MOTM April 2017 - Discussion Thread

Ben_Misegades

This is the accompanying discussion thread for the April 2017 MOTM thread. Please keep any feedback, discussion, and questions related to the contest in this thread so that the contest thread will have only entries in it.

The contest thread can be found here:

https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/6156/motm-april-2017-contest-thread#latest

I would please ask that this thread is made a sticky, along with the contest thread itself.

john_mcclary

Really isn't much activity over there.. I wonder how many people are planning on posting a model

Ben_Misegades

I'm not sure, to be honest. This is kind of a trial run in my eyes, I'm curious to gauge the actual participation rate. It's only been 3 days, however, so there is still plenty of time.

Maybe I should state an actual prize amount, that might perk some people up 

3dcad

I posted my un-finished test just to lower the step to post, I think the problem is thread sinking into other forum posts. I remember many people asking after motw when it finished.. Let's just keep going for few months to see if it gains more interest.. And I would surely like to see more of John's models, I think that caliper was really cool - next try to make a digital one

leon_poot

If I have time, I'll definitely see if I can make one of my little hobby models look presentable and post it...
I have the tendency to play around quite a lot and make a mess, my feature trees are just cluttered with trial-and-mostly-errors.  

john_mcclary

@3dcad Thanks

Digital one would be interesting...may have to be an odometer style.. (hint hint)

3dcad

@ben_misegades
I got idea for next month, you could post motm as a question (Do you have nice models?) and mark contest model posts as answers - that makes them stick first in line; then we could use same post for discussion which might keep it at least first page of forum..

And reward for posting is getting 'forum points' for answer and for up votes you might get

Ben_Misegades

@3dcad that would be a very clever thing to do!

On a side note, I have been contacted by Onshape staff since the posting of the "contest" to see if there may be some better way that this could be done...there exists a possibility that in the future we could hold the contest in the appropriate MOTW forum, possibly with poll functionality. Stay tuned.

michał_1

Lack of participant may hurt (here's my defeat: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/post-your-tips-and-tutorials/no-sketch-contest/td-p/6822775).
Luckily it's really early. I will add something from me to keep the contest alive.

Ben_Misegades

Thanks for the contribution, Michal. I'll have to have a look at your submission later out of curiosity, since the current set of surfacing tools in OS are rather limited, in my opinion.

michał_1

Forgive me hijacking your thread, but I want to praise Onshapes engine.
Thickening curved bottom should fail, due to inevitable gaps between patches, but to my surprise, it did not.
Again apologies.

Ben_Misegades

No apologies necessary, this is the exact purpose of this accompanying thread, to allow discussions that may spawn from submitted models.

leon_poot

@ben_misegades435 Featurescript are cool too, right?
Though it doesn't necessarily generate a model, I'll submit my non-uniform scale feature sometime soon in that case, quite happy with it. It's useful in some cases at least.

Once this MTOM catches on, it'd be pretty neat to introduce a Script of the Month contest as well.

brucebartlett

Maybe you could have a feature script week. 

leon_poot

@brucebartlett do you mean one week per month with the contest focusing on FS? That'd be something, but I think a weekly thing would be too much of a good thing.

3dcad

I think FS contest could be parallel to MOTM, FSOTM. It's nice to see there's more models signin in..

FSOTM needs pretty detailed description and real world examples to stand up - posting piece of brilliant code doesn't open to everyone
I would like to know what is the need/problem it solves and see some example on that use case.

leon_poot

@3dcad good point... when it's your one's code it all looks so logical, but perhaps not so to anyone else
FSOTM would definitely be a good thing, from my point of view FS really is the Onshape's strongest point right now anyways (I don't do much with sheet modelling personally, for example).

3dcad

leon_poot said:

.. from my point of view FS really is the Onshape's strongest point right now anyways (I don't do much with sheet modelling personally, for example).

For me FS is just something to keep in mind that part modeling can be automated if there is constant need for repetitive tasks. The main point is functionality and usability of true cloud cad using standard features to model various models. I hope they don't hide behind FS possibilities when cutting short on standard features. FS is not something every designer can or is willing to learn.

Sometimes I'm a bit annoyed cad forum being filled with FS code stuff that 99% (?) of user don't understand. I wouldn't mind if FS posts were not in latest list but only appear to separate section (like it was in the beginning of FS)

oops.. wen't a bit off topic, but felt good to spit it out

leon_poot

3dcad said:
The main point is functionality and usability of true cloud cad using standard features to model various models. I hope they don't hide behind FS possibilities when cutting short on standard features. FS is not something every designer can or is willing to learn. 

Agreed, the cloud is of course their thing. What I meant to say was that when it comes to scripting for modelling  (regardless of whether it's in the cloud or not), Onshape is IMO far ahead of traditional CAD software  in terms of how accessible and understandable scripting is. Of course there are many other, greater aspects to Onshape, but for me personally,  FS is heaven.

That doesn't mean I don't think that many things which are now only doable with FS should become standard.

Now let's get back on topic

Ben_Misegades

Thank you all for the additional submissions!

I'm perfectly OK with FS being counted as submissions, and I'm pretty sure I had mentioned that in the contest "rules."

Again, this first month should be treated as a trial run. If the demand is such that a separate contest for FS seems logical, then we'll do exactly that. I have hopes that by next month I may have further capabilities on the forum such that I might post the contests in a format that allow polls, and perhaps in a different section of the forum.

leon_poot

ben_misegades435 said:

I'm perfectly OK with FS being counted as submissions, and I'm pretty sure I had mentioned that in the contest "rules."

Yes you mentioned it, but I see a difference between an FS that actually creates a model (such as the Spur Gear feature) and one that simply provides a tool (such as my scale feature submission).

I can understand that those tools perhaps fit in another category, as they don't provide any model themselves, which is why I asked

Excited to see more submissions!

Ben_Misegades

Just a reminder to all of those who still wish to participate, you have until the 29th of this month to submit entries!

john_mcclary

Tony_C_ said:

john_mcclary said:

This was one of the first handful of test projects I made while learning OnShape.

I was using these very calipers to measure crap on my desk, when I pulled out my cheap tape measure and eye-balled every nook and cranny I could find on my precision measuring tool and drew it! But I think it turned out OK.

I was also testing the accuracy of OnShape's Rack and Pinion mates, Which as you can play around with in the assembly, It is spot on

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/0ec1858d9f8a78e1523f188b/w/dd59f60e86056dc714d5931c/e/117f222d1b5418825925534c

For that to be truly accurate "0" shouldn't be at the top......

It typically moves after you've dropped it on the ground a few times.

@Tony_C_  Try to comment on this thread by the way

That being said

I am very anal, and take good care of my precision equipment

john_mcclary

@konstantin_shiriazdanov

Cool I see you got your Syncro drives all working

Good job

konstantin_shiriazdanov

@john_mcclary, thanks. I have also mastered uploading videos on YouTube)

Ben_Misegades

@john_mcclary congratulations on winning the first month's contest! I will get with you for your prize asap.

On a seperate note, I need feedback from people as quickly as possible to avoid delaying things too much...I'll gladly start another month's contest, but only if there is enough continuing interest.

Also, any suggestions for a change in format or rules will taken into consideration.

Rootentity

i'll submit another model

john_mcclary

Thanks!

I have a few more models to submit as well

3dcad

Just keep going for few months and see how it evolves.. I don't have too many finished models that I could post but I'm sure there's bunch of hobbyists willing to submit.

You could try to make next post as question and mark contest posts as answers so they stick on the top and have conversation on same post to keep it on top of discussions.