As technology becomes more compact, trendsetters start researching ways to improve multi-sensory experience.
SolidSmack.com
This is a very small behemoth of an online community about 3D CAD, technology, design, robots, ninjas… Ok, maybe not ninjas so much, but those guys are COOL so there just might be something about some dang ninjas. Besides the occasional blast of intensely cool product design and technology, we look at what’s going on in the world of 3D, add a splash of business insight and web tech into the mix and there ya got your SolidSmack.
New Fusion 360 Features: Text on a Path, Text Frame, and More
The latest update from the Fusion 360 crew has us pulling our sock over our knee-caps and throwing our hats in the air.
NVIDIA Snaps Suspenders, Announces RTX A6000 and A40 Video Cards
NVIDIA officially snapped their suspenders announcing the next in their series of GPUs sporting the latest graphics-crackin’ Ampere microarchitecture.
RIP Vic Leventhal: SOLIDWORKS Former COO and True Legend
If you use SOLIDWORKS now or used it in the past, one person you have to thank is Vic Leventhal.
Watch These 3D Printed Coral Light Designs Grow Into Being
It’s one thing to make a stunning light fixture, but it’s another thing to make a statement with it using a whole different medium.
Dan’s 1st Law of Drawings
An engineering drawing is a specialized type of communication tool. It’s also a contract.
CNC ONE Is A Beginner-Friendly, Powerful Milling Machine
For some, using a CNC machine may be an intimidating skill.
Unique Spice Jar Cap Design to Measure Your Spices
Anyone who has spent any amount of time baking/cooking/experimenting will know the tedium of measuring ingredients but outside of pre-measured packets what could make it easier?
Onshape CAD | Four Surface Modeling Tech Tips to Grow By!
The folks over at Onshape have been cranking out a ton of resource material across all categories.
3D on the Web Heats Up
3D across the web, devices, screens, and reality has been ramping up considerably over the last few years.
Thangs is the Hot, New Thang for 3D Model Search and Share
A new meta search engine for 3D models is available: Thangs.
Tour: TinkerMill Makerspace in Longmont, Colorado
The tour of this makerspace just outside Denver and Boulder, Colorado took place in September 2019, long before COVID-19 flipped spaces like these on their heads.
Gravity Sketch VR Launches CoCreation Beta
Good news from the folks at Gravity Sketch.
cadasio: Create Interactive Technical Illustrations of Your 3D CAD Data
You’ve got some options when you need to create graphics for assembly instructions and technical documents but when you need to create animated assembly or service instructions your options narrow quite a bit.
The New Intel RealSense Depth Camera Widens Its View
The new Intel RealSense Depth Camera D455 is now available.
Skydio Announces X2 3D Scan Drone, Advances Autonomous AI Drone Tech
It’s wasn’t too many years ago that inspecting a bridge, evaluating safe passage, or planning a route took a brave soul to volunteer or a less brave soul to draw the short straw.
ProtoSpray Mixes 3D Printing And Electroluminescent Paint To Create Objects That Light Up
Creators have crafted a method to add light on a 3D printed surface using a unique electroluminescent coating.
Shapr3D Adds Adaptive UI, Proves 3D CAD Can Be Smarter
Shapr3D has been doing a lot of ‘bringing’ to their iPadOS-based CAD app over the past three years.
nPower’s New Power Shell and Power Thicken Powers Up Your SOLIDWORKS Shelling
Shelling a 3D model can be daunting, but nPower’s new Power Shell makes it a lot easier.
ZBrushCoreMini is the New, Free Sculpting App from Pixologic
Get your sculpt brushes and buckets of inspiration ready. Today, Pixologic introduced ZBrushCoreMini, a free entry-level version of its ZBrushCore and ZBrush software designed to help people get started with digital sculpting.
Vention Brings the Big Bucks to Machine Building, Snags $38M Funding
A cloud-based machine building startup service has landed a huge investment round.
Easily View 3D Results In Your Google Searches
Did you know Google Search has an option to easily view 3D content?
JustSketchMe is a Web App to Create and Download Poseable 3D Characters
JustSketchMe is a web-based app to create and pose 3D character models.
3D Printed Foam Expands 40x for Big Prints from Small 3D Printers
Researchers have developed a way to expand 3D printed objects 40x using foam.
