Sites for development engineers where you can download 3d models for free.
Good afternoon friends! We often hear that design reuse is important. You don’t need to be an engineer to understand the benefits of reusing structures and parts instead of having to design them from scratch over and over again. The most diligent CAD users occasionally switch to an existing design, since there is no point in spending time and effort on creating your own model if a perfectly working model is already available under an open source license.
Advantages of reusing structures and parts.
The concept is intuitive, in part because there are many real-life examples. Here are just a few of them:
- When designing, including finished parts and assemblies saves design time and manufacturing costs. If a part is not commercially available, manufacturer support has stopped, and needs to be manufactured, reusing an existing design can still save significant time and money by speeding up design, testing, and faster production.
- Standard values and preferred numbers solve many problems. Fasteners have standard values called thread sizes and screw lengths. There are M4x10 and M6x12 screws, but no M5. 333x13. 345 screws. It’s good. In manufacturing, using common standard parts across multiple production lines can reduce the need for special tools, increase labor efficiency, and reduce inventory of parts and raw materials.
- A supply chain that manages a smaller portfolio of spare parts and a smaller supplier base is more flexible and efficient.
- During maintenance, unified parts and assemblies reduce diagnostic and repair time and require fewer spare parts. By working in this way, you can build up a stock of parts and materials that work together, and you can make a list of purchases that you can buy in the future. You will also develop a collection of standard designs that can be scaled for typical solutions.
If the benefits of reusing models are so obvious, why should we continue to discuss them? That’s why I often use 3D modeling catalogs and built-in libraries of 3D models in my work, such as in the Comas 3D program, to speed up the process. For embedding in heterogeneous (MultiCAD) environments, COMPASS-3D supports import and export of files in the STEP, IGES, ASIC, STL, DXF, DWG, PARASOLID and other formats. The 3D modeling software includes pre-loaded documents for standard parts of components, such as names, geometry, and dimensions, as well as a list of technical materials. The basic functionality of the product is easily expanded through various applications that complement the functionality of KOMPAS-3D with effective tools for solving applied engineering problems. For example, applications for designing 3D models of springs, metal structures, rotation gears, and various electrical components allow you to perform most of the actions automatically, reducing the total project development time by several times.
Typical arguments for designing and manufacturing a part instead of using a commercially available alternative focus on the early phases of the life cycle and argue for a design that better matches the equipment. But design engineers tend to ignore the costs of manufacturing and maintenance, which in many cases can offset the benefits of improved design. A model reuse culture that understands the value of production and service experience can improve the fidelity of design decisions.
Experience using models from various model catalogs and drawings
I want to share with you the experience of using models from various catalogs, which in the CIS and the Baltic States, for some reason, pay little attention to today, where you can download 3d CAD models for free and use them for modeling in CAD and 3D printing. The first 3D catalogs appeared almost immediately after the appearance of 3D models themselves in mechanical engineering, I first encountered them in 2007. Working as a design technician, and then it seemed to me that this would change the concept of design and construction, but this did not happen and it is often unrealistic to find models for domestic products of mechanical engineering and instrumentation. Many of our businesses still live in a world of huge paper archives, where the search for a drawing can take all day or even be futile. And so, one of the areas in which catalogs quickly found application is instrumentation. Among the examples that deserve your attention, I would like to mention the companies Neutrik, BOPLA Gehäuse System, Hammond Manufacturing Co. Ltd., where you can download the product model in available CAD software formats, a detailed drawing, as well as all technical parameters in PDF together with the “buy” button before ordering, and pre-evaluate the need for this product. Conveniently implemented case search by size and degree of protection.
I am glad that the number of such excellent producers is increasing every day. Simplifying this process will be a win for both designers and suppliers, who will ensure the business with a quick and easy one-click checkout experience. There is a problem: finding these open source models is often more difficult than it should be. When you want to download 3D models, it goes without saying that the site with the most models will be the most popular. To help you narrow down your choice when searching for 3D CAD, I will list the best catalogs of 3D modeling used in my design activities. You will also find 2D layouts in DWG for laser and milling cutting: bas-reliefs, emblems, coats of arms, souvenirs, furniture models for 3d visualization, jewelry and much more .
Traceparts — one hundred million three-dimensional parts and drawings from manufacturers that are used in mechanical engineering, aerospace, automotive and many other industries.
Digital catalog of 3D models compatible with all the most popular CAD programs, including SOLIDWORKS, CATIA, Pro / ENGINEER & Creo, Inventor, AutoCAD, Solid Edge, TopSolid, Geomagic Design, Kompas 3D, SpaceClaim, SketchUp, Autodesk REVIT, ZW3D, Draftsight, HiCAD, TurboCAD, T-FLEX, SolidFace, Elecworks, Gstarcad, IronCAD, MagicPart, SolidWorks Electrical, DesignSpark Mechanical, DesignSpark Electrical and supports most neutral CAD formats, including: DWG, DXF, IGES, STEP, SAT, JT , STL, VRML.
