3D software for Mac

[Thiago @medeiros]

Dear colleagues,

I was used to use Solidworks as a 3D software, but I would like to have an all Mac OS solution with my new Robox coming. (I also don’t like so much the virtualization solution)
Until today I just knew the Sketch up as a solution for Mac OS , today I came into a different solution CorelCAD 2014, anyone here use or already had some experience with it?
Not only it but any 3D software for Mac OS for a complete solution using this system?

Best Regards,
Thiago

[fingerpuk @fingerpuk]

Depends what kind of thing you want to model. I use Modo and Silo as well as Wings3D. I’ll be using Autodesk Inventor a little too, but mainly Modo.

[Thiago @medeiros]

Thanks fingerpuk!!
I just gave a look to the solutions you said, but they are not turned for the production of technical parts right? They are turned to 3D animations, and do not have a native .stl export support, which is required for the 3D printing.
The Autodesk Inventor is nice, but is not Mac native, you have to use Windows to run it.

Any other option in mind guys?

Thanks!!!

[Scribbleswd @scribbleswd]

I don’t have a Mac to try this on but this might work…..

http://brlcad.org/

[fingerpuk @fingerpuk]

I use MeshLab to convert from OBJ, works really well and is free.

Otherwise: http://www.autodesk.com/products/autodesk-alias-products/overview

I have produced many technical parts with Modo for CNC mills, it’s very capable.

[Scribbleswd @scribbleswd]

Also just to point out according to the FAQ section Automaker will support .OBJ files also so there is no need for native .stl support. Most 3D packages that I have seen will export an .OBJ.

“AutoMaker™ software will currently accept the industry standard .stl and .obj format 3D models. These can be exported by most 3D design packages available including SolidWorks, Creo/ProEngineer, NX, OpenSCAD, TinkerCAD, 123d Design etc. We also plan to support the new Microsoft 3D Builder software and .3mf format for Windows 8.1 support.”

[biscuitlad @biscuitlad]

TinkerCad and Autodesk. 123D are browser based, so they’ll work on any platform.

[Thiago @medeiros]

Thank you very much guys, you gave me a lot of new choices!!!

I was looking at them and I saw that a lot of them works with “surface modeling”, and not the old CAD styling (solidworks in example), when I said about technical parts, i was thinking in gears, screws, and similar stuff, that in solidworks as example I could just made an extrude command and a fillet, not knowing how to use this new “surface modeling” based programs, there are similar commands or I have to made it “by hand”?
Also can you tell me some of the advantages and disadvantages of the two kinds of 3d software?

thank you again guys.

[King Pure @king-pure]

I bought a package called 3Design, solely because it runs natively on a Mac.
It’s far from free but does all kinds of crazy stuff, most notably, it has a history that you can alter.
Hit rebuild and the model takes all the earlier changes into account.
If there are any other packages out there that do that, I haven’t heard of them!

[Thiago @medeiros]

@King Pure
is this a jewelry design tool?
can you send me the website and also give some information about prices?

Thank you!!!

[Olivier @olivier]

Depending on your mac’s performance, I might suggest you run a virtual machine with Windows 7 and install Solidworks on it, that way you wont have to compromise your knowledge and platform.

I use this method for my Solidworks and Adobe Suite in 2 separated VM, both stored on a Network Attached Disk, it allows me to freeze any software updates on them as well as manage the amount of memory or CPU I allow it to use, and before anyone asks, I have no issue in performance, even while rendering.

..:: I'm possible ::.. :: http://roboxing.com

[Olivier @olivier]

Before I forget, you can get Virtual software for free from VMware or Microsoft, one software to create the virtual machine and a second for running it.

VMware:
for Mac: VM Fusion is the full software, doesn’t cost much, €54 all taxes included.

ORACLE VirtualBox (Runs on any OS)
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads, Free.

..:: I'm possible ::.. :: http://roboxing.com

[Thiago @medeiros]

Thank you @Oliver!!!
I have the latest MacBook Pro Retina, 8gb, 2.6GHz i5 and Iris 1gb video. I don’t think that it is enough to run flawlessly Solid Works in a virtual machine what do you think?
In which computer are you using the mentioned system?

Thank you again!

• This reply was modified 5 months, 2 weeks ago by  Thiago.

[biscuitlad @biscuitlad]

@Thiago

Have you tried the beta version of Rhino for Macs? I know plugins are not yet supported, so perhaps no grasshopper, but the jewellery modelling looks good :

http://www.rhino3d.com/gallery/4

[Olivier @olivier]

@Thiago

I run my VMs on a alienware M17x R2 which has the same specs as your MacBook, 8GB, i5, 1GB ATI, this should therefore give you no issue to run.
When I run the VMs on a i7 tower with 12GB RAM I don’t see much improvement, the main reason is that a CAD software doesn’t use a lot of resources as long as you don’t render a scene, but that is for any computer

..:: I'm possible ::.. :: http://roboxing.com

[David @dmullerdesign]

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but those using Mac should also look at Cheetah 3d, it’s quite reasonably priced and the interface is pretty intuitive.

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