Designing for 3D Printing with non-proprietary software : Non-proprietary software are open-source and free software
Tran, Van (2017)
Tran, Van
Yrkeshögskolan Arcada
2017
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017121821904
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017121821904
Tiivistelmä
In the field of 3D printing model design, it is essential to master the necessary ideas that govern good modelling production. There are many things that need clarifying in this rela-tively new technology and as it is also available to non-professionals, who work with it at home rather than in industry, educational material that is enlightening the general public, is of significant value. Note: non- proprietary software is the focus of this study, as it is available to all, regardless of financial resources. After a general introduction into the world of 3D printing, this thesis delves into the subtleties of a range of CAD software dedicated to 3D printing to reveal the different functions and methods they employ, of which two products are chosen for making a comparison: Blender and SolidWorks. The features and functions of both products are explained and the reason for choosing them; for example, Blender is open source while SolidWorks is not but is a product, which has a full-version that is used industrially. Both software products have been employed by the author to create an identical model to reveal the practical advantages of each of the soft-ware’s features and functions. At each stage of the modelling process; CAD design and production, which includes slicing, the results have been thoroughly analyzed. SWOT and AHP were used in the theoretical analysis of the two software products. This thesis is an enlightening guide, to revealing the hidden and subtle points that need to be considered when choosing the most appropriate CAD software available for 3D printing.