Shell in Creo

This is just a simple demo of what the SHELL command does in Creo.

I have previously designed a box, Fillet(ed) and chamfer(ed) it to look like the following.

Now, let's randomly use the SHELL command to see what we can make the final design to look like.

And here we go!

We could have ended with something else.

Related article: CAD mouse explained

A mouse dedicated to CAD work

If you are a first time CAD drafter looking for a mouse for CAD, the one single thing you would want to know is that you need at least a 3-button-mouse.

The scroll wheel is an important part of the mouse while using a CAD software.

Here is a video presenting the supplement option to CAD mice that are 3D mice.

There are other options, like the CADmouse or the 3D spacenavigator.

CNC and fast prototyping

When it comes to prototypes, electronic parts are way more often the major player that decide it the project functions or not. I have lastly emphasized on 3D printing, totally disregarding that most prototype nowaday will have some sort of electronic circuitry attached to it.

CNC machine can help design electronic circuitries fast and thus has to be taken into consideration while thinking about rapid prototyping.

CNC at its best.

What if we could 3D print an electronic component from the same 3D printer at a time?

Imagine a little quadcopter and imagine the ability to create it, all its electronic parts and plastic parts included with a single 3D printing machine? wouldn't that be revolutionary?

While this is still under development, I suspect when it is finally ready to be used, it will disrupt the way we think about circuit design. 

This will benefit prototyping and demo project. You can actually in less time, design and print a functional part all from the same machine and actually test its functionalities in no time flat.

The time when the short of new creation will be nothing but the short of ideas is on the verge.

Build stuff with 3D printing pens

I was a bit skeptical about the ability of 3D printing pen to actually play a vital role in our existence and I just stumble upon a video that demonstrated how cool using these devices can be but still, in term of necessity, it has none apart from creating and using your imagination to design virtually useless things. It has its own specificity though since you can put it in the category of art.

The video shows how you can use basic patterns to design great object using a 3D printed pen and this technique looks more proficient compared to using the freehand hand technique so to say.

Those will be nice for an art class where students can learn to put their ideas to life using this basic prototyping method.

3D pen can only work for Art

I have been watching this 3D printing pen revolution with a bit of skepticism, Do those solve a problem, or can we just say, we made for fun.

With no doubt, 3D pen can help come out with a lot of fun project, and I have even been thinking about putting this in the hands of my daughter to see if it will spark the desire to create in her, (hope she will not get quickly bored from this when it happens) but I am still full time struggling to find a good use of this.

I have recently read that you could use 3D printing pen to correct some minor flaws after 3D printing an object but I do not know how much true that statement is.

Though I can right see what this can bring in term of art creating, I still struggle to find what it will add to our daily routine.

I am not sure if it is advisable to put this in the hand of a teen.

3D printed gun

As you might have noticed, 3D printed gun has become the new sensation as 3D printing puts in the hand of anybody the ability to design, manufacture and own a gun.

3D printing will soon make the production of a gun a lot more cheap and sophisticated. Now we need to be able to tackle this. Anyone can own a gun without having to purchase one.

3D printing is bringing manufacturing to the individual level and the community level, and the possibilities are infinite. It is a global phenomenon.

Technology is generally a double edge sword and it does not fail us with 3D printing. It is often hard to see the downsides right at-bat, but surely those will be revealed when the technology is put in the hand of users.