MAINGEAR Pro WS Workstations Bring Big Power to 3D Professionals
Designers, artists, and 3D professionals across different industries know there’s nothing better than a powerful computer that cuts through your processes like warm butter.
AR Cut & Paste Is the Kick in the Rear 3D Capture Needs
What if you boil AR/VR down even further and mix common computer actions with common AR needs? Scan/Capture + Copy/Paste?
New ‘Lockdown Lectures’ Are a Must for Product Design Success
The COVID-19 crisis has forced many events online, and this one offers design process lectures free to all.
This Electroluminescent Paint Lights Up When You Pass A Current Through It
LumiLor is an electroluminescent paint that emits light via an electric current, just the thing for amazing 3D prints.
Vuforia Spatial Toolbox Is a New App to Visualize and Control Machines
New software allows machines to be controlled through an augmented reality (AR) interface. Could this control 3D printers as well?
Browser-based SelfCAD Adds Load of New Features, New Pricing for Education
SelfCAD offers a simple-to-use web-based 3D modeling service that is suitable for almost everyone.
Vagon.io is the New Cloud Computer for Designers, Engineers, and 3D Professionals
A new cloud-based virtual desktop service could provide a platform to perform high performance 3D work.
Turbosquid’s Kraken Levels Up 3D Asset Management
Turbosquid’s Kraken 3D Asset Management system provides new ways to manage 3D models online.
The Lost Art of Naming a Part
When a part is developed, what should it be called? We have some ideas for naming parts you may not have considered.
Lenovo ThinkStation P520 Workstation [Review]
Lenovo has released a workstation that is quite appropriate for use as a CAD platform.
eMachineShop Adds Free, Online 3D File Viewing & Sharing
eMachineShop Adds Free 3D File Viewing & Sharing to their online service. Is this for you?
Browser-based SelfCAD Adds Load of New Features, New Pricing for Education
SelfCAD offers a simple-to-use web-based 3D modeling service that is suitable for almost everyone.
Tech Soft 3D Snags ‘Significant’ Funding
Tech Soft 3D, a producer of powerful toolkits for CAD/CAM applications, received significant funding.
3DAeroventures is the Future of 3D Printed RC Aircraft
Eric Haddad is the founder and Pilot in Command of 3DAeroventures, a Texas-based outfit specializing in 3D printed RC aircraft.
Student or Educator? A RIZE 3D Printer May Be For You
If you’re a youngin’ whose neurons have just myelinated or an educator who’s responsible for bludgeoning their brain tissue with knowledge, there’s a 3D printer option you’ll want to add to your lab list – A RIZE 3D Printer.
Hold Onto Your PCBs – Autodesk Just Added ECAD to Fusion 360
Autodesk has revealed that Fusion 360 now includes ECAD functionality.
Going to 3DEXPERIENCE World 2020? Here’s What You Don’t Want to Miss
3DEXPERIENCE World replaces the now-defunct SOLIDWORKS World event for Dassault Systèmes clients. Find out all the information you need to know in this post.
The Dawn of Dual-Screen for 3D CAD Apps… Is Upon Us
You would think this article is from a decade or two ago, but no. It’s really about dual-screen and CAD software using dual-screens… but not like you’re used to.
Wacom Starts Off 2020 With A $400 Drawing Tablet
Wacom announced the new Wacom One, a handy drawing tablet that may be of use to those doing 3D CAD design.
Autodesk Fusion 360 (Sub) Now Includes EAGLE PCB Design
If you’re a user of Fusion 360, your subscription now includes access to Autodesk EAGLE, the electronic design automation software to aid schematic layout or determine PCB routing and component placement.
Behold The World’s First Universal LEGO Sorting Machine
While there’s nothing quite as bad as stepping on a stray LEGO block, a close second is having to sort out the mess of bricks once you (or your kids) are done using them.
Watch An Insanely-Detailed CNC-Machined Recreation Of Mt. Saint Helens
Watch how a 3D representation of Mt. St. Helens can be produced easily with some know-how and a CNC mill.
Skilled Implementation Vs. Solution Creation
Did you know there are two ways to solve design problems?
The New Tesla Cybertruck is Dang Easy to Model in Blender
How hard is it to design the new Tesla Cybertruck in 3D? One designer tried to do so in Blender.
