Auto cad

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anyone have any solutions instead of buying an expensive auto cad software ? want to make boxes and other 3d objects

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Free Autocad equivalent made by Solidworks. I use this a lot.

Export directly to SVG.

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Awesome I’ll look into it

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I use AutoDesk Fusion 360. It’s currently free for hobbyists. You have to renew your free license every year.

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How do you sign up for free ?

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i figured out how to get it… but how do you export a file to use in the glowforge?

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We have a great set of learning materials over at “The Matrix”: https://bit.ly/gfmatrix , in which you’ll find a set of F360 tutorials contributed by your fellow users

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I use three different methods, but most often I do this, YMMV:

  • I use sketches like normal to create 3D solid bodies (extrude material thickness)
  • I create a new “output” sketch on the face that I think of as the “top” when cutting (I have automatic projection turned off)
  • I project the face on to that new sketch and close the sketch
  • I right click on the sketch in the navigator and choose “Save to DXF”

Then in Inkscape, I have a “Glowforge” template that is 20"x12" but in mm (because I like them better) with guides for cut limits and engrave limits). I create a new document on that template and:

  • Import the dxf I saved out from Fusion 360
  • Do any tweaking I need, usually adding colors to things I want to be separate operations on the Glowforge
  • Save as SVG (the community recommends Plain SVG, but I usually just use Inkscape SVG and it seems to work anyway)

Then in app.glowforge.com I import that svg and away to the races.

Other folks find that the Laser DXF plugin (adjusts for kerf) and/or the Shaper Origin plugin stream line their workflow, but I’m a control freak so I like having a sketch I can edit in Fusion that is the output I want.

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There’s also free Sketchup Make, but it’s not so good for curves and lacks Fusion 360’s parametric awesomesauce.

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i appreciate the help !!

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There is also Freecad, and opensource cluster of programs and the evolution to Babacad that solves some of the problems with freecad

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And to round out the free choices there is OnShape.