Onshape CAD

[BikepeteParticipant @bikepete]

I think maybe it's a bit more sensitive to the graphics performance of the computer it's used on than I first thought. So not quite 'anything that can run a web browser'. It's great on the computer I have at home but here at the office (on an unexciting Windows 7 machine) it won't run at all on Firefox (claiming no WebGL) and only very poorly on Chrome (it renders things, but with glitches, and any movement is very slow and laggy).

Difference is probably that this office PC has an integrated graphics chip (ATI Radeon 2100, FWIW) rather than a separate card.

It won't run on my Android mobile either, but a message does come up saying that mobile use is not supported so that's fair enough!

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

EST is New York (Eastern Standard Time), 5 hours behind GMT.

9:00 am EST is a good compromise for transatlantic meetings as it's 2:00pm in the UK and 3:00pm in CET (Central Europe – France, Germany etc.)

EDT is their version of BST, but it starts earlier

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 17/03/2015 17:50:26

[simondavies3Participant @simondavies3]

I think its more than just the graphics performance – I have a separate nVidia graphics card on my machine running Win7 pro and Firefox works happily on it. Opera however loads and operates up to the point that I try and open something and it just sits 'loading'. I tried their instructions regarding WebGL and also ensured that the nVidia settings were correct too.

This morning I had to update Adobe Flash because there was a warning screen that the version of Flash was at risk and I was unable to proceed until the update was installed.

When I do get it running, I am extremely impressed by it – I made a box, rounded edges, bosses for circuit board mountings, hole for DB25 connector, hoe for Ethernet socket and an access hole for a USB in about 6 hours from first accessing the package.

The 3D printed version is sitting alongside me resplendent in a yucky shade of pale blue.

Simon

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

There's an iOS and an Android version for mobile devices. You can request a beta if you want to try them before they are formally released. For iOS you probably want an iPad rather than an iPhone!

I've been using OS on a variety of laptops that have integrated graphics and they don't seem to be any different to the desktop with a proper nVidia Quadro card optimised for OpenGL CAD.

The recommended browsers seem to be Firefox and Chrome and they have both worked fine. It doesn't seem to need Flash thankfully – hardly surprising as Adobe are wilfully letting it wither on the vine.

Now that the webinar has finished, I expect you will probably be able to watch it as a video soon here. Haven't seen it myself but it looks as if it would be a handy intro.

I don't trust myself to convert timezones, so refer instead to a timezone converter like this. Whatever the time zone / acronym used, it appears that 9am in Massachusetts is 1pm in the UK.

Murray

[simondavies3Participant @simondavies3]

I received an email from OnShape asking how I was getting on with it. I responded commenting on my lack of success with Opera as well as a comment on what I consider to be missing functionality and received the following in a personal email from them:

If you like, you can submit enhancement requests for any feature you want to see in Onshape. We release updates to Onshape every 2-3 weeks and we take enhancement requests into consideration when adding new features. The feedback button is a great way for you to help us prioritize new features and get notified once we add them to Onshape. We will certainly have copy "n" points in the future, but submitting an enhancement request puts it higher on our priority list.

Regarding the loading issue, I'd also use the feedback button and submit a ticket. User support will then help you resolve.

Maybe those having difficulties should try this?

Simon

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

The other way to get help is to post a question in the discussion forum. If there's a simple answer, you will often get a rapid reply and if there needs to be a ticket, somebody may submit one subsequently. OS seems to be fairly stable, so your problems may have known fixes.

Murray

[Involute CurveParticipant @involutecurve]

on a similar note

**LINK**

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by Muzzer on 17/03/2015 20:34:10:

I don't trust myself to convert timezones, so refer instead to a timezone converter like this. Whatever the time zone / acronym used, it appears that 9am in Massachusetts is 1pm in the UK.

There's a 5 hour clock-time difference between Eastern Time and British Time all year except for a few weeks in March where Eastern goes (forward) to Daylight Time the first Sunday in March and the UK goes to Summer Time on the last Sunday in March. During that period, the time difference is 4 hours.

There's a similar but shorter discrepancy in the fall (autumn) but only for a week since the clocks go back in UK the last Sunday in October while Eastern Time switches the first Sunday in November. During that interval, there's a 6-hour clock time difference.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I've never known why we use the 'real' time in the winter when daylight is in short supply, and change the clocks in summer, when there's plenty about. I don't buy the 'to stop workers going down the pub' argument – I haven't seen many empty pubs in the winter!

Neil

[AvonParticipant @avon]

I've been using Onshape for the last month or so. Just thought I'd correct a couple of things:

Onshape have changed what you can do for free (which is a huge pity). You get the 5GB of total storage, but to do so you have to create the document while you're under the 100Mb Private document limit, and you can have a total of 10 Private documents – I think you can have as many public documents as you like.

