It’s software cad. You write code that makes the 3d model. And then you print the 3d model.
The last “official release” was 2 years ago. But development (and community) is active. You gotta get the nightly builds.
It’s cool, but I never had the chance to get into it. Conventional CAD tools are pretty convenient as well especially if you already know how to use them. What would be a good starter model to try this on?
Just follow the tutorial. IIRC it builds a model car. I was able to get from installing, over following the tutorial, to designing my model in half a day.
Build a simple house model! Make it configurable using customiser, it’s pretty cool watching it rerender itself. Or make a LEGO brick, also a fun exercise.
Some of the things I made with it:
- the iconic “days without accidents” plate with changeable numbers
- an iPhone stand with slope customizable in the customiser
- a simple toy bed
- a keychain of the Lemmy logo
- a custom phone case
- a configurable task list with sliders
- a calendar that automatically calculates the correct day of week, meaning no matter what year you set in the customiser, the days are always correct
