Onshape CAD for 3D Printing Tutorial

This video shows how to design simple components in Onshape, an online CAD tool. This demo focuses on making a custom enclosure for a PCB. Table of contents below:
00:00 - Introduction
00:30 - Getting started
01:13 - Changing units
01:24 - Sketches
01:58 - Creating the enclosure body
06:20 - Creating corner pillars
09:17 - Creating standoffs
12:21 - Creating hex nut indents
15:05 - Variables
15:37 - Rollback bar
17:57 - Creating the enclosure cover
20:39 - Chamfer tool
21:32 - Fillet tool
22:56 - Creating further cutouts
23:47 - Assembly
26:09 - Exporting files for 3D printing
26:40 - Conclusion

[@jwrtiger]

Very good instructional video. Logical progression and you explained everything in a precise manner. Thanks!

[@christiansoderlund664]

A perfect tutorial for a beginner like me! Thank you very much!

[@dsbarf]

Really great and comprehensive tutorial, thanks!

[@IlyaMikhelson]

I'm really glad to help!

[@christopherstaton8940]

Thank you, very clear and concise instructions.

[@SpectreTTM]

Great Video. Covered quite a bit that I had not used before. ( Variables, Simple assembly, & export)

[@edmundjr.salcedo7854]

Hi, I've been using blender for my 3D printing design. I just started using Onshape and this is a great quick rundown on the essentials to get started. Thank you so much!

[@7Westwood]

Amazing Tutorial, I am totally new to Onshape, after watching your tutorial I have so much confidence that I can learn it. Thank You!

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Excellent! That makes me really happy :)

[@dmlavign]

Very good tutorial!! I am a newbie and I really appreciated all of the steps that were shown in the video! I can see that some expert designers had some pointers to making things go smoother! I would think that might be a great thing to show in a part-2 video, but for somebody like me, who doesn't know anything about design, it was very easy to understand and I feel that I can do some basic things now in the program! My enclosure looks just like yours!!

[@ShieldJaguar]

Clear and concise , thank you.

[@erikslagter3231]

awesome tutorial!

[@PeterTsiampas]

Thank you for this tutorial, I learned some