What surface based software works best with Onshape?

burhop
burhop Member Posts: 22 ✭✭
in Community Support
I want to create some surfaces that are beyond the capability of Onshape (so far :smile: ) but I still want to use Onshape for most of the mechanical CAD work.

Is anyone using any free or low cost software that can create Onshape (e.g Parasolid) compatible surfaces?  Yes, I know Rhino is great but I can't afford that as this is just a maker project.

Ultimately, I'd be doing a split face or replace face with the geometry in Onshape.
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  • brucebartlett
    brucebartlett Member, OS Professional, Mentor, User Group Leader Posts: 2,150 PRO
    What can you do in Blender? I think this free, uses open cascade. That all I know
    Engineer ı Product Designer ı Onshape Consulting Partner
    Twitter: @onshapetricks  & @babart1977   
  • clayton_ertley
    clayton_ertley Member Posts: 58 ✭✭
    edited May 2015
    I will have second the Blender suggestion. It is in fact free and there is no fee to pay if you make money off of your designs. It is a VERY capable program though it has a learning cure and most function are accessed via keyboard shortcut. I have had much success in using blender.
  • andrew_troup
    andrew_troup Member, Mentor Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think the question is this: does Blender (or some other free software) produce high quality surfaces in Parasolid format?
  • burhop
    burhop Member Posts: 22 ✭✭
    andrew_troup said:
    I think the question is this: does Blender (or some other free software) produce high quality surfaces in Parasolid format?
    Yes.  I think you are right.  Has anyone imported Blender surfaces into OnShape? 
  • michał_1
    michał_1 Member, Developers Posts: 215 ✭✭✭
    burhop said:
    andrew_troup said:
    I think the question is this: does Blender (or some other free software) produce high quality surfaces in Parasolid format?
    Yes.  I think you are right.  Has anyone imported Blender surfaces into OnShape? 
    Problem with Blender is that it's no cad software by any meanings. You can work with nurbs surfaces but as a result you get a mesh only, like this one:
     I don't now way to get a nurbs from Blender.
    mesh.png 471.2K
    co-author:
    projektowanieproduktow.wordpress.com
  • burhop
    burhop Member Posts: 22 ✭✭
    edited May 2015
    adrian_velazquez said:
    Recently came across this one, not sure if it will work for what you need, but looks interesting:

    http://cyborg3d.com/index.html
    That does look interesting.  Unfortunately, it is not released yet.  I did ask to join the beta.
  • kevin_quigley
    kevin_quigley Member Posts: 306 ✭✭✭
    edited May 2015
    Integrityware are the people behind Power Surfacing for SolidWorks, and a lot of add ons. No doubt they are talking to everyone, other than Autodesk!

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