Elsewhere it was mentioned that you couldn't print from OS, but it is certainly possible in the version currently in use.

The drawing facility has arrived so that true 2D drawings can be produced from the 3D parts and assemblies.

The thing I like about this is the ability to animate the model, not automatically, but I'm happy dragging the little handles around to watch my Hot Air Engine do its thing – I've even been able to actually explain how it works to my better half!!

Hope this helps.

[ANDY CAWLEYParticipant @andycawley24921]

I'm on holiday in France and just joined Onshape with no problems, got confirmation email virtually instantly. I'm on my iPad so will be interested to see what happens on my PC when I get back home. A quick tour round the tutorials etc is looking good to a total CAD newbie like me.

[Jonathan MeadParticipant @jonathanmead91773]

I'm just getting started with Onshape having seen it referenced in the article on 3D printing in the latest MEW. As someone who has only dabbled previously with 2D sketching programs, I'm finding the learning curve very steep, but it is amazing how quickly you can get stuck in and draw a simple part. The main restriction with the free subscription seems to be the 100MB limit on private document storage. I am already close to half way there with just one document.

[simondavies3Participant @simondavies3]

Jonathan,

The trick with document size is to 'create a copy' of the document that you are working on. This cleans out all of the past history where you have made changes and resets the project to the current version. Then move the original document to 'trash' and…..when you are really sure (I usually check that the copied document opens and looks right), then 'empty trash'.

After a couple of moments you will find that your doc is probably barely a couple of MB in size.

Alternatively, you can make the doc 'public' and let anyone look at it – or make a copy for themselves. This is my approach with most of my stuff since I don't really care if people can access my 90° tumble dryer bend and adapter….

Simon

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

I have just given Onshape a go for the first time. As a long time occasional user of Solidworks I find the user interface much more friendly than Autocad Fusion 360. It is a little slow in use compared with Solidworks or Autocad but at the price difference (ie;, free as opposed to thousands of &euro represents excellent value for money! The biggest plus is that I can use it while running Linux and don't have to reboot into Windoze for Autocad.

Just find it a shame that if you import a Solidworks part you lose all the history.

Russell.

Edited By Russell Eberhardt on 05/02/2016 10:57:32

[Jonathan MeadParticipant @jonathanmead91773]

Simon, many thanks for the tip – I'll give that a go later this evening. I'm slowly making progress in redrawing a small four stroke IC engine in metric from the original imperial. This is really helping me envisage how the parts will be made, as you almost have to machine them in your mind in order to draw them. There have been some challenges with the cylinder head, as the spark plug hole has to be at a 15° angle from the top and bottom faces of the head, which caused a bit of head scratching. I eventually learnt how to create a plane at 75° to the head and drilled a hole normal to this!

Hopefully below is a screenshot of the assembly showing the head and piston/con rod/ crank assembly.

[Ron ColvinParticipant @roncolvin83430]

I see that Onshape have changed their terms and conditions for users of their free scheme.

In essence what it means is, that users can no longer create documents in private space, only in public space.

**LINK**

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

That's disappointing and seems retrograde when their direct competitors (Fusion 360) have gone the other way and seem to have the upper hand. Can't help thinking this may be counterproductive.

I was quite impressed with them to start with but when F360 came along I changed horses. One key factor in that decision was the fact that any meaningful add-on such as CAM would cost big bucks. They have a big app store for the 3rd party providers but it all adds up rapidly. That and the paltry allocation of free space for small users. And now even that has gone.

They are now focused solely on the professional user. Of course, F360 is also heavily focused on them too but also show a friendly face to students, young engineers, hobby users etc. Where would you put your money?

Merry

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

I did ask for a quote when they contacted me to say that the free private allocation was going. At $1,000 per year, I shall give it amiss for my small amount of hobby usage.

Regards,

James.

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

When I queried F360 about how long the free hobby license would be available, I got the following "I can confirm that you can keep renewing the "Startup or Hobbiest/Enthusiast" entitlement for as long as you need it. You just have to agree to the terms every year to verify that you still meet the criteria for the entitlement."

Of course, the terms and conditions may change with time but currently the "hobbiest" gives you the full "Ultimate" features and that shows no signs of changing. Long may that continue.

[Ron ColvinParticipant @roncolvin83430]

A question that does come to mind, when using Onshape under the new conditions.

If it is being used to model a item from a set of published plans, for the purposes
of an virtual test build before beginning to cut metal.

Would there be any copyright issues involved in moving the model, to allow
continued working on it, from private to public space?.

Ron

[Author]

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