Learn about the GrabCAD Platform
Get to know GrabCAD as an open software platform for Additive Manufacturing
Visit our new homepage
What's wrong with this community?? Why do we have members with privileges?? In the GC guidelines and rules there are clear statements about, quality, uploaded work from others, explanations how to use the modeldescription, etc, etc...But it ALL seems hollow talk...This member, who has been granted the badge of community leader (for what it's worth) has uploaded 9477 models by now (approx an unbelieveble amount of 2.4 models every day) , unfortunately the vast majority are not according the GC rules, and are filled with severe designflaws, and work from others, as can been seen in the attached image...In his Engineers Spotlight in the CG blog, there is a clear statement about aiding the new generation of designers...But it all seemed hollow talk...If there is still a GC team, why don't they act? why don't they enforce their own rules?...Has GC become the tiger without teeth?? By allowing this kind of work, (no responces on reports), GrabCad is sending out a strong signal, that it is OK to cheat, OK to ignore the rules, OK to manipulate the system...
You are right Hans, but I think what Mehmet is doing is not a problem. First of all, there is no prize for which it would be worthwhile to use unfair means. Secondly, you can find models of very different quality here. But you can get ideas from anything, and there is enough storage space on the server. Everyone can choose. We upload our models so that anyone can use them. This is our common playground. This is just my opinion, sorry for interrupting. I also understand if you don't agree with me.
I believe everything MAB does is wrong...He performs the act of speed-uploading and every model is dedicated to one of his dear friends, people he never met, seen, or spoken (so SAD to see a grown man begging for sympathy...His group of diciples like every model, not for the quality, but for the name MAB.....This childish behavior resulted in being no:01 in most uploaded, most liked, most followed, most, most, etc...So when people visit GrabCad, the first thing, they see is a lot "work" from mr:01, that is decorated by his diciples with childish images and comment about "greatness", but unfortunately the quality is very low in the compilations made of work from others...And about the quality of this wortk!! Almost 9500 models in 11 years....So MAB had time enough to ask other members for assistance....and to be honest..the earlier models were not so bad...MAB is nowedays only concerned in quantity, not in quality, but in the process he is violating lots of GC rules, and the GC team lets him....
Yes, I understand your arguments. This MAB can be an unfortunate lonely person.
What does it all matter. Much of what is posted here on GrabCad is of a not very high standard. Why would you expect much else, none of this content is for sale. It all can be freely downloaded by all.
Posted here we find a wide range of quality. At the top end, we get the work of a highly skilled and experienced engineer such as what has been posted here by John Fall, to some beginner produced low quality efforts, by some, who would make a better accountant than an engineer. Whatever is produced by any of us falls somewhere between these two extremes. Whatever M.A.B places on here, provided he is the owner of the models, in the big picture of the world, around us today, not all that important. Hans, why do you have a problem with this. Is it your ego, not being able to handle M.A.B being eight places above you on the ladder of highest GrabCad scores, your true motivation, for spending all this effort to criticise M,A.B. Hans, GrabCad Scores, badges, rankings, quantity of downloads, or any other content on this website, in the real world means absolutely nothing. GrabCad is not important.
Hans there are way bigger problems in the world we all live in today than getting so wound up about M.A.B, his ranking, and the models he places here on GrabCad.
Hi Hans
If we can have someone overseeing GC then I vote for you, if you have the time 👍
It matters! When someone comes to GrabCAD their initial experience will be what they will expect from then on. If most of the models on the popular page are poor quality or lacking in actual downloadable material, then that’s what they will expect from the site in general. If the number one engineer produces low quality models then that’s what they will expect from the site in general.
The few good engineers along with their quality models are diluted by the garbage content produced by the top engineers. The good content is hard to find. So I believe we all get viewed through the same jaded lens and seen as a bunch of bad designers.
What GrabCAD needs is twofold. 1. A method to prevent or remove the bad content. 2. A method for the good engineers and content to be promoted.
GrabCAD already has rules in place for number 1. They’re just not being enforced. For number 2, the ranking/scoring systems needs to change. That’s kind of like asking for the rules for baseball to change. It will change the stats and that will never be allowed.
The panorama always seems discouraging since it implies changes that we know will be difficult or even impossible (not because of a real difficulty, but because they go against interests that surpass us as users).
But I think that for GC and its interests it would not be a problem to "allow us to create an engineering knowledge database" self-managed by a group of users with a recognized track record who can collect and reference works of excellence, conducts exemplary, notable knowledge and techniques, etc. That is, show and give value to what is good instead of frustratingly making visible what is bad.
A Knowledge Database like the one that exists in any modern industry, which gathers "everything that someone new should know" and whose management is very transparent, allowing to choose existing content or postulate new content, by vote and agreement of that group of managers.
--------------------------------------------------
PS: I frequently observe things that can be harmful to the less experienced: erroneous computer simulations (not just badly drawn furniture) that the GC system ends up making visible for scoring reasons, together with their authors (who are more experts in obtaining scores than in engineering issues). Faced with these things, I don't know how to act constructively, and tactfully enough not to hurt feelings. So, I choose to start by putting a like and a positive comment... as an introduction to a more productive technical comment (with the hope that the author will reconsider and realize his mistakes).
As an example, take a look at the rapid rise of a young user, based on posts riddled with misconceptions:
https://grabcad.com/library/airflow-analysis-of-suv-surface-with-ansys-fluent-1
A community (digital or real) has rules, if those rules are not enforced, a community will plunge into chaos....Simple, but this is how it is....
The first concept we must all get our head around, “GabCad is not that Important”, the next is that none of us own GrabCad. Putting together a bunch of self selected thought and model police is not the way to go. We, the contributors to this site do not own it. Models here on GrabCad, you make use of, at your own risk, none, are guaranteed, to be correct or in any way useful. If I download bits from the SKF or Traceparts, I expect these to be accurate and useful, but these places are not GrabCad. GrabCad was created for a different role to fulfil . Desiring to set oneself up in any sort of role policing the usability and accuracy of anything on this site, is not a good move. Of course if anyone wants a website run by the thought police, that operates differently to what we have here, they are free to make their own instead of wanting to take over GrabCad.
Looking at the ranking and badge system, it is what it is, being top of the list, or even bottom of the list means nothing more than how much effort you have put in, to achieve this position. It has never been any sort of guide to one's status as an engineer. The work you produce, that you are paid for and the opinion of those that hire you, way more important than your GrabCad ranking.
Freedom of speech means that we all have to take the good with the bad. What is good or bad, I wish to decide for myself, not have someone else decide for me. We are living in a world that someone else deciding what you should think or believe is being pushed on us more and more all the time.
I hope the management and owners of GrabCad, do not allow the self-appointed thought police to take over and decide what is good or bad for me. I like to decide these things for myself. If you want something different with your set of rules, instead of attempting a takeover, go out and make your own website, if you think you can do better.
You've said a lot about what GrabCAD isn’t and what you don’t want it to be.
So then what is the role of GrabCAD?
I’ll answer the question.
I want the community and administration to adhere to the community values and guidelines set forth by GrabCAD itself.
https://help.grabcad.com/article/149-community-values-and-guidelines
That’s not thought police. Following these guidelines is the responsibility of each and every member of this community. Nobody gets a pass. Many of the guidelines are mere suggestions. That doesn’t imply they do not necessarily require compliance on a regular basis. Just because a guideline may be a suggestion doesn’t mean you can thumb your nose at it 100% of the time. I want all to follow the established rules. I ask for nothing less and nothing more. I don’t think anybody is asking for anything different.
A community without rules that are enforced is a community that will fail to thrive. GrabCAD either doesn’t have the resources to manage itself or it doesn’t have the desire. Either way it’s failing it’s best community members.
