GrabCAD Community User Group

Hello Archie,

That is a good idea ! All we can hope is that they implement it.

I have heard many complaints about this issue in the groups and I have been frustrated by it myself downloading un-editable uploads and jpg files.

While I agree with most of what you write, the difficult issue is to define just what a 'REAL CAD' file is. Very few CAD files can be taken directly to manufacturing without having specific manufacturing information on materials, tolerances, etc. The CAD files do not (yet) contain these data. But not all CAD files are meant to be manufactured: In the design phase of all complex products, you use external components to make sure that your design complies with its use, e.g. a human dummy for a chair, fridges, ovens, ranges, sinks, taps for a kitchen, all kinds of motors, actuators, sensors and electronics for robotics and for just about any mechanical contraption that moves. But none of these parts are meant to be manufactured because they are standard components that are bought - all you need as designer is a dimensionally correct CAD model. So this may be a better button to have on GrabCAD files: Is the file dimensionally correct?

Another use for GrabCAD is to upload concept CAD, where the main dimensions are correct, but details are missing, in the hope of getting help from the community to finalise the design. This is also a very valid use of CAD, but files like these should maybe have a 'Concept'-button?

A third use of CAD, is files that look good, but has no internals, as you complain about. But even these files have a purpose: You can not build a car or a ship from a GrabCAD file, but you can definitely build a model car or a model ship from these files. Such files could have a 'No internals'-button.

Don't assume any GrabCAD model is accurate until you confirm the measurements. This is a worldwide site with members of varied skill. There are cool/amazing models in the library, but there is also a huge amount of garbage.

GrabCAD has community guidelines which prohibit click bait models. I reported a half dozen models tonight. Press the report button when these models are discovered, the models will slowly start leaving the site. We are the model police here, we make the Library better.

The Library has a 3D viewer built into it that works for the majority of models uploaded to it. Before downloading a model, open it in the viewer. If it is incomplete (based on the library images), report it.

Make sure to read the comments too. Previous downloaders will often mention if the model is broken, or missing parts.

Install an adblocker in your browser. I see no ads when I am at home, on any sites.

GrabCAD is highly focused on 3D Printing, what's why here are many just scale models, and even toys like on Thingiverse.

By ditching all this we may end up with empty library and community.

Also some time ago here users had to defend their 2D drawings, as they were considered an offtopic content. It was kind of "GrabCAD for 3D only".

But looking back at my experience: 99% of my professional work was done in 2D drawings. And here among my hobby works 2D drafts are the most downloaded. Even they are not dimensioned, they are just done to scale.

Real issue that sometimes we can see here only pictures, or very incomplete models accompanied with nice picture. Then just hit "Report" :)

But even if you hit report the files are taken down and then return again and again these offenders should be banned.

I was a member when we were happy to reach our 1.000 member.

Now I think Grabcad is only interested in Numbers not quality I would like to know how many true Grabcad members we have maybe a few thousand I guess But certainly not Millions.

It’s definitely only in the thousands most of the accounts are sadly one and done. For the fact of snatching up models to sell on other sites as their own. I've already found 3 of my models up on other sites being sold. Which brings this to the point of other member not posting there models anymore just jpegs and other images because they want people to see their work but are getting tired of people stealing it and selling it as their own creations. I’ve even slowed down on uploading models only entering a few in challenges.

Add to this... Please add the version information as well? ie: Not just "SolidWorks", but "SolidWorks 2018" (and needs to be the file version, not necessarily the software version)

Part of what appears on GrabCad is a symptom of the direction much of the engineering training has gone. Lucky for me I did my training in the 1970's before the emphasis on CAD became the distraction it has become today. Without the CAD distraction our learning had as its main focus engineering, in my case mechanical. We learned the basics first, mechanics, tools, machine processes, how machines and mechanisms work, how things could be manufactured, with the graphics part of our training on a manual drafting table, learning how to turn our designs and ideas into drawings and other documents, needed to actually manufacture these deigns, our own and the designs of others. We were trained to do this as fast and as efficiently as possible, we were not employed to produce artwork though when i worked in the drawing office at NZ Railways Workshop, Hillside, Dunedin many of these manual drawings, some dating back to the 1890's were almost works of art. It was also at this time I first experienced the stupidly often seen with CAD.

The main Railways Drawing Office had just got their first CAD, an Intergrahp product that ran on a UNIX workstation, a system that later evolved into Micro station. They started with a flawed design concept and thought they kept throwing it at the software the magic of this new technology could make a bad concept work. We would get two or three amendments sent to us per day, for the two weeks it took, for them, to realize their this design defied the physical laws of the universe, and could not work. This was in the 1980's and my first encounter with computers as a tool in the workplace. The computer does not think, the engineer does the thinking, the computer , just another tool.

As with many of us old timers to stay employable during the 1990's used 2D CAD to turn my work into drawings for manufacture, then from 2000 on 3D model based design and drafting gave the whole process a big productivity boost. Being able to go from 3D model to 2D drawings to CNC produced parts has made the whole design and manufacture process a lot faster.

For a average competent engineer with a sound engineering background becoming a good CAD operator is easy, the software is simple to use. The most important part of the design process is the quality of the design, a good design is easily turned in to a model and drawings of something that works and can be manufactured. With the modern approach, to running expensive university and college CAD degree courses, pretty pictures often the main focus and not the engineering part. As from the point of view of these educational institutes a supply of candidates ready to part with their cash is the main objective, much of the course is concerned with computer graphics, easier to teach as you can do way with all those pesky parts of proper engineering, a good knowledge of math, chemistry and other sciences all stuff you have to put effort into to pass your exams, playing around making pretty pictures, way easier. To fill in time and make the paying students feel they are getting value for their money much time is spent producing pretty pictures. These pretty pictures can be looked at in all their glory and the student has something to show for their efforts.

Back in the real word an employer is mainly interested in working and manufacture ready products, and only the occasional pretty picture, to assist with sales functions and to dress up tenders for work. With the software available reasonable renderings are not hard to produce but should be additional to good engineering design and not the main focus

As this pretty picture production has become a major part of these "CAD degrees" it is not surprising that pretty picture production, has become dominant on GrabCad rather than useful CAD models. There are a few though, here on GrabCad for example https://grabcad.com/engineers?query=john+fall&sort=score&time=month who gives us both, well engineered models, along with very pretty pictures. his work helps to preserve a lot of historical technology as well.