Before downloading, you can make a quick visual assessment: you can view and manipulate the 3D model online using the product configuration you choose, request an offer directly from suppliers, and save time during the purchase process-all this can be done online in a web browser after you register.
GrabCAD, Inc. is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based startup that has created a free cloud-based collaboration environment that helps engineering teams manage, view, and share files.
This is an excellent repository where users can find 3D models and designs, as well as learn new techniques and share information with other like-minded people. GrabCAD currently has over six million users. This is a fantastic think tank for anyone working in the field of CAD service design. If you need help with the design or want to view interesting models, this is a great platform to use. Create your own inspiring story and let other designers, designers and inventors get inspired by your creativity.
The library itself is filled with thousands of projects. Users can search for specific items using the search function. They can also filter projects by popularity, category, and software. Projects for the software include AutoCAD, BricsCAD, CATIA, Fusion 360, Solid Edge, and TurboCAD. In addition, the categories include agriculture, aerospace, electrical engineering, interior design, etc.
In addition, each model has a wealth of useful information, such as software, available files, and thumbnail previews.
Create great products faster with free collaboration. Free CAD models and access to the world’s largest engineering community.
3D Content Central — an online catalog of 3D models of certified users and certified suppliers of parts and subassemblies.
In addition, it has an active community with over 1.9 million registered users. It was created by Dassault Systems, which is responsible for SolidWorks Corp and CATIA, for any industrial or engineering sector, including oil and gas, renewable energy, nuclear, chemical and petrochemical industries, pharmaceuticals, mining, refining, marine and underwater construction, transportation and infrastructure, manufacturing and manufacturing automation, automotive design, etc. defense.
The site itself is easy to use and intuitive. It has an advanced search function that allows users to quickly find the details they need. In addition, the available models are divided into logical categories: special libraries, macros, and 2D blocks. 3D designers, engineers and manufacturers can find almost any design. The A-Z list includes everything from air filters and bearings to diodes and mufflers.
In addition to searching through thousands of available designs, users can also place queries. For example, if you need a 3D design, you can create a post with specifications. 3D designers and CAD specialists can then respond if they feel they can deliver what you need.
Save valuable design time and stop redrawing purchased parts. Join an active community of users
CADENAS-based PTC PARTcommunity is an international network solution for engineers, designers, technicians, buyers, and decision makers in the mechanical, automotive, shipbuilding, electronics, electrical, and construction industries.
PARTcommunity is an online portal that offers certified 2D and 3D CAD models from global manufacturers from more than 400 catalogs for free. More than 700 manufacturers of parts from numerous industrial sectors already use eCATALOGsolutions from CADENAS as a solution for their electronic CAD product catalogues. Thanks to the electronic product catalog, products are available as 3D CAD models in more than 100 different file formats of modern CAD systems, such as: CATIA®, Autodesk® Inventor®, SolidWorks®, Creo Parametric, NX™, AutoCAD® or Solid Edge®. The optimal presentation of products in the form of “smart” and high-quality 3D CAD models allows the PARTcommunity portal to relate to the daily tools used by engineers and designers around the world.
PCB-3D is an excellent 3D modeling catalog filled with a wide range of high-quality models. More than 4,500 highly realistic models of radio elements and electronic components, connectors with all the details in the STEP AP214 file format (STandard for Exchange of Product model data) — a set of ISO 10303 standards used in CAD. Allows you to describe the entire product lifecycle, including manufacturing technology and product quality control. It is the main competitor of the IGES standard. Recently, it has been replacing it due to wider information storage capabilities. It is ideal for importing almost all CAD programs.
The line between electronics and mechanical design has always been blurry at best, with more and more products interacting with the real world through servos, sensors, and actuators, and linking to mechanical components is another part of the job for instrument developers.
Octopart, in collaboration with Seeed Studios, is a library of frequently used electronic components for designing and manufacturing products for connected devices. A short list of components, broken down into several general categories, helps ensure that you don’t get bogged down in choosing every detail when your design constraints aren’t very specific. The goal is to simplify the design process by limiting the selection to only a few widely available parts. Start with this, and if your needs are not met by some of them, set aside a branch of the required characteristic, spending additional time only on those functions that really require it.
