Comments on: Free 3D Tools and Community: 3Dvia from Dassault Systemes http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/ The world's easiest making system Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:01:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Ponoko Blog http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/comment-page-1/#comment-10987 Ponoko Blog Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:11:25 +0000 http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/#comment-10987 [...] There are two main ones, which both come down to the question of ‘quality’. The first is that the surface finish of parts made by rapid prototyping or rapid manufacturing is relatively poor compared to mass manufactured products: they tend to have ridges, or rough surfaces, and the colours are limited. But these are gradually improving, and it’s worth remembering that injection moulding is a process that’s 140 years old. 3D printers and other rapid manufacturing technologies are still in their infancy by comparison. The second limitation is the tools that consumers have available to design their own products. This is hard enough in 2D, which is why I imagine Ponoko has introduced Photomake, for people who can’t use Adobe Illustrator. 3D Computer Aided Design is much harder to learn, most designers take at least three years to get good at a single CAD package. So there needs to be much simpler modelling tools, and that’s now a significant part of my research. But again there are signs that things are moving: Google SketchUp and 3DVia Shape are undoubtedly consumer-oriented, and Shapeways Creator and FluidForms show some interesting approaches. I also think there’s a hell of a lot to learn from Spore Creature Creator, in the way it both helps and restricts you in designing new creatures. [...] [...] There are two main ones, which both come down to the question of ‘quality’. The first is that the surface finish of parts made by rapid prototyping or rapid manufacturing is relatively poor compared to mass manufactured products: they tend to have ridges, or rough surfaces, and the colours are limited. But these are gradually improving, and it’s worth remembering that injection moulding is a process that’s 140 years old. 3D printers and other rapid manufacturing technologies are still in their infancy by comparison. The second limitation is the tools that consumers have available to design their own products. This is hard enough in 2D, which is why I imagine Ponoko has introduced Photomake, for people who can’t use Adobe Illustrator. 3D Computer Aided Design is much harder to learn, most designers take at least three years to get good at a single CAD package. So there needs to be much simpler modelling tools, and that’s now a significant part of my research. But again there are signs that things are moving: Google SketchUp and 3DVia Shape are undoubtedly consumer-oriented, and Shapeways Creator and FluidForms show some interesting approaches. I also think there’s a hell of a lot to learn from Spore Creature Creator, in the way it both helps and restricts you in designing new creatures. [...]

]]> By: we dont do retro » Blog Archive » Dassault Systèmes’ 3DVia gives some clues about the future of consumer generated 3D content http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/comment-page-1/#comment-6806 we dont do retro » Blog Archive » Dassault Systèmes’ 3DVia gives some clues about the future of consumer generated 3D content Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:19:22 +0000 http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/#comment-6806 [...] (Thanks go to Duann Scott for bringing this to my attention. You can read his thoughts over at the Ponoko blog). [...] [...] (Thanks go to Duann Scott for bringing this to my attention. You can read his thoughts over at the Ponoko blog). [...]

]]> By: Roy http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/comment-page-1/#comment-6782 Roy Sat, 31 May 2008 16:16:16 +0000 http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/#comment-6782 Indeed, Jesse. What we really need is an FOSS parametric modeller. Indeed, Jesse. What we really need is an FOSS parametric modeller.

]]> By: Ponoko Blog http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/comment-page-1/#comment-6752 Ponoko Blog Thu, 29 May 2008 23:34:54 +0000 http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/#comment-6752 [...] Following on from the previous post about Dassault Systèmes 3D tools is another, (re)introducing Cosmic Blobs Pro Built around the idea that surfaces should be manipulated directly, Cosmic Blobs Model Pro is an entry level tool for 3D content creation. Developed by the creators of Cosmic Blobs, with a slightly less cartoony interface, but still basically aimed at kids. This is the Beta version so perhaps the next iteration will be more suitable for design applications. Models can be exported as a triangular mesh into several 3D formats, including standard STL, VRML, and OBJ formats. VRML and OBJ output also includes texture coordinates and images. CBMP, as I will now refer to it, is available for both Mac & P.C. You only need fill in a basic form to get a key to register the 15 day trial to an unlimited version. They have a gallery of (lame) examples and their is also supposed to be a community forum, and a dedicated fan blog site. How much of this is ground up is yet to be seen. As Jesse Louis-Rosenberg mentioned in reply to the previous post, I do not believe that Dassault Systèmes are looking to democratize the 3D design process, but more likely simply trying to stake out more territory for themselves. I doubt that anyone will use it as a tool to produce the next DIY design innovation, but at least it is a free tool to at least get a basic idea about 3D modeling organic forms with a simple, yet limited interface. [...] [...] Following on from the previous post about Dassault Systèmes 3D tools is another, (re)introducing Cosmic Blobs Pro Built around the idea that surfaces should be manipulated directly, Cosmic Blobs Model Pro is an entry level tool for 3D content creation. Developed by the creators of Cosmic Blobs, with a slightly less cartoony interface, but still basically aimed at kids. This is the Beta version so perhaps the next iteration will be more suitable for design applications. Models can be exported as a triangular mesh into several 3D formats, including standard STL, VRML, and OBJ formats. VRML and OBJ output also includes texture coordinates and images. CBMP, as I will now refer to it, is available for both Mac & P.C. You only need fill in a basic form to get a key to register the 15 day trial to an unlimited version. They have a gallery of (lame) examples and their is also supposed to be a community forum, and a dedicated fan blog site. How much of this is ground up is yet to be seen. As Jesse Louis-Rosenberg mentioned in reply to the previous post, I do not believe that Dassault Systèmes are looking to democratize the 3D design process, but more likely simply trying to stake out more territory for themselves. I doubt that anyone will use it as a tool to produce the next DIY design innovation, but at least it is a free tool to at least get a basic idea about 3D modeling organic forms with a simple, yet limited interface. [...]