DIY Injection Molding With 3D Printed Molds (and How to Avoid Warping)
Did you know it’s possible to perform injection molding using 3D printing? It’s an easy way to make many objects.
Astronauts Can Now Recycle Plastics Into 3D Printing Filament
Why limit recycling to Earth when you can do it in outer space too?
Tutorial: Model Wave Forms using Creo Parametric Variable Section Sweep and TRAJPAR Function
3D modeling waveforms may be a very complex matter, but here is a tutorial to show you how it’s done in PTC CREO.
Assembly Required: New Photo Series Makes Fine Art Out of Exploded Views
An increasingly frequent approach to 3D design is to employ an “exploded view” of the components. Here we see how they can be turned into artwork in addition to their functional use.
Behind the Design: How Urwahn 3D Printed a Bike for Urban Riding Conditions
Watch how Urwahn Bikes used 3D printing to design a fully functional urban bike.
This Epic Racing Drone Was Made Using Fusion 360 and Generative Design
It wasn’t too long ago when the concept of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the capabilities of generative design seemed like some far off sci-fi future.
Autodesk Adds Extensions to Fusion 360
Autodesk is expanding its Fusion 360 repertoire by adding extensions.
New Robotic Needling Process Enables Additive Manufacturing with Wool
A new process allows 3D printing of wool to create highly unusual fabric objects and textures.
Cool CAD Tips: How to Easily Thread Parts in Autodesk Fusion 360
If you ever wanted to create threaded fasteners for screws, nuts, bolts and the like on the fly using good old Fusion 360, Autodesk has a simple method to easily implement them.
Acer Powers Up Their Concept D Laptops With NVIDIA RTX GPUs
Never one to fall behind the times, Acer is updating their previously announced Concept D laptops with NVIDIA’s new Quadro RTX graphics cards.
This Insane 3D Art Series Shines a Modern Light on Retro Technologies
The magical retro-technology renderings of Julien Rivorie – a 3D artist and graphic designer based in France.
The Cintiq 22 Adds A Bigger Screen To Wacom’s Entry-Level Pen Display Tablets
Wacom has decided to size things up with its newest addition to their pen display tablet line: the Wacom Cintiq 22.
Why SOLIDWORKS World Was Changed to 3DEXPERIENCE World
Dassault Systemés suddenly changed the name of their major conference from SOLIDWORKS WORLD to 3DEXPERIENCE WORLD. Why do so?
SkillCoach | Discovering R3DS Wrap 3 | The Perfect App for Preparing 3D Scan Data for MCAD!
Need help transforming a 3D scan into a 3D model? One way is to use R3DS Wrap, whose new version has some powerful 3D modeling capabilities.
Industrial Designer Turned Concept Artist Shows His Process Using Autodesk Sketchbook
After 10 years of designing sports products, industrial designer Eelco Siebring has opted for quite the career change.
Tour of “Next Big Thing”, German IoT Incubator, at Factory Berlin
We head to Berlin, Germany in the 2nd installment of my Euro tour learning about HW tech development across the pond.
This Structural Design Kit Is The Ultimate Desk Toy for Engineers
Need something to stimulate your engineering brain? Why not try this incredible desk structural design kit?
Tour: MADE Makerspace in Barcelona, Spain
This tour of MADE Makerspace in Barcelona, Spain was my last stop of jet setting through Europe to learn about HW startup culture there.
Fresco is Adobe’s Latest (And Greatest) iPad Sketching App
After announcing the app in October 2018 and releasing a closed beta last April, Adobe has renamed their tentatively-titled ‘Project Gemini’ drawing and painting app ‘Adobe Fresco‘.
I Made a Sweet Multi-Material Ninja Star With One Machine [Snapmaker 3-in-1 Review]
What to know more about the Snapmaker 3D printer? This post reviews the popular 3D printer kit.
UPPKOPPLA Is Custom 3D Printed Gaming Accessories From IKEA and UNYQ
Ever since they announced they would be making customized 3D printed chairs for gamers, IKEA has been slowly entering the gaming peripheral market.
Being a Great Designer is Just the Tip of the Iceberg
You are a great designer.
How To 3D Print Lithophanes
Have you ever wanted to 3D print lithophanes? It turns out to be suprisingly easy!