CGTrader is a company with an online market for 3D models of the same name. The online platform allows designers and modeling studios to upload and sell or share their 3D models with the community-with more than 750,000 3D models for computer graphics, virtual / augmented reality and games, and 3D printing. 3D printing models: from jewelry and miniatures to engineering parts, these are models specially prepared for various 3D printing processes. Depending on the designer’s wishes, the model can be sold, transferred to a 3D printer, or printed out and sent to Sculpteo. CGTrader is trusted by more than a hundred Fortune 500 companies, including Microsoft, Adobe, and nVidia. With a large community, CGTrader makes it easy for designers and computer graphics artists to share ideas, showcase their work, get valuable feedback from the community, learn from colleagues, and interact in a designer-friendly environment.
All users, sellers, and buyers can freely share information, participate in the forum, and much more. For employers, it is possible to hire a designer for special work. The platform allows designers to communicate directly with their clients and earn money. Developers and designers buy these 3D models or order custom 3D models for use in commercial and non-commercial projects, and the catalog also includes free models.
The Autodesk Online Gallery is a 3D modeling catalog created by Autodesk. Used by designers and engineers to share and upload 3D models, render images, CAD files, CAD models, and other relevant materials. With Autodesk Gallery, you can easily view and present 3D models and files online. This company is responsible for creating CAD and 3D design programs, such as AutoCAD and Revit. If you use Autodesk programs or want 3D design services to use their software, it is best to use the Autodesk Online Gallery. To upload models, you need to have a registered account — this is a quick process.
The main home page of the online gallery shows popular models and an accessible search bar. Users can search by category or use one of the recommended tags. For example, this extensive library covers industries such as advertising, aerospace, bridges, design, electronics, and robotics. The main categories are architecture, civic infrastructure, media and entertainment, and product design.
There is a wealth of information for each model, such as user statistics, categories, available products, and thumbnail selection.
Maedler-specialize in selling an extensive range of components for mechanical engineering and everything that sells is accompanied (as a rule) by 3D models that are free to download.
Electronic CAD product catalogs are an ideal trading tool for all manufacturers.
Electronic product catalogues make all digital product information available to the relevant target group of customers. Surveys conducted confirm the effectiveness of electronic product catalogs: about 87% of those who have downloaded CAD products purchase them later.
The most unpleasant thing is to live somewhere where the supplier refuses to send. One of the steps would be to find out which analogs of the product are available from most suppliers, and if all of them are “in stock”, then how long it will take to ship. I think a spare parts catalog that “ranks” parts by popularity and availability would be very useful. For example, part “ A “will be available from your local hardware store, part” B “from regular online sellers, and part” C “ from specialty stores, and so on. It would be desirable for the product effect to make the most common parts even more popular and affordable, thus reducing the cost of using the most popular parts. costs. My usual rule of thumb for figuring out which parts are publicly available is that they are often significantly cheaper from both the next name up and the next down. A standardized list is a great tool that can be adapted to different needs. For example, if you take a part from the list, you can tell the supplier that you will use this part to repair the 3D printer. The site can then use this feedback to present others with a list of components that are popular for repairing 3D printing devices, and it will include your spare part! I am convinced that such a customer-oriented service and approach to your business captivates any professional and guarantees long-term relationships in the purchase of goods.
I’m sure the first choice is for the engineer. It is he who makes the decision in favor of your product! It would also greatly help new people, students, casual hobbyists, etc. who don’t want to fall into the trap of designing some weird piece that looks great in CAD, but costs three times the shipping cost if you can even get it. Optimize your product with the help of 3D design software, it is profitable for each manufacturer to put their models in CAD (yes, at least in the same 3d dwg), because this is:
- Good advertising.
- Increases the probability that its equipment will be added to the project.
- Just an indicator of a serious company.
How do I open a 3d model on a mobile device or tablet or online?
In January 2014, Ascon announced the release of the Compass: 24 mobile app, which has surpassed the 50,000-download milestone and moved to the next “weight category” in the Google Play store, designed to view 3D models created in the Compass-3D system on Android-based mobile devices.
The application can be used, for example, to demonstrate developments to partners or colleagues, view models sent by mail, and train employees using visual examples without reference to the workplace, Ascon says. The app offers such functions as rotating, zooming and panning the image, displaying information about the file (author, comment). Using the dynamic cross-section function, the mobile app will also be able to see what is inside the developed node or part, the company adds. COMPASS: 24 was the first app created by ASCON specifically for solving professional tasks of a designer, and will complement the company’s line of “mobile” developments.
Often the customer needs a three-dimensional model for processing on numerically controlled machines. And there is no necessary program to view it. You will benefit from free online viewing of 2D and 3D documents by Autodesk. The tool allows you to:
- take notes together ⚠,
- measure ✒ ✓,
- remove details from visibility ☆ ☁,
- dismember-explosion-construction diagram ⁂,
- ✂ cut in the plane.