The old adage about creating your own website if you think you can do better is crap. That’s like buying a defective vehicle and someone saying if you want something better then go out and make it yourself. GrabCAD is defective. They sold us on the idea of a community with values yet they aren’t delivering.
There is no freedom of speech on a privately owned website. The sooner you get that concept out of your head the better off you will be. The owners of this website are controlling private property that they have given you permission to enter. They have every right and responsibility to dictate what can and cannot be said and done here.
Your words imply an indoctrination similar to the one you criticize. It is a text that seems to reflect opinions as if they were absolute truths:
1. The first concept that we all must understand...
2. Assembling a group of police officers...not the way to go...
3. GC was created to serve a different function...
4. Watching for usability and accuracy in GC is not a good move...
5. Ranking on the list means nothing more than the effort you've put into getting there...
Alluding to the freedom of expression and thought that you yourself support (and with which I agree) one could say:
1. GC could be very important to some...
2. The rules and compliance requirements come from GC and, in addition, it created this space for users to criticize and contribute improvements, and that is a way of helping GC to guard its own rules...
3. At least one of the functions that GC expresses is related to helping others to learn, and that implies a responsibility towards the quality and accuracy of the contents...
4. Any objective (such as transferring knowledge and experience) is an action plan and, like any plan, it must be monitored because "without follow-up" the plans are undermined and the objectives are not achieved...
5. Just looking at the positions of the main players on the list allows us to realize that the location does not always have to do with the effort made to achieve it...
Please, I ask you not to misunderstand me or think that I am criticizing you or trying to invalidate your opinions. My only intention is to show that sometimes we can have very different perceptions about the same things. It is very valuable to be able to have these exchanges. I always assume that I could be totally wrong and I value these opportunities to listen to others and learn.
Kind regards!
GrabCad is in reality just another social media platform. Like all other social media everything ends up all quite loose. What we get is what we get, including an increasing amount of spam. It is the imperfection of people that make it what it is. Some have integrity some don't. We can only ever be responsible for own attitude.
In the big picture, GrabCad is of little importance in both our social and working lives. In the professional world, the thing that counts the most is the quality and quantity of your output. Pretty pictures here on GrabCad have not contributed a single thing to my career opportunities, The last job completed in the real world has the most impact. Social media, as we know and experience it does nothing for an actual real social life, talking face to face to real actual people is much better. I run a Community based woodwork shop 2 days a week. It takes way too long to finish anything, I have 4 projects lying about in various states of unfinished, but as most of the time is spent drinking cusp of tea and coffee and chatting, none of this actually matters. This is all much more social than social media.
Taking anything on social media platforms such as GrabCad too seriously is not going to change the real world into anything better.
Social media sites like GrabCad always have the same problem. The flawed nature of humans. You can write anything with good intentions, on a piece of paper, and if persons making use of this all interpreted these rules exactly the same, and all followed them exactly to the letter, would we end up with, in theory perfection, not with humans being involved. When we are all replaced with machines and AI, maybe all the rules would be followed and interpreted exactly the same. But machines would not be interested in social media.
Over my working life I have come across a few that finding themselves dissatisfied have gone out and just gone out and done it, rather put up with what is available. If GrabCad is so bad, that you can't put up with it any more, your choices are to leave, make your own, or put up with it as it is.
Choices: 1.leave, 2.make your own, 3.put up with it as it is... or 4. try to improve it
I’m seriously considering trying my hand at it. I’m good at programming and networking. I believe I could make it work.
If it weren’t for the exposure I get here and the tiny bit of income it brings I’d be gone. I am but one in 10 million and my voice means nothing. All I can do is vote with my feet and leave. But since that lone vote means nothing, I hang on for the time being. Trying to make a difference but quickly realizing I’m just being ignored.
It’s just becoming more difficult as time passes by seeing those that mass produce junk or cheat the system get elevated to top status. Then one has to wade through the daily spam and garbage posts. It’s a bit overwhelming. Quality, ethical work is just not valued here.