I Used Simplify3D to 3D Print a Poo Emoji Top Hat
3D printers (people) have a bad habit of wasting their print improvement effort on the shiny and new instead of the useful.
Could Adobe Create the 3D Product Dev App to Rival all Others?
Adobe Fresco in 3D?
Wacom’s New Intuos Pro Small Is More Compact For Pro Designer On the Go
Perhaps you know this but there’s a lot of equipment, not to mention sweat and long hours, that goes along with the experience you build as a designer.
What Is Optical Engineering? (and Why You May Be Doing HW Wrong If You Don’t Know)
If you’re engineering hardware that has any one of: a camera, an LED, a display, an IR sensor, a lens, a laser, a reflector, or an optical fiber, guess what?!
How They Made It: The Indestructible 3D Printed Guitar
There are a few abilities you need to prove you’re a proper rockstar.
Nike By You 3D Builder Lets You Customize Your Next Sneaker Design
Nike sure loves celebrating its Air Max designs.
How to Build a Backyard Workshop for $2,000
Purchasing a traditional home may be physical proof that you’ve officially made it as an adult.
ZBrush 2019 Focuses on Optimizing the Digital Sculptor’s Workflow
ZBrush 2019 is Pixologic’s latest iteration of their popular digital sculpting software.
New Autodesk Earnings Report Shows Growth in CAD Subscriptions
Another fiscal year, another chart showcasing a company’s earnings.
Incredible EDM Machining Process Literally Melts Part Lines Away
If you thought the age-old craft of metalworking couldn’t get any more precise, well think again.
Fabric Nets Injected with Expanding Foam
In this modern age of everything-looks-the-same DIY furniture, it makes sense that some people want to make something unique to stand out from their friends’ IKEA apartment fixtures.
Learn How to 3D Scan with Industrial Designer Eric Strebel
For some designers and engineers, 3D scanning physical objects to use as reference models can be the ultimate time-saver.
Origami-Inspired Robot Gripper from MIT Adapts To Whatever It Holds
While humankind has made great strides in creating Terminator-like robotic appendages, we’re still a ways from an artificial arm that moves and acts precisely like a flesh-and-blood appendage.
Einscan-SP 3D Scanner [Review]
We seasoned digital craftspeople can take an idea from a digital model to a physical concept with lightning speed.
‘Frontiers of Design’ Short Film Explores What’s to Come in Product Design
In today’s sea of design, only a select few are truly capable of standing out as thought leaders and changing how we perceive the modern world around us.
The 2019 3D Hubs Student Grant Begins – Turn Your Project into a Product
3D printing is as lucrative as it has ever been, with various industries harnessing the technology to further improve our lives.
Adaptive UI for Siemens NX Just Changed the Future of 3D Design Software
Every once in a while, you’ll be enjoying a hot ham ‘n cheese, when something comes along, slaps that sandwich out of your hand, and marks a substantial shift in the future of 3D product development software.
Spacebridge is an Augmented Reality Workspace Concept from Wacom and Magic Leap
Last year, we got an inkling on Magic Leap’s plans to partner with like-minded companies like Onshape to create more interactive 3D work environments using their not-quite-so-cheap AR/VR headset.
Urban Design Project Invites Public to ‘3D Print (Their) City’ From Waste
With much of the world turning a newer, greener leaf, many people are finding ways to incorporate a “greener” lifestyle with 21st-century technologies.
Going to SOLIDWORKS World 2019? Here’s What You Don’t Want to Miss
Wow. Doesn’t it feel like the first SOLIDWORKS World was waaaaay back in 1998? It was.
How to Prepare a Design Guide for Accurate Manufacturing Bids
For years we’ve been watching industrial designer Eric Strebel’s insightful design process videos; videos that show how he goes about making products from start to finish.
How To Create Unique Low-Poly Designs Using SelfCAD
If you’ve yet to get your CAD jabbers on SelfCAD, you can spin it up and start modeling in less time than it takes to juice a pack navel oranges with your elbows at your co-worker’s desk–Tis a fact.
Autodesk Fusion 360 Gets A Facelift!
Autodesk Fusion 360 is bringing in the new year with a User Interface (UI) facelift!
Cerambot is An Affordable Ceramic 3D Printer
We talk a lot about 3D printers, but most use plastic or resin materials.