CAD Forum

For those of you who hadn't noticed, Onshape Live kicks off today. It's their first user conference and even if you are not using the Onshape platform yet, I'd say it's well worth attending to see what they have to offer. It looks as though there are a few interesting sessions, and you can read a bit more as well as register for it here...

https://www.onshape.com/en/resource-ce ... conference

I had posted this in this thread but am listing its contents here since this is the Onshape area:
viewtopic.php?p=817&sid=10e81d2edecc110 ... af838#p817

mike miller wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:54 am
DennisD wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:46 am
FWIW, I am looking at Onshape with strong appeal. I love the not having to have a hot box or special graphics card, not having to install ANYTHING, and not having version issues. I work with clients twelve time zones away and the ability for us to work on the same files, even at the same time, is incredible. They use "branching" so you can explore different ideas. I have also been impressed with their reception and solicitation of user requests. They add new updates/capabilities every three weeks and have very rapidly come up to speed. Their primary target customer is SWX users so they know they have to match/beat it and already there is very little it cannot do at this point The price is right as well. An annual subscription is about the same as the annual maintenance for my seat of SWX. Full disclosure - I am still just watching Onshape closely and only dabbling in it because I still have a couple of years left on my SWX subscription.

@DennisD , how is the data migration?
Does it use the Pararsolid kernel?
Are your CAD files stored locally or "held hostage" in the cloud?

Also, sorry for the deluge of questions

Onshape is totally in the cloud so you don't have files to manipulate as you do with SWX. The only thing you need is a computer connected to the internet since you are doing everything through a browser. It does not rely on your CPU, graphics card, or hard drive. You can always make dumb solid exports of your stuff to your computer. I do not know what their modelling kernel is, nor do I care so long as it does what I need it to do.

For all of you that are interested I recommend you get an account. It is no more difficult than setting up a userid on this forum. Onshape's learning resources are very very well done and it is all free. I think you are limited to five free and private files (maybe they call them workspaces). After that all of your files/workspaces must be public if you want to only use the free version. This is my recommendation for someone kicking the tires and trying to learn it. If you need to keep your work private then you would need to sign up and pay. I haven't logged in in a quite a while, but it felt and acted much much more like SWX than any other system I've touched (Fusion360 and Creo (UGHH!!)).

I think it is definitely worth a look.

DennisD wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:46 pm
For all of you that are interested I recommend you get an account. It is no more difficult than setting up a userid on this forum. Onshape's learning resources are very very well done and it is all free. I think you are limited to five free and private files (maybe they call them workspaces). After that all of your files/workspaces must be public if you want to only use the free version. This is my recommendation for someone kicking the tires and trying to learn it. If you need to keep your work private then you would need to sign up and pay. I haven't logged in in a quite a while, but it felt and acted much much more like SWX than any other system I've touched (Fusion360 and Creo (UGHH!!)).

I think it is definitely worth a look.

Uhhh, wait what!? Onshape has a "Free Version" not a "Trial version"? IE I can use it forever like F360. The "Limitations" are limited to whether you files are private or public?

MJuric wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:22 pm

DennisD wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:46 pm
For all of you that are interested I recommend you get an account. It is no more difficult than setting up a userid on this forum. Onshape's learning resources are very very well done and it is all free. I think you are limited to five free and private files (maybe they call them workspaces). After that all of your files/workspaces must be public if you want to only use the free version. This is my recommendation for someone kicking the tires and trying to learn it. If you need to keep your work private then you would need to sign up and pay. I haven't logged in in a quite a while, but it felt and acted much much more like SWX than any other system I've touched (Fusion360 and Creo (UGHH!!)).

I think it is definitely worth a look.

Uhhh, wait what!? Onshape has a "Free Version" not a "Trial version"? IE I can use it forever like F360. The "Limitations" are limited to whether you files are private or public?

Yes. The free version is unlimited in time or capability. That is their way to get you to try it. Here is their pricing structure: https://www.onshape.com/cad-pricing
At the bottom of the page you will see their "Public Plan" for Hobbyists and Makers.

