New in 3D Modeling

nanoCAD can now design 3D parts from sheet metal. Here, for example, are parts typical of those that can be designed with the new sheet metal module:

Among the new commands are the following:

The basic tools (Sheet solid, Bend edge, Bend over segment, and Fold by sketch) create standard parts from sheet metal. Folds can be bent and unbent at any time, and corners are handled by a variety of reliefs and bends.

For specific sheet metal parts, there are the Shell and Ruled shell tools, plus additional tools quickly add commonly used sheet metal elements, such as these ones:

• Collars

• Holes

• Plates

• Shutters

• Stamps

• Stiffeners

• Undercuts

The Unbend tool makes flat drawings of 3D sheet metal parts.

Each release of nanoCAD adds new commands. To make it easier to focus on the design at hand, the primary 3D modeling commands are now grouped by mode in the Modeling Modes section of the 3D Tools ribbon:

• Parametric

• Direct

• Sheet 

• Meshes

When users switch between modeling types, the ribbon automatically changes the commands displayed to those specific to the selected modeling mode. For example, when a user selects Parametric modeling mode, the ribbon changes to show commands for creating 3D geometry based on parametric sketches.

When the user selects Direct modeling mode, the ribbon display commands for creating standard 3D models and operations related to direct modeling.

When the user selects Sheet metal mode, the commands are those useful for this mode, such as Sheet solid, Shell, and Unbend.

When the user selects Meshes modeling mode, the commands standard for creating 3D surfaces become available.

Commands that apply to all types of modeling such as, for example: Chamfers and Rounds, Boolean operations, commands of construction geometry, manipulation and others are always visible to a user.

nanoCAD makes it more convenient to work in sketch mode when using the ribbon interface. There no longer is a need to switch between tabs, as after launching 2D sketch mode, all tools necessary for creating parametric sketches are shown by the ribbon. The most frequently used commands are always at hand; there are no superfluous ones.

nanoCAD adds two more types of 3D constraints: 3D-tangency and 3D-symmetry. These are in addition to the 3D-insert, 3D-merge, and 3D-corner constraints from previous releases.

The 3D-tangency constraint joins surface tangents that are more complex than what the existing 3D-merge constraint can handle. It creates tangents between, for example, the following objects:

• Cylinders to planes or cylinders

• Cones to planes

• Spheres to cylinders or planes

• Circular edges to straight or circular edges

The 3D-symmetry constraint aligns 3D solid elements symmetric to a selected plane.
3D-symmetry constraint: