Tinkercad to Close Shop
Tinkercad, an extremely popular web-based 3D modeling tool, announced it will discontinue development and shut down. The company will shift its energies into a new 3D modeling environment and hardware service called Airstone.
cad
Top 3D Services: Part 1
Let’s be honest, 3D CAD (computer aided design) is challenging to learn. Training your brain to manipulate and visualize parts in three dimensions is a learned skill. So where do you start? Thankfully, there’s a multitude of free tools available for everyone to try their hand at 3D design. And many of them don’t even require a download anymore. A simple web app will get you pretty far.
I’ve compiled the best resources I know of for dealing with 3D parts and I will list them here in two parts. This week I’m going to focus on 3D part creation and slicing, the two first steps in printing out a part on a 3D printer. Everything listed is free to use (at least to a certain extent)
Editor’s Choice Hangout on Air, Live and Online Dec. 13 at 2pm PST/5pm EST
Designing and machining things in 3D can be difficult to wrap your brain around, but there are a few great ways to learn. Tune in at 2pm PST/5pm EST on the +MAKE page so we can tell you all about them, or catch the show later on the MAKE YouTube page.
Autodesk’s Free 123D Design App Comes to iPad, Mac OS
Here’s a first look at Autodesk’s new 123D Design iPad app, which is also out for Mac and PC. It’s free, and very easy to use. It didn’t take me long to put together a printable object, and I was printing it in a few short minutes.
How-To: Design Arduino Shields in Eagle
The site Open Electronics recently posted a step-by-step guide to using the EAGLE PCB design software to make your own custom Arduino Shields.
Wired’s Chris Anderson digs Autodesk’s 123D
On the Cool Tools mailing list, Wired editor-in-chief Chris Anderson (a hardcore maker of cool things, like DIY Drones, and founder of GeekDad) heartily recommends Autodesk’s 123D.
FreeD: A Handheld CNC Milling Device
MIT Media Labbers Amit Zoran and Joe Paradiso have created a handheld, digitally-controlled milling device that attempts to combine the benefits of CAD and freehand fabrication.