Here you go again spouting your nonsense: 'GrabCAD is just another social media platform', most of the models are crap, so we may as well upload more crap, personal meetings between humans are more important, GrabCAD is of little importance in our working lifes, ' there are way bigger problems in the world', etc. etc.
Clearly we use GrabCAD very differently and have had very different outcomes from our involvement on the platform. I have certainly managed to get in contact with professionals through the site, real people paying real money for services; people I would never have met in my local community! It used to be a great portfolio site back in the day, before Stratasys took over and dropped the ball. And a great place to learn CAD and exchange ideas. The Groups are still okay even though the activity level is super low considering the claimed number of members.
Why are you even here yourself when you use any opportunity to disparage the site? You have your shed with your unfinished projects and the real people, where you can find the meaning of life over cups of tea. Some of us are in situations (living overseas, in isolation, with few friends around, etc.) where the Internet is a life saver. It is a great tool for human interaction on-line between continents. Way more efficient than sheds and personal meetings. But different. And the meaning of life can't be found here - I have no idea why you would even expect that. It is about CAD, not about 'the big problems in the world today'.
An individual can only change a few things. On a social media site such as GrabCad I only can control what I do. Some will play properly, some will not. The older I get the more I realise that there are many things we can't change and some we can. No mater how much one may want to, I would consider, due to the numbers involved, changing much here is not possible. The older I get, the more I accept that there are many things that can't be fixed. Some we meet here we find look at things the same way we do. These we may form a friendship with though in different part of the world. The ones we don't have this connection, just ignore them, we can not make them act ant different. All we can do is take the place as it comes, Spend all your efforts working on the things that you can change.
Improvement is possible!
Something has been accomplished!
Mr. Blue was put in his place!
Yes and No. His icon represents Schrödinger's box. He is there and not there at the same time, just like Schrödinger's cat is dead and alive at the same time. Its true state will be revealed when you open the box.
In the case of Mr. Blue, when you open his box, you'll find that the models are gone. But the points remain. So do the previews. It is Quantum Physics at its finest :-)
Those were hard earned points. He was given a warning. What more do you want? :|
im not a pro and I do plan on uploading my work on here once completed. GC has been deff a step above all other sites. I do wish there was stricter regulation on people on here. Im still learning 3d design, and I download a lot from here to study, learn, or as reference models.
Sadly I have wasted lots of time and resources downloading just basic garbage that looks like its from 2012, or in some cases theres nothing in the file, or just their logo and website/youtube channel link. To those that do put out fine quality work whether complex or basic its the quality that and the willing to share that makes me impressed with some members and to them they are the back bone of this community....though i have yet to upload or really get involved in this community i know my opinion is prob not really going to help.
to all those that are trying and uploading their best that they can do and sharing it for others I applaud you and to those that call out the garbage and complain thank you because its nice to see that others want GC to be better...or else GC will be another worthless site like the many ive encountered
And it is still going on....Just a very bad and quick compilation of scavanged material from other 3D websites, member didn't give a f.ck about quality (the uncontrolable urge to hit the post button as many times as possible per day took over) ...He produced hundreds and hundreds of such useless models. There is not ONE member who can benefit from this contraptions. And the weirdest things is that those models are packed with violations against the GC rules, but nothing is done by the the GC team....(material from other designers/websites used, no native CAD files uploaded, no proper modeldescription, very BAD quality modeling, lots and lots of duplicated models uploaded over and over again...) And the polution goes on and on and on....(unfortunately "unpunished"...The words from GrabCad...just HOLLOW TALK!!!)
At first, I barely entered GC, I did not look at their work in detail, and did not notice the quality problems.
However, what caught my attention about "a leader who seeks to leave his legacy" is that he does not have "tutorials" where he explains the origin and development of his works.
