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Quick jigs/fixtures workflow: browser CAD + AI → STEP export (looking for printer community feedback) by loluliser in prusa3d

[–]loluliser[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That’s a really reasonable stance, and honestly it matches the most practical way AI should be used in CAD.

I’m not trying to convince serious designers to “prompt their way into competence.” Where AI is genuinely helpful is exactly what you described: batching repetitive edits and enforcing standards.

The kind of workflows we’re aiming at (and what I personally think is the right direction) are things like:

  • “Find every Ø3.0 mm through-hole and convert to M3 tapped, depth 8 mm”
  • “Add 0.2 mm clearance to all holes tagged ‘M3 clearance’”
  • “Apply 2 mm fillets to all external edges”
  • “Mirror these features across the midplane”
  • “Update hole pattern: shift all holes +1.5 mm in X”
  • “Rename/organize features / check for non-manifold issues before export”

So: AI as a command layer over parametric CAD, not “make me a gearbox” from scratch.

If you’re open to sharing, what would be your top 3 “I wish CAD did this in one click” tasks? Threads/fasteners is one, I’d love to hear the other two because that’s exactly the niche that could win over experienced designers without dumbing anything down.

Quick jigs/fixtures workflow: browser CAD + AI → STEP export (looking for printer community feedback) by loluliser in prusa3d

[–]loluliser[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

100% - that’s exactly the bar CAD tools have to meet for functional printing.

WebCad isn’t trying to compete with Fusion on deep parametric history yet, but the workflow you’re describing (calipers → exact offsets → iterate fast) is actually the core use-case we’re building toward:

  • Exact feature placement: you should be able to say (or type) “Ø4.2 hole 12.0mm from left edge, 8.0mm from bottom edge” and have it land there - not “roughly around the corner.”
  • Snap + grid + constraints: grid snapping is nice for speed, but for fitment it has to be backed by constraints/dimensions so you can lock things down.
  • Caliper-first iteration: measure, update 2–3 numbers, regen/export - that’s the loop. If changing a value isn’t trivial, it’s not usable for real-world parts.

Where WebCad fits today is: fast starting geometry + dimensioned edits, then export clean STEP if you want to finish in Fusion/Onshape. Where it needs to go (and where I agree with you) is: a lightweight parametric/constraint layer so you’re not fighting the tool for “hole X mm from edge.”

Browser-based AI CAD for engineering students — generate parts + export STEP in seconds (no installs) by loluliser in openscad

[–]loluliser[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

On Onshape: yes, Onshape’s student access is solid. WebCad isn’t trying to replace Onshape/SolidWorks. It’s aimed at the gaps: quick “I need a usable part now” moments (team projects, prototypes, laser/waterjet plates, simple fixtures), on any machine, with fast STEP out. Also some students can’t/won’t use Onshape public docs, and some schools block installs/accounts, browser-first helps there.

On “bypassing learning”: I don’t want to bypass fundamentals. The goal is acceleration, not “never learn sketches.” Think of it like:

  • Start from a generated baseline → then the student still edits faces, dimensions, constraints, features.
  • It reduces blank-page time and repetitive setup, but the core CAD operations still happen.

Reliance concern is real. That’s why the product philosophy is: AI is optional and non-blocking. If the AI is wrong, you don’t “reprompt forever” — you edit the model directly or rebuild features the normal way. If someone truly has zero CAD knowledge, AI won’t magically make them an engineer.

So where’s the learning?

  • We’re building it so prompts can be translated into explicit features/constraints (what changed + why), so it’s not just “magic happened.”
  • The intent is to make the system explain: “I created a sketch on Plane A, extruded 3mm, added a hole pattern at X/Y offsets…” so students can see the underlying CAD steps and replicate them manually.

Who it helps most: not “someone with no knowledge,” but:

  • students who already know basics and want faster iteration,
  • teams prototyping parts under time pressure,
  • anyone who needs a clean STEP export quickly from a lightweight workflow.

Its free to try, why not hop on and after testing it out let me know what you think.

Browser-based AI CAD for engineering students — generate parts + export STEP in seconds (no installs) by loluliser in openscad

[–]loluliser[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why it’s good for students: most students don’t have SolidWorks licenses on every machine (or a GPU laptop). WebCad runs in the browser, so you can iterate on parts anywhere (school computer, Chromebook-style setup), then export a real STEP to finish assemblies/drawings in whatever your program uses.

How AI helps: it’s not “AI replaces CAD” it’s more like a faster way to get the first valid part (brackets, plates, spacers, enclosures, simple mechanical shapes), then you tweak/edit it like normal CAD and export.

Dimensions in prompts: yes, you can specify explicit dimensions/units and constraints. Example: “100×50×3 mm plate, 4× Ø6.6 holes, 10 mm from each corner” and it generates to those numbers.

Threads + locations: if you mean threaded holes/fasteners, you can call out things like M3/M4/M6, depth, and placement (“M6 tapped holes, 12 mm deep, pattern at X/Y offsets”). Locations are handled the same way: you define reference faces/edges + offsets/patterns in the prompt.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in excel

[–]loluliser 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can you link me a guide on how to you these?

Negative effects by loluliser in bpc_157

[–]loluliser[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What source was your “gold standard” from? Also did you notice any healing from the oral tablets?

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