Also, here is a link to their learning page: https://learn.onshape.com/

DennisD wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:43 pm

MJuric wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:22 pm

DennisD wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:46 pm
For all of you that are interested I recommend you get an account. It is no more difficult than setting up a userid on this forum. Onshape's learning resources are very very well done and it is all free. I think you are limited to five free and private files (maybe they call them workspaces). After that all of your files/workspaces must be public if you want to only use the free version. This is my recommendation for someone kicking the tires and trying to learn it. If you need to keep your work private then you would need to sign up and pay. I haven't logged in in a quite a while, but it felt and acted much much more like SWX than any other system I've touched (Fusion360 and Creo (UGHH!!)).

I think it is definitely worth a look.

Uhhh, wait what!? Onshape has a "Free Version" not a "Trial version"? IE I can use it forever like F360. The "Limitations" are limited to whether you files are private or public?

Yes. The free version is unlimited in time or capability. That is their way to get you to try it. Here is their pricing structure: https://www.onshape.com/cad-pricing
At the bottom of the page you will see their "Public Plan" for Hobbyists and Makers.

Also, here is a link to their learning page: https://learn.onshape.com/

Nice, I have no idea why everyone doesn't do this either by providing limited functionality or something else. I think making all your files public is a nice way to do it. That way they can look at the files you're making and decide whether or not you're actually a hobbiest or running a business.

This is why companies give away their hardware to schools. People use them and then when it comes time to buy something....guess what they buy.

MJuric wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 3:04 pm

DennisD wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:43 pm

MJuric wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:22 pm

Uhhh, wait what!? Onshape has a "Free Version" not a "Trial version"? IE I can use it forever like F360. The "Limitations" are limited to whether you files are private or public?

Yes. The free version is unlimited in time or capability. That is their way to get you to try it. Here is their pricing structure: https://www.onshape.com/cad-pricing
At the bottom of the page you will see their "Public Plan" for Hobbyists and Makers.

Also, here is a link to their learning page: https://learn.onshape.com/

Nice, I have no idea why everyone doesn't do this either by providing limited functionality or something else. I think making all your files public is a nice way to do it. That way they can look at the files you're making and decide whether or not you're actually a hobbiest or running a business.

This is why companies give away their hardware to schools. People use them and then when it comes time to buy something....guess what they buy.

Matt, it is even better than that. If you have any private files you control who can access them. If you need help from Onshape you can grant them access. If you have a paid account and someone else only has a free account you can still grant that person(s) access to your private files.

Onshape does not look at what you are doing unless you ask them to. If you are doing anything for business or in anyway is proprietary then you would want the paid account to maintain that security and control.

I agree with you that it is a great philosophy.

DennisD wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 3:26 pm

MJuric wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 3:04 pm

DennisD wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:43 pm

Yes. The free version is unlimited in time or capability. That is their way to get you to try it. Here is their pricing structure: https://www.onshape.com/cad-pricing
At the bottom of the page you will see their "Public Plan" for Hobbyists and Makers.

Also, here is a link to their learning page: https://learn.onshape.com/

Nice, I have no idea why everyone doesn't do this either by providing limited functionality or something else. I think making all your files public is a nice way to do it. That way they can look at the files you're making and decide whether or not you're actually a hobbiest or running a business.

This is why companies give away their hardware to schools. People use them and then when it comes time to buy something....guess what they buy.

Matt, it is even better than that. If you have any private files you control who can access them. If you need help from Onshape you can grant them access. If you have a paid account and someone else only has a free account you can still grant that person(s) access to your private files.

Onshape does not look at what you are doing unless you ask them to. If you are doing anything for business or in anyway is proprietary then you would want the paid account to maintain that security and control.

I agree with you that it is a great philosophy.

I'm definitely going to take a look when I get a chance. I used F360 for a short while and found it a bit lacking even for simple projects. Ended up starting it over in SW just to get it done.

I'd really like to have something available to use at home for those "Around the house" projects but I'm not paying 5K to SW for the priviledge.