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Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

cadhub.xyz

31–40 of 97 posts

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#31
post #17

Programmatically generating geometry is very cool, but I don’t know of anyone doing real work with it. OpenSCAD is probably the best power-hobbyist software I know of for this purpose. AutoDesk seems to be trying this approach with DyanamoBIM, which I’m excited to experiment with (I just don’t get visual programming though). Personally, I would never consider a web-based software for professional use. An opaque profi…

I've been programmatically generating geometry in Dassault CATIA since 1998 or so. Relational Design is essentially the CAD version of object oriented programming.

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#33
post #17

Programmatically generating geometry is very cool, but I don’t know of anyone doing real work with it. OpenSCAD is probably the best power-hobbyist software I know of for this purpose. AutoDesk seems to be trying this approach with DyanamoBIM, which I’m excited to experiment with (I just don’t get visual programming though). Personally, I would never consider a web-based software for professional use. An opaque profi…

We use https://www.cadcode.com/ for our production of furniture.

It's a little different but essentially it takes data to define geometry and machine operations. We generate that data in code and pass it on to cadcode. Cadcode then passes that on to our NC machines.

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn't https://github.com/CadQuery/CQ-editor work on MacOS? I don't really see how development has fizzed out. There have been quite a few commits the last couple of months.

I wanted to kick the tires on CadQuery, but I had to install and understand Anaconda first. Any tool that requires me to understand a build system or a language package manager to correctly and safely build the software before I can use it is not ready for prime time. If this was important for my life, I might put in the effort. If it is for passing curiosity, I probably won't. Especially when it impacts not just thi…

FWIW I'm not familiar with Anaconda either and it took about 10 minutes to get it and the cadquery editor up and running. To each his own though!

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#35
Hey, I created CadHub.

I'm really bullish on software driven CAD, myself and other CadHub volunteers talk regularly about a future in which Mechanical Engineering and design is very similar to software engineering.

I'll be the first person it admit that some of the current CodeCAD tools aren't production ready, OpenSCAD for example I can't imagine being used by mechanical engineers. So the idea is mostly about unifying the community with a website dedicated to this paradigm, and if we're lucky we play a small role in promoting more development and better tools in the future.

Some of the reasons it's got potential:

- 3d-diffs on pull requests [1]

- Automated FEM, CFD etc simulations akin to CI/CD [2]

- PLM managed through git

- plus git in general is such a good way for teams to work together

[1] https://learn.cadhub.xyz/blog/3d-diffs/

[2] https://learn.cadhub.xyz/blog/testing-code-cad/

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#36
post #17

Programmatically generating geometry is very cool, but I don’t know of anyone doing real work with it. OpenSCAD is probably the best power-hobbyist software I know of for this purpose. AutoDesk seems to be trying this approach with DyanamoBIM, which I’m excited to experiment with (I just don’t get visual programming though). Personally, I would never consider a web-based software for professional use. An opaque profi…

I've previously worked at 2 large engineering companies in the oil and gas space, and both were using automation to generate CAD models from configuration - not exactly the same thing, but close enough. They were doing this with both AutoCAD and SolidWorks.

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#38
post #17

Programmatically generating geometry is very cool, but I don’t know of anyone doing real work with it. OpenSCAD is probably the best power-hobbyist software I know of for this purpose. AutoDesk seems to be trying this approach with DyanamoBIM, which I’m excited to experiment with (I just don’t get visual programming though). Personally, I would never consider a web-based software for professional use. An opaque profi…

Grasshopper, which Dynamo is really trying to compete against, is in wide use in the architecture world.

Yeah these are mostly used for architecture. Seemingly exclusively to produce the same generative style

Re: Code CAD – Use code to create CAD models

#40
post #35

Hey, I created CadHub. I'm really bullish on software driven CAD, myself and other CadHub volunteers talk regularly about a future in which Mechanical Engineering and design is very similar to software engineering. I'll be the first person it admit that some of the current CodeCAD tools aren't production ready, OpenSCAD for example I can't imagine being used by mechanical engineers. So the idea is mostly about unifyi…

Howdy! Well we absolutely need more open source CAD tools.

That said as a mechanical engineer for going on two decades now, I really get no value from this kind of mechanical design. I grew up on Solidworks and now use OnShape. That kind of physical modeling is very important. Being able to click on a face and sketch some geometry and then extrude it really feels like the right modality for me. I’d really love to see more investment in that kind of parametric visual CAD.

EDIT: An example of one of my recent projects: https://twitter.com/TLAlexander/status/1450001567088713730

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