- Take photos ❏ ❐ ❑ ❒ from different angles and choose the background░ ▒ ▓.
The model publication period is 30 days from the moment of uploading*
Advantages of CAD 3D models
Cloud-based CAD programs are becoming the norm. A survey conducted by Business Vantage in 2016 showed that up to 29% of companies using CAD plan to implement cloud-based software in the next 3–5 years. The number one reason for this is mobility. Using the cloud, CAD users can use the software anywhere with an internet connection, and projects are available to anyone with access. Global jobs will benefit tremendously from using this approach.
☑Based on the 3D model, you can quickly get all planar drawings, sections, or nodes. It gives engineers the opportunity to test the trajectory of movement already within the CAD system, if necessary.
☑Easily make edits and share. When you change the model, all drawings are automatically changed. If you are part of a large team, you know how valuable it is to share. CAD software makes it easy to collaborate with team members. One person can work on a design and send it to another, where they can view the project history to see exactly what was done and how. CAD facilitates collaboration even for remote teams.
Ускорение Accelerate the project development process, find the best solution, and reduce errors. CAD software is great for documenting all aspects of a design. Product measurements, angles and dimensions are conveniently recorded and saved for future reference. Components and assemblies are also saved and can be used for future designs if necessary. You can easily create a list of materials to send to the manufacturer, and everything will be conveniently recorded for you. Traditionally, when a design didn’t function properly, the team had to go back to the drawing board. Using CAD allows design teams to control the quality of the finished product. It’s easy to investigate a bug, diagnose a problem, and solve it with software before creating any prototypes. This not only saves time, but also money.
A three-dimensional 3D model is much more informative. You can immediately imagine what the product/structure will look like in space.
As a result, a digital prototype of the product is created, which can be examined in detail, create animations of working conditions, check for loads, etc. This makes it possible to get valuable input from production and potential buyers. For example, sales and marketing professionals can access a product developed by CAD services with proper material visualization, who will then make valuable suggestions regarding the choice of materials, shape, and selected coatings. Without creating digital prototypes, you need to use more expensive physical prototypes, lose a lot of time, and enter the market late and with products that may not be optimized.
CAD software produces models that can be used by other departments, including marketing and sales. With a large amount of communication, predicting data and properly analyzing expected weaknesses can be solved right in the design software. The built-in user interface in the 3D modeling software allows those who have no experience in mechanical engineering to understand the design of a product without the help of a specialist. Animation in 3D modeling also helps mechanical engineers and clients observe the design process. Customers are impressed when they watch and are shown the aesthetics and functionality of the design, without spending money on a prototype. This is an easy way to showcase your work and impress investors.
Who creates CAD 3D models?
Outsourcing intelligence to design software components allows the engineering community as a whole to increase flexibility by enabling autonomous models. 3D design simplifies and speeds up the lives of product developers, leaving them with more time and energy to optimize their products. Traditional representation in mechanical engineering takes time. From correctly determining the line size to calculating projections, heights, and views of various views, a complex mechanical project will take several days to complete in the traditional style. All this can be done in a few hours using 3D modeling software.
The work of a design engineer includes design documentation of GOST 2.051–2013 for industrial products. In particular, he solves the following tasks: creating a 3d model, creating drawings (including specifications, passports and other design documents for ESKD).
In general, the designer communicates with other specialists in his work: technologists, calculation engineers, technical writers, and marketers. Each of them requires different source data to perform its part of the work:
- for the technologist — a well-designed drawing and other documentation, often also a 3D model for processing on CNC machines.
- for the calculator — a 3d model that specifies the part material and a drawing with technical requirements for additional processing, such as the type of heat treatment.
- for a technical writer, this is generally a 3D model. But most often, you need to transfer ready-made images, preferably in vector form, of the product from various angles, for example, an isometric projection on the product with a local section for examining the inside. You also need an item specification and an assembly or general view drawing.
- for a marketer — this is generally a 3d model, a video clip, a gif animation, and a drawing that specifies the coating properties (for example, the paint catalog number). They often ask you to render the product from different angles.
How do I order the service? Please contact me. Develop three-dimensional models based on technical specifications, sketches, samples, photos, sketches, and verbal descriptions. Design, create, and produce custom drawings, diagrams, scans, and 3D models. 24/7 customer support, in more than a hundred languages including Hawaiian and Kurdish.
I hope you found this article helpful. What would you like to see in terms of the capabilities of such a product? Why not browse through the listed 3D modeling catalogs and find inspiration in the thousands of 3D models available?
Welcome to the comments of those who are interested in the topic of three-dimensional modeling.
In the comments, you can ask questions that concern you, and at the moment you have not found the answer to them. Periodically, I will write a selection of frequently asked questions and answers in my articles.