]]> By: Dave5 http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/comment-page-1/#comment-6736 Dave5 Thu, 29 May 2008 05:40:55 +0000 http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/#comment-6736 @Jesse - You're right, but the really critical bit that is missing from this is an set of good standard file types. @Jesse – You’re right, but the really critical bit that is missing from this is an set of good standard file types.

]]> By: Hawmij http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/comment-page-1/#comment-6730 Hawmij Thu, 29 May 2008 04:05:11 +0000 http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/#comment-6730 "Its mission is democratizing the usage of 3D so that everybody can use it in their everyday life, through the web" As long as the software's PC only the only 3D space I'll be navigating with this product is my hand moving to close the browser. “Its mission is democratizing the usage of 3D so that everybody can use it in their everyday life, through the web”

As long as the software’s PC only the only 3D space I’ll be navigating with this product is my hand moving to close the browser.

]]> By: Jon http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/comment-page-1/#comment-6719 Jon Tue, 27 May 2008 22:38:21 +0000 http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/#comment-6719 There is a great program that I wish was out before I taught myself 3D with 3DS Max over a decade ago called Blender... you can get it here. blender.org The one nice thing other then cost is that it seems ALMOST equivalent to the very high-end 3D applications out there, it blows away the entry level ones by a large margin. Jon There is a great program that I wish was out before I taught myself 3D with 3DS Max over a decade ago called Blender… you can get it here.

blender.org

The one nice thing other then cost is that it seems ALMOST equivalent to the very high-end 3D applications out there, it blows away the entry level ones by a large margin.

Jon

]]> By: Roy http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/comment-page-1/#comment-6715 Roy Tue, 27 May 2008 16:39:48 +0000 http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/#comment-6715 Wow, cool. Could this be a new standard software for sharing 3D data? Is there a reason that 3DVIA Shape looks so much like Sketchup? That list of formats is certainly a lot better than you get with the free sketchup. Wow, cool. Could this be a new standard software for sharing 3D data? Is there a reason that 3DVIA Shape looks so much like Sketchup? That list of formats is certainly a lot better than you get with the free sketchup.

]]> By: Jesse Louis-Rosenberg http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/comment-page-1/#comment-6712 Jesse Louis-Rosenberg Tue, 27 May 2008 13:50:09 +0000 http://blog.ponoko.com/2008/05/27/free-3d-tools-and-community-3dvia-from-dassault-systemes/#comment-6712 As someone who has worked for a company that makes a derivative of Dassault's CATIA, I am very skeptical of this product. It's a nice gesture, but frankly it's part of a race between the major 3D companies to get into the online service market. Dassault has a virtual monopoly on high end engineering software, and it costs tens of thousands of dollars to get it. I doubt they have plans on releasing something for free that will take away anything from that part of the market. But that means DIY designers won't have access to the advanced tools they need to really compete with the traditional industry. The 3DVIA Shape modeler is extremely limited, and I doubt it is easy or possible to engineer designs for production (at least for anything remotely complex). In addition DS software has a tendency to lack in user friendliness, and the company itself doesn't have the best customer service. Frankly, what is needed are not hand-outs from big companies but an open source movement from within the DIY community itself. There are currently initiatives like Blender, which are trying to create FOSS alternatives for 3D modeling; however these tend to be based on the animation industry and not geared toward engineering. As someone who has worked for a company that makes a derivative of Dassault’s CATIA, I am very skeptical of this product. It’s a nice gesture, but frankly it’s part of a race between the major 3D companies to get into the online service market. Dassault has a virtual monopoly on high end engineering software, and it costs tens of thousands of dollars to get it. I doubt they have plans on releasing something for free that will take away anything from that part of the market. But that means DIY designers won’t have access to the advanced tools they need to really compete with the traditional industry. The 3DVIA Shape modeler is extremely limited, and I doubt it is easy or possible to engineer designs for production (at least for anything remotely complex).

In addition DS software has a tendency to lack in user friendliness, and the company itself doesn’t have the best customer service.

Frankly, what is needed are not hand-outs from big companies but an open source movement from within the DIY community itself. There are currently initiatives like Blender, which are trying to create FOSS alternatives for 3D modeling; however these tend to be based on the animation industry and not geared toward engineering.

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