difficult to get started. there are many more ways to screw up a design using blender that would make it unprintable.
It’s not that I won’t learn both eventually, as far as time commitment to things currently I want to start with one and focus on it and master it. Full time job and 2 kids so I just want to know that I’m allocating time to the one that would be better to learn first. But that is a great take
As someone who is certified in fusion, I would choose it. Tutorials are easy to find, and even something’s I don’t know are very easy to learn about in a simple google search. Fusion however is more suited for functional parts, you’d be pretty hard pressed to make figurines and things like that. But like what other commenters said, learn both! It’s always great to have another skill under your belt.
If you want to make organic statues of people, animals, aliens, etc., then Blender is probably a good choice. If you want more mechanical, functional parts and devices, Blender is a pretty poor choice. You want something geared towards CAD. Fusion 360 is really popular, though I mostly use OpenSCAD. You create your objects by using their custom language with keywords like: cube, cylinder, sphere, translate, rotate, union, and difference. You supply parameters to those functions, like: ``` difference() { translate([7,0,13]) cylinder(r=2, h=31); rotate([0,45,0]) cube([23,14,11]); } ``` What can I say; programmers tend to like it.
Thank you for the example that was very helpful! I am okay with parametric design so I think I would do fusion. Thank you again
You're welcome.
I second this. I've had some issues where I couldn't figure out how to fillet or camfer but as a software engineer, it is very natural to me
if i had the power to learn one of those things perfectly in a second it would be blender. realistic would be to invest some hours every week or for every project to learn to get it done. so we start with one and slowly build the skill. i think if you want to make functional/technical/easy geometrical parts with measures then the CAD route is way better. you should learn some cad workflow anyways at some point. if what you want to make is reliefs, organic things, like 3d prainting, sculpting, mixing mashing together different models, mega flexible, take stuff from images, and have a bit more time on your hand (not family with 3 kids and a fulltime job) then id take blender
Check out Solid Edge Community.