Week 2: CAD
Well, I fell like I've chosen a bad project with the bike vest when I was thinking of modeling it. One of the principal parts is the vest itself and that's clothing and even though I know some 2D and 3D CAD, I have no idea where to start when modeling this kind of thing and seems something difficult to do in a week. In the past I've used lots of 3D and 2D CAD software, some are Autodesk Autocad, FreeCAD, OpenSCAD, 123DMake, SolidWorks, DraftSight, Rhinoceros, Illustrator, Inkscape among others. But now that I have SolidWorks available its my preferred option for almost anything.
Doing some research I've found some impressive software demos like Marvelous Designer which is clothing modeling software for 3D animations. And I've found Valentina , an Open Source project for pattern design. Although without any knowledge of pattern making, just seemed like a 2D CAD to me. And as I can't appreciate the specific tools, just went to my preferred not-open-but-free 2D CAD: DraftSight. I also thought it should be some open sourced patterns, I can start with a simple vest even when I don't exactly want a vest but something much more simple and easy to wear.
I'm half and hour into the modeling and I feel more and more that I need this simple part to be fabricated, to be able to lay it around my back and think what's next. I often tell people coming to the fabLAB that I have changed the way I think about modeling a part, because being so cheap to print (at least on a scale) I sometimes stop the modeling process when I'm doubtful about certain features I just go print what I have and come back later "hands on".
And this is the result of the modeling for the final project. I'm looking forward to cutting the first part and start thinking about the project with something in my hands.
I've already known some of the software recommended, specially on vector and 3D. I really like SolidWorks both for 2D and 3D and I would like to get better with it. It is great that we have a license at Fab Labs but if not, I would probably move to OnShape. Looks better every time I come back to check it.
Here's the process for modeling the curved part representing the vest.
I've also started another model for another project that probably will fit right in the make something big week. It's a space-saving arcade machine, because a lot of us would love to have one but no space to put it. I'm also practising design management inside SolidWorks and this might be a good project for it.
I'm starting using a Wacom Bamboo tablet and I found Krita a great software for drawing. Even though I draw terribly bad.
Machines and software used
SO: Windows 10DraftSight (CAD)
SolidWorks (CAD)
Files:
BikeVest.dxf 2D fileSolidWorks files including battery mock and assembly