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ZW3D vs Fusion 360 Lesson 7
3D Modeling Techniques Defined
Streamlined Sketching/Feature Based Modeling

The modeling technique is hugely responsible for the level of productivity. Those of you that are only trained in the sketch, sketch, constrain, constrain world are truly limited by not using the freedom of Streamlined Sketching and Feature Based Design, that is available in even the most Pro/e-ish of CAD systems. If your designers are designing in these very unproductive and time consuming processes it might be time to review your standard design processes. Don't have any do you?


I am not sure if it is due to these exercises but I have replaced a few Fusion 360 with ZW3D. Listen to what these two fellows said.

Brian


"We spoke a year and a half or so ago about ZW3D. I took the Autodesk Fusion 360 but am becoming increasingly unhappy with it… It’s not very productive for me, just too slow and cumbersome to get things done quickly. On on the strength of your recommendations I am ready to give ZW3D Standard a shot, probably as a rental for the first year.


Bottom line is, Fusion 360 is “free” but not really free… I am finding that the slow, clumsy pace of design with it is counterproductive… time is money."

Thanks much,

Brian

Peter

The initial hull design was done in Rhino, which for some reason is a standard in the boat industry.

The surface already had a few problems!

It was imported into Fusion 360 and I did some of the early concept design work, but when it came to surfacing I hit road blocks every way I tried it.

At this time Phil was not part of the project, but I suggested to my client that we needed Phil's help. Phil also hit road blocks in Fusion 360 even using some of his unique re-topologizing workflows and T-Splines.

The rest is history, as they say. 

Thanks to ZW3D paired with Phil’s surfacing skills we now have tooling for the hull created.

You should see the images.



Perfectly smooth reflections! 

Peter


I saw the following video challenges on LinkedIn and thought I would give them a try on IronCAD. I got a great response and decided to do it in ZW3D. I was very familiar with the parts it was a bit easier. It shows more the difference in the level of the 3D CAD experience than the CAD system itself. You can Download ZW3D and give it a try.

Fusion 360 Challenge of the Month: August 2016



Here is the drawing.





ZW3D vs Fusion 360

ZW3D is very similar to Fusion 360 and the Pro/e clones with differences that make it much more streamlined. It is very easy for those users to get up and running with ZW3D. The unique benefits over the other systems is the multi-object environment, for easy top down design and the the integrated drawing. You can do complete projects (parts, assemblies and drawings) in one file. Imagine how much this would simplify PDM? 

I would do a video, but I really am not good at it. So I will show you step by step. I will try and get ZW3D support to create one. They are very good.

These have actually turned these into exercises in modeling techniques as compared to showing a more productive CAD systems. Again, I say there are many different ways to model a part. I see with my exposure to direct edit modelers like CADKEY, I rarely sketch like you see the Fusion 360 fellow doing. I have always created my basic sketches by mostly creating offsets and extending and trimming or. It seems to be much easier. I never put in a fillet that can be created later. What do you think? Of course, this take a good understanding of descriptive geometry.


Here is ZW3D. We set the units to inches



If you have been following these exercises you have may have seen this exercise done in IronCAD. I am much more proficient in IronCAD. What do you expect after 22 years. ZW3D is very much like Solidworks and other Pro/e Clones. So I jump through a few more hoops to model. But I am getting better.

These have actually turned into exercises in modeling techniques as compared to showing a more productive CAD systems. Again, I say there are many different ways to model a part. I see with my exposure to direct edit modelers like CADKEY, I rarely sketch like you see the Fusion 360 fellow doing. I have always created my basic sketches by mostly creating offsets and trimming or extending. It seems to be much easier. I never put in a fillet that can be created later. What do you think?

I start with inserting a cylinder from the primitive menu at X0Y0Z0 and sizing it.



We add the second cylinder from the primitive menu, locate it and size it.



I will now create a sketch for the front cut. I turn on wireframe to gain access to the default planes.



I turn on shade, for clarity, and then create a rectangle that includes the features I am going to cut.



I offset the starting point by .5 and then just pull the extrusion enough to include the features I am cutting.
                                


With that completed we now create the cut in the back. We just drag another hole block on to the face and size it.



Now for the hole. We again drag a hole cylinder on to the face, locate it and size it.



That's it. We were done before the Fusion 360 fellow was done with the basic revolve sketch. I guess it is not fair since ZW3D offers the flexible primitive shape, virtually eliminating any sketching. As you can see ZW3D offers a much more productive design environment.

It is much different way of modeling. It could easily be used with Fusion 360. But when you have the sketch, sketch, constrain, constrain mentality, there is really no alternative, until someone shows you. Give it a try in your software! Just substitute the basic sketches for the primitives.




It is very important that you look into how you or your engineers are creating the parts. Streamline Sketching and Feature Based Modeling is easy to learn and implement. It, alone, can increase productivity 10X. Now, ZW3D with its unique history and robust direct edit functionality can increase your productivity another 5X or more with changes! Again, time is money in engineering.

More on Streamline Sketching and Feature Based Modeling.


3D Modeling Techniques Defined



To experience this increased level of productivity, please download ZW3D for a 30 day evaluation. Legacy data is no problem, ZW3D can read the native files of all of the popular programs including the PMI data of NX, Solidworks, Catia and Creo. ZW3D is a great replacement for the subscription only Autodesk and PTC products.

For more information or to download ZW3D

Give me a call if you have any questions. I can set up a skype or go to meeting to show this part or answer any of your questions on the operation of ZW3D. It truly is the Ultimate CAD/CAM System.


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If you are interested in adding professional hybrid modeling capabilities or looking for a new solution to increase your productivity, take some time to download a fully functional 30 day evaluation and play with these packages. Feel free to give me a call if you have any questions or would like an on-line presentation.

 

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