A really useful legacy is not a library full of "particular cases" but rather material that gives "the insights behind the particular cases". These valuable ideas and ways of thinking are what disciples can learn to apply to their own works. Otherwise he seems like a "teacher who does not want to teach but only to dazzle"...
I fear that there are no insigths behind his models and therefore little to learn? To be frank, I suspect that it is his budgie that is operating the computer...!
If GrabCad doesn't responce to these monstricities, we should urge this member to retire, before it gets worse...With combined forces we should be able to convice him, that the best thing (for this community and for himself) is to stop uploading trash and perhaps seek a new carrier in breeding birds...
A) It can't get much worse, all his models are defective in some sense or other, B) What makes you think that he will start to listen now? He doesn't respond to any questions regarding his 'work'. We need Dr. Dolittle to try to talk some sense into his lorikeet.
I know you guys are annoyed by such bechavior of M. and I undertand it. When someone is trying their best as you it is a pain in the a** to watch other people making more succes with less efford.
But... Let he who is without sin cast the first stone..
I think it is really "hollow talk" - please gentlemans review your own models....
3D Models can have different uses and depending on it the model should be created using different methods. more or less complicated so there are plenty of various stuff here.
You mentioned the educational purposes of the models and their reliability...
Hans I just picked up your last model of "Borrelglas" and it is has few nice issues:
(maybe it is for flowers or something but looks like whiskey glass)
form internet : borrelglas (neut.) (small glass from which liquor is drunk)
I wouldn't want any of my team's engineers modeling like that :|and I wouldn't teach anyone to model things this way.
I do not have time for further analyse of this model and also for other models but almost every GC model have big issues , bugs, errors etc.
In old days mainly i learned SW from native SW files from this site.
My models on GC also are sh*t and crap - I made them a long time ago and I'm ashamed of it now. I keep them here as a portfolio because many times I had a response about making some interesting models. I can not upload new model and I do not see point in it.
..
I have noticed over the years that there are always people looking to use a clever way to gain fame in GC.. In old days you could just add render for someone else project. Some people added ordinary photos from the internet and gained "valuable" points.
Next was a use od gif's on avatars and on main rendering with project... People was crazy with it...
Hans please notice - your 2 most liked models are models where you just used someone else work and reworked it.... They are very useful models and thank you for these but....you know...
Of coure You have big skills and imagination - I admire you very much , your models have awesome look, you have refined the rendering in detail (Verislav Mudrak style) they are inspiring. Do not take it personal- I almost worship you for being active on this site for so many years.
I just want to give my opinion , do not be mad :)
Maybe this time GC shall give up with use of likes downloads and other ranking stuff. Just 3D models.
Look on ArtStation site- there are no "weak" paintings here... only "pro's" You can not just draw a stickman in Paint and upload it.. On GC everybody upload such basic CAD stuff.
A bit unfair to compare modelling techniques on great looking models to crappy dollhouse furniture models without any features or sketches or techniques to inspect...?
But a great point you make (Yoda talk) with:
Why are there only great models on ArtStation?
Methinks that ArtStation only highlights great models from Pro accounts, i.e. accounts where people are paying for the privilege of showing their portfolio. When I search for 'pistol' I don't see any poor models, but I also only see Pro accounts and Studio accounts, not any hits from free accounts.
On GrabCAD the opposite takes place: There is a race to the bottom, the top engineer (specifically profiled by GrabCAD) is not an engineer and doesn't upload CAD-formats. Most of the other 'Highest scoring this month' profiles upload generic models from third-party websites, typically Assembly-files only and models from vendors of robots etc.; Files that might look good and be impressive, but are pretty much useless to work with because of the lack of part files, faulty surfaces, etc. And GrabCAD ALLOW such behavior. They may even encourage and promote it deliberately. I don't know why, but I do know that the lack of rule-enforcing and member vetting has turned this site into a latrine: CrapCAD.
If you don't receive the email within an hour (and you've checked your Spam folder), email us as confirmation@grabcad.com.
