3DPrinting

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[–] ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 7 months ago* (3 children)

Well, yeah a computer is obviously used but you're using it in an extremely literal sense that people generally don't use. Blender and similar are usually referred to as 3D modelling software. The key difference seems to be that 3D modeling software is not intended for precise real-world dimension but more organic shape manipulation and CAD software is meant for precise dimentioned designs made from extruded 2D sketches.

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[–] finalarbiter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

I was being facetious about the literal use of a computer

CAD software is meant for precise dimentioned designs made from extruded 2D sketches

This exactly what I'm arguing against. Parametric CAD like Solidworks and whatever you'd call AutoCAD don't get to own the term.

What I was trying to say, and was not very clear, is that CAD is an umbrella term for a wide variety of programs that generate digital models for use elsewhere, whether that's manufacturing or animation. There are different subdomains, like surface modeling (blender) and parametric modeling (solidworks), but no single subgroup is necessarily the 'true' CAD. They're all computer-assisted design programs, just specialized with different approaches for different purposes.

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[–] ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 point 7 months ago (1 child)

But why muddy the terminology, when there is already a clear distinction between the two major factions? where CAD isused to denote the traditionally engineering oriented, and 3D modeling is for the traditionally organic model design tool, do you need to mix the two? They each serve distinct specialized purposes and their definition are widely recognized within industry in general already.

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[–] finalarbiter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Blender, Solidworks, AutoCAD, Catia, and any other modelling software of your choice all ultimately do the same thing: build digital representations of objects based on our understanding of how they might exist in physical reality. They differ in the workflow to get there, which is why we have terms like surface modelling programs and parametric CAD to differentiate their function or workflow.

OP literally used Blender to manufacture a physical thing- the qualification of Blender as "not CAD" is what's actually muddying the water. If it isn't a CAD program, how could they have physically manufactured their design?

To suggest that only some types of programs that do this are CAD is unnecessarily reductionist and doesn't actually help anyone understand the difference between them. There is legitimate differentiation to be made with things like CAM programs, rendering software, etc., where you are now using that digital representation to achieve some end goal. CAD is about creating those digital assets that could ostensibly exist in the real world, regardless of whether it's meant for animation, manufacturing, simulation, or whatever else.

Edit: Blender is even listed on the CAD Wikipedia page

Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or workstations) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design.

CAD is an important industrial art extensively used in many applications, including automotive, shipbuilding, and aerospace industries, industrial and architectural design (building information modeling), prosthetics, and many more. CAD is also widely used to produce computer animation for special effects in movies, advertising and technical manuals, often called DCC digital content creation.