How do I get started with 3D CAD modeling?

[PowerPCFan]

How do I get started with 3D CAD modeling? I plan on getting this printer from Micro Center. 

 

I've heard of Autodesk Fusion and UltiMaker Cura but what do those apps do? And what is the best way to learn how to use these apps? Are there any free courses available online or any detailed tutorials on YouTube? Or even an app like Duolingo (language learning) or Sololearn (learn to code) that I can use on my phone that helps you learn how to use the different apps and make detailed things? 

[Levent]

Fusion360 is free for home users. Its a great tool to get started imo. TONS of tutorials online and UI is fairly easy as per Autodesk fashion. You can import STL files into it too.

[PowerPCFan]

1 minute ago, Levent said:

Fusion360 is free for home users. Its a great tool to get started imo. TONS of tutorials online and UI is fairly easy as per Autodesk fashion. You can import STL files into it too.

Just downloaded it, I'll search for tutorials.

[Average Nerd]

1 minute ago, PowerPCFan said:

Just downloaded it, I'll search for tutorials.

A pretty easy first project is to take a aluminum extrusion heatsink and just trying to draw it in Fusion. It was the first thing I did with it, and it helped me out a lot with understanding the basic functions of Fusion.

[PowerPCFan]

2 minutes ago, Average Nerd said:

A pretty easy first project is to take a aluminum extrusion heatsink and just trying to draw it in Fusion. It was the first thing I did with it, and it helped me out a lot with understanding the basic functions of Fusion.

Alright, I'll try that soon. 

 

You mean a PC heatsink right? 

 

[Average Nerd]

Just now, PowerPCFan said:

Alright, I'll try that soon. 

 

You mean a PC heatsink right? 

 

Yes, that's the type I was referring to.

[Fasauceome]

38 minutes ago, PowerPCFan said:

I've heard of Autodesk Fusion

autodesk products are wicked expensive, I used Inventor for years with the aid of a college-provided license but it's professional-grade stuff.

 

However, you can get Autodesk Meshmixer for free which I used in conjunction with stuff like microsoft 3D builder

[PowerPCFan]

3 minutes ago, Fasauceome said:

autodesk products are wicked expensive, I used Inventor for years with the aid of a college-provided license but it's professional-grade stuff.

 

However, you can get Autodesk Meshmixer for free which I used in conjunction with stuff like microsoft 3D builder

You can get the free version though

[Fasauceome]

Just now, PowerPCFan said:

You can get the free version though

you can get a free trial for 30 days from what I remember but there's no long term free version

 

[PowerPCFan]

4 minutes ago, Fasauceome said:

you can get a free trial for 30 days from what I remember but there's no long term free version

 

u sure? There's one for personal use - https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/personal-download

 

Works for 1 year but you can infinitely renew the free license

[Fasauceome]

13 minutes ago, PowerPCFan said:

u sure? There's one for personal use - https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/personal-download

 

Works for 1 year but you can infinitely renew the free license

Oh, I was still talking about Autodesk inventor. I didn't know that fusion was separate from that subscription package.

 

I actually have very little experience with Fusion360 specifically, but I just had a quick look at the UI and it looks a lot like a simplified version of Inventor in a lot of ways. It would be a really good tool for geometric shapes and mechanical designs with a setup like that

[FlyingPotato_is_taken]

Autodesk Fusion is a toy compared to Autodesk Inventor.

Is it nice? Yes.

Do you need Inventor as hobbyist? No.

 

Autodesk Fusion is probably the best bet for free hobby use.

Solidworks Maker edition for $50/year would be the alternative. 

 

If you are student there is Siemens SolidEdge which is similar to Fusion360.

 

1 hour ago, PowerPCFan said:

Are there any free courses available online or any detailed tutorials on YouTube?

Youtube has dozens of tutorials.  Select the one you like.

[Biohazard777]

20 hours ago, PowerPCFan said:

UltiMaker Cura but what do those apps do?

That is a slicer.
Silcers job is to take your 3D model and convert it into a set of instructions your 3D printer can understand and execute.
Cura is fine, there are other slicer programs out there nowadays, and they pretty much have the same features and generate similar quality outputs.

 

I'd suggest picking one topic to research at the time:
a) Get to know how FDM 3D printing works.
b) Learn how to use 3D CAD software.
Otherwise... you might feel overloaded.