Good software (opensource/free) to build a PC case?
- Thread starter Edward78
- Start date
SketchUp: Everyone's favorite free 3d modeling program
Pros: Free, easy to use, lots of readily available computer part 3d models available
Cons: Not a solid modeler, very limited export capabilities
Price: Free ($500 for Pro version)
Inventor: Autodesks's primary 3D mechanical design software
Pros: Integration with other Autodesk products
Cons: Poor backwards compatibility and support
Price: not sure, free educational version that doesn't require .edu address
Onshape: Promising modern CAD system from former SW crew
Pros: Web based, easy to use
Cons: Still early in development, limited functionality
Price: Free with unlimited public documents and 5 active private documents. Pro plan is $100/mo for unlimited private documents, other than that no difference in features between free/pro.
This list isn't exhaustive, there may be other options.
Pros: Free, easy to use, lots of readily available computer part 3d models available
Cons: Not a solid modeler, very limited export capabilities
Price: Free ($500 for Pro version)
Inventor: Autodesks's primary 3D mechanical design software
Pros: Integration with other Autodesk products
Cons: Poor backwards compatibility and support
Price: not sure, free educational version that doesn't require .edu address
Onshape: Promising modern CAD system from former SW crew
Pros: Web based, easy to use
Cons: Still early in development, limited functionality
Price: Free with unlimited public documents and 5 active private documents. Pro plan is $100/mo for unlimited private documents, other than that no difference in features between free/pro.
This list isn't exhaustive, there may be other options.
I use Sketchup extensively. There is a large library of components at http://scc.jezmckean.com/ and quite a few in https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/
Something I've wondered is how do people design these ridiculously detailed models of motherboards/fans/other components? One example is QinX's model of the 92mm Noctua. How did he get the curvature exact? And for motherboards, how does one model all of the circuitry?
I don't know about the curvature, I can only do extrusions and stuff like that, but the most of the circuitry on motherboard models is just a texture on the board, they don't paint all the traces on there
For component placement on the boards, you can often use the manuals, the drawings in there are to scale in most cases.
Still, no idea how people can possibly make these curved fanblades.
About the original question:
If you just want to see how you can fit components inside a box and for first sketches of the design, SketchUp (as the name indicates) is a very good tool. It's extremely easy to use, you'll find a lot of help online and good part libraries are available as well, as Aibo said. Making up small parts is quite fast as well, so you can test what kind of designs you'd like quite quickly. Using it for actually producing your case can pose a challenge, though. To my knowledge, SketchUp doesn't have built-in tools for the creation of technical drawings. It is possible with plug-ins, but may require a bit more work than other tools do.
That's where Solidworks or Autodesk Inventor come in. Those programs are equipped with dedicated tools for sheet metal modelling and bending, press features and of course technical drawings. If you want a metalworking shop to do the manual labour for you, you'll need to make technical drawings that include tolerances and details of more complicated parts of your case, because the drawings are what a manufacturing contract is based upon, even if it's just for one unit.
Both Solidworks and Inventor are available as free educational versions, but that means that they explicitly are not allowed to be used for commercial use, so if you want to sell your case, you'll generally have to buy a full version to stay within their license agreements.
IIRC, NCASE use both SketchUP and Solidworks in that they first draw up all the stuff in SketchUp and then transfer it over to Solidworks for production, and if you are just starting with 3D modelling, I would recommend you do the same. Start with SketchUp, get a few of your components online and see whether your design ideas would actually work.
You'll have to be careful there. Necere uses SketchUp and wahaha360 redraws it in SolidWorks. If you don't have someone who can do the SolidWorks part for cheap/free then you may be shooting yourself in the foot by not starting with something like Inventor because otherwise you'll be paying someone $30-$100/hour to convert the SketchUp file.
That's what I meant by "transfer", maybe I should've said "manually transfer". Yeah, w360 takes the measurements from sketchup and then redoes every single part in Solidworks. But I personally found it quite useful to start off with SketchUp to find the basic layout and then go into Inventor to actually make the parts.
Curves on fans are VERY difficult to do in sketchup. Take this fan I modelled for a Zalman HSF a few years ago (still my favourite coolers btw)
It took me HOURS to get this right. And I still don't think it's really correct. It looks OK, but whether it matches the actual fan, I'm not sure. Not that it matters, because no one is going to be building a fan from this model.
You should model fans in sketchup. It will kill your summer.
My _opinion_
If you can think like an engineer, and personally know your manufacturer's capabilities and how their tools operate, then knowing a "real" CAD program through and through will save you time and money in the long run.
