OnShape limitations

kiwilee

I feel OnShape has limitations in parametric designs that would be critical to true parametric based designers.

I say this but my inexperience in OnShape might be the reason. So don't shoot me if I'm wrong.
Having tried several models and even finally trying to work through the sketching tutorials   there are a few key things I can't seem to design.

Say you want to import a DXF floorplan from an architect and design from there. Eg Steel Platform/ Walkway, based on the plan. 
Seems impossible.

Or more importantly to me... 
Design a model that uses Airfoils. I can't import an airfoil into a sketch. Let alone copy, scale and loft it. 
In fact even if I just rough sketch my Airfoil (artistically) I don't seem to be able to copy or move and scale my sketches.

So this begs the question how do you drive your sketches in Onshape?
If you can't even import data to sketches or drive them from spreadsheets how do you get started?

Anyone else?

coleman

Importing of design sketches isn't supported yet but has been suggested and I'm confident its in the que.  
Remember, OS is still in beta.  It's hard to believe it in beta because it is so robust and feature rich.  They are working hard and new releases come every few weeks or so with great improvements.  

3dcad

@KiwiLee Now that you know it's not about your skills but Onshape actually lacks some features that are important to you. Use Feedback from ?-menu and let Ons stuff know that you would need these features. Your ticket will be addressed and you are noted when any of these features are pushed in.

With quick look you would need:
- Parametric dimension + global parameters + equation editor
- Dxf import into sketch
- Copy/move sketch in sketch environment (workaround currently would be pattern and delete original if needed)
- Scale sketch (this is actually already there, if only one dimension is added the rest of the sketch will scale accordingly)
- Copy sketch to another sketch environment (to another plane)
- Loft

+1 for all of these. I have already requested most of these (through feedback) and you should do the same so that Ons knows there are others with similar requests.

lougallo

@KiwiLee You are right.  There are some key things missing for certain people's workflows.  We knew this going in that building form the ground up means just that, you are going to have to crawl before we walk/run.  I think you will see many of the larger holes that are common get narrowed in the coming months as we push updates.

One of the tough things we face is educating everyone on the development cycle we live by since we will likely phase a features toolset in order to get a preliminary spec of a tool out so we can measure what and how people use it.  While in Beta we want to learn as much as we can so we adapt to what is needed.  These things can change quickly and we can adapt.  Keep submitting your feedback here and via tickets and I hope to have another way to vote on features soon.  (I am working on a few options now).

bill_osberg

Put me down as another user who needs to import airfoil curves, scale, loft, etc.  I use Sketchup currently and there are plugins for importing .dat and .dxf files which then show up as new geometry.  

3dcad

@bill_osberg  Loft is already there..