OnShape is intuitive and easy to use. However it does have major downsides (for the free version): all your designs are publicly available and you cannot make money off of your designs without a license or whatever.
Also, due to being web-based you can log on and make stuff from anywhere, which is cool, and they even have an app. Obviously drawing things on a phone is not ideal but it does work—ive done it.
I wish it was FOSS but i always struggled with other applications and OnShape just clicked for me. It was originally recommended to me by a friend and now i recommend it to others.
(Haters please feel free to recommend alternatives—im not married to OnShape).
Oh, yeah no that will be a deal breaker for me hahah. I’d rather stick with FreeCAD in that case as I’m not a fan of web-based for things like that. I want my work to be local and I want to own my designs until I decide to share them.
I dipped my toe into Solvespace for a couple of projects and it’s not bad. As with anything it takes some getting used to, and there are things that it does better than freecad (and vice versa).
As someone who has tried and used all of the popular commercial and free CAD software - Use what you like and works best for you.
I used OnShape to teach some rudimentary CAD skills to High school students just because it will run on the low powered school issued Chromebooks without problems and it fit the school budget - free. It was easy for me to pickup because I spent years using SolidWorks for a living as a toolmaker.
The most difficult part was getting the kids to use a mouse. Noticeable number are so used to touch pads and screens that they didn’t even understand HOW to the the mouse.
Betch@lemmy.world 8 months ago
It’s an open relationship. I’ll have a look! Thanks!
Mac@mander.xyz 8 months ago
OnShape is intuitive and easy to use. However it does have major downsides (for the free version): all your designs are publicly available and you cannot make money off of your designs without a license or whatever.
Also, due to being web-based you can log on and make stuff from anywhere, which is cool, and they even have an app. Obviously drawing things on a phone is not ideal but it does work—ive done it.
I wish it was FOSS but i always struggled with other applications and OnShape just clicked for me. It was originally recommended to me by a friend and now i recommend it to others.
(Haters please feel free to recommend alternatives—im not married to OnShape).
Betch@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Oh, yeah no that will be a deal breaker for me hahah. I’d rather stick with FreeCAD in that case as I’m not a fan of web-based for things like that. I want my work to be local and I want to own my designs until I decide to share them.
Mac@mander.xyz 8 months ago
Yeah, totally understandable. It bothers me a bit.
felbane@lemmy.world 8 months ago
I dipped my toe into Solvespace for a couple of projects and it’s not bad. As with anything it takes some getting used to, and there are things that it does better than freecad (and vice versa).
Mac@mander.xyz 8 months ago
I will have to check that one out. I haven’t heard of it.
bluewing@lemm.ee 8 months ago
As someone who has tried and used all of the popular commercial and free CAD software - Use what you like and works best for you.
I used OnShape to teach some rudimentary CAD skills to High school students just because it will run on the low powered school issued Chromebooks without problems and it fit the school budget - free. It was easy for me to pickup because I spent years using SolidWorks for a living as a toolmaker.
The most difficult part was getting the kids to use a mouse. Noticeable number are so used to touch pads and screens that they didn’t even understand HOW to the the mouse.