If you are an artist who wants to see their idea made then using Sketchup is probably going to be your best bet. I have built out a couple chassis using Inventor/Solidworks for customers and both times the manufacturer rebuilt the model with their own software and templates to match their tooling (it had nothing to do with the quality of my model). The truth is that there is no industry standard modeling program and everyone has their preference. I don't bother with engineering software anymore for design and just use Sketchup and export 2D parts to DXF and 3D parts to STEP.
TLDR; unless you are willing to learn all the supporting features of engineering software and can communicate capabilities effectively, then just stick with "art" software. With the right plugins you will have enough to communicate your design.
If you can think like an engineer, and personally know your manufacturer's capabilities and how their tools operate, then knowing a "real" CAD program through and through will save you time and money in the long run.
If you are an artist who wants to see their idea made then using Sketchup is probably going to be your best bet. I have built out a couple chassis using Inventor/Solidworks for customers and both times the manufacturer rebuilt the model with their own software and templates to match their tooling (it had nothing to do with the quality of my model). The truth is that there is no industry standard modeling program and everyone has their preference. I don't bother with engineering software anymore for design and just use Sketchup and export 2D parts to DXF and 3D parts to STEP.
TLDR; unless you are willing to learn all the supporting features of engineering software and can communicate capabilities effectively, then just stick with "art" software. With the right plugins you will have enough to communicate your design.
Hmm I can see how that might be a wise choice. I've been asking around and most are saying "SolidWorks" or "Inventor", but those are the two more popular ones, mainly used for CNC I guess. For sheetmetal bending and pressing, something else might be preferable. I'm curious though how expensive it is (or can get) to let the company convert a Sketchup-made file to something the machines understand.
I guess in the end the most important part is indeed to be able to make DXF files for the sheet metal parts.
Personally, I find it easier to use the sheet metal tools of inventor, though, maybe because I also sometimes use it at work.
Inventor does have extensive sheet metal tools with a lot of options that let you automatically adapt your parts to the capabilities of your manufacturer and make creation of DXF files very easy. The latter is pretty important because those technical drawings are the base of your contract with the manufacturer. Then again, I don't know much about the SketchUp Plug-in world, so maybe there are good plugins that do exactly that for you, Josh seems to indicate that.
For conversion of SketchUp files to anything useful, you'll have to count the hours it takes to rebuild the model in manufacturing software and then multiply that by the hourly wage of an engineer at least. Pretty darn costly. They'll also have to ask you about any problems inside the model where manufacturing problems could arise, and a lot of them don't do that and just solve problems as they see fit, so when you get the final product, it might not be what you expected. It's probably a better idea to make the drawings yourself, because as I said, those are the base of your contract, so if the manufacturer does something wrong, they'll have to redo the part on their cost. Depends on your contract, of course.
At least in North America SolidWorks is almost universal among small to mid-size sheet metal shops. Large shops, especially in the aerospace industry, will tend to more sophisticated software like CATIA or NX.
Unless it's a pretty simple design with few bends I'd recommend sending a 3D model rather than DXF's of the flats. Each shop has their own bend allowance formula that they use based on the materials they use, their equipment, experience, etc. so it's better to send a 3D model of what you want to end up with and let them figure out how to get there.
@Josh | NFC What are you using to convert SketchUp files to STP?
Unless it's a pretty simple design with few bends I'd recommend sending a 3D model rather than DXF's of the flats. Each shop has their own bend allowance formula that they use based on the materials they use, their equipment, experience, etc. so it's better to send a 3D model of what you want to end up with and let them figure out how to get there.
@Josh | NFC What are you using to convert SketchUp files to STP?
Is that the way you've been doing things so far? Because the designers at my workplace are putting a lot of work into the DXFs, there's no way one of our manufacturers would take a 3D model from us. Then again, we work with a main contractor that gives out the real work to smaller manufacturers, maybe that's one of the reasons.
My experience so far is somewhat the same as Josh, I've started with SketchUp because it was easier to begin with but made the switch to Inventor because after some tinkering with the UI I found it easier then SketchUp. But most manufacturers I've worked with, but in sheet metal and CNC prefer the 3D STP file with some PDF for things that need to be highlighted. For example I always add a PDF with all the holes and threads, for some reason going from Inventor to a STP all thread information is lost. But our manufacturers also rebuild the model for their specific routine, with CNC it doesn't happen, they only need to convert from CAD to CAM.
Although it's not free, the student edition of Solid Edge is really reasonably priced and I highly recommend it.
Solid Edge is definitely the best sheet metal design software, and it's solid/surface modeling is just as good as Solid Works.
Solid Edge is definitely the best sheet metal design software, and it's solid/surface modeling is just as good as Solid Works.
Dat necrobump!
From my understanding, Sketchup is still one of the best, alongside the resources still available online in regards to models and componentry.
From my understanding, Sketchup is still one of the best, alongside the resources still available online in regards to models and componentry.
