Please list software you use for Modelling & Design (Page 5 of 6)

Rhino 3D user here, I've always loved Rhino, easy to learn the basics and a lot more use friendly than Sketchup.

In sketchup you can use the scale tool and all tools I can think of support numeric entry.

I code but have not learned openscad yet however the things I see it do quite a bit that are paralleled in sketchup are rotate copy with a multiplier and intersect.

Sketchup requires a bit of fiddling to get things right, two extensions that help are CleanUp and Solid Inspector. And of course the STL utility.

If you can not get your head around drawing proper complicated hollow solids in sketchup then you will definitely need Netfabb basic to repair almost everything. Sometimes you can just export the part, repair it, bring it back in, clean it, and keep going from there with a manifold, non overlapping/self-intersecting faces design.

Currently using Solidworks for all design purposes.  3d ripper x, 3d studio, and blender to grab models out of video games if its something I want to make, but the files are always warped so its more to get a decent point of reference so i can make it from scratch in solidworks.  Basically if you have no experience what so ever, any program you want to use you can learn the basics to get yourself off the ground from youtube, then a lot of trial and error to learn the rest.  Either way its tons of fun doing this "work".

I use Solid works, but Inventor and Solid edge are functionally identical.

Used Sketchup initially, but had difficulties when draging shapes and trying to put holes in them (keychains, tags, etc).  Have had a bit more success with openscad for simple plugs and grommets - haven't tried the tricky stuff yet. 

Next "project" for Openscad will be trying to create a remote holder to bolt to gear shift console for in-car stereo.  - once I get the nozzle rebuilt after a bit of a communications breakdown on a phone holder print.

Which of these is the best free (or no more then $100) one with the easiest interface?
I have used TinkerCAD, very easy to use but simple. Blender seems so complex that it is hard to use. I spent days trying to import a simple SVG shape and trying to extrude it right with no luck even following many tutorials (and I am usually pretty good at these things).

openscad looks nice, going to try it. thanks. :-)

zbrush & cinema 4d

When I decided I needed to learn CAD in order to design a model for 3D printing, I spent on the order of 2 solid weeks downloading every open source, free and free trial CAD program available, and even bought a few cheapie programs.

To say I found the experience to be frustrating would be the understatement of the year. One of the most obnoxious features I found is there seems to be a trend toward cutsiepie, artsy, color schemes that are impossibly hard on the eyes. IMO, I think it was Blender that was among the worst in that respect -- black lines on a dark grey background and microscopic buttons.

Anyhow, after downloading and testing every CAD program I could find (I tried well over a dozen), I have now been using Creo Elements Direct Modeling Express 4.0 for about three months. It has its pros and cons, but overall it is a pretty intuitive program, had a lot of functionality and the learning curve is nowhere near as steep as it is on some of the programs I tested. Best of all, it's a free download with registration. I'm using it for mechanical engineering type stuff, working with geometric shapes. I don't know how suitable it would be for more artsy type stuff, but it works great for designing parts for export in .stl for 3D printing. IMO, for what is and what it can do, it is under used and under appreciated in the 3D printing world, especially considering it's free to use as long as you like. It's not easy to find on the company's website, as they're more interested in selling their for profit software, but if you're determined, you can eventually track it down.

YouTube has a number of amateur videos on how to work it, which are pretty much a prerequisite to using it as there is no customer support or instructions for it. Most of it is fairly intuitive, but the parts that aren't are decidedly baffling without instructions. Anyhow, if you don't have several grand to blow on a CAD program to use with a $600 printer, the Creo freebie is a great program that isn't too difficult to learn for those of us without an engineering degree.

YouTube includes a range of amateur videos on the way to work it, that ar just about a necessity to mistreatment it as there's no client support or directions for it. Most of it's fairly intuitive, however the elements {that arn't|that are not} are definitely problematic while not directions. Anyhow, if you do not have many grand to blow on a CAD program to use with a $600 printer, the Creo gift may be a nice program that may not too tough to find out for those people while not associate engineering degree.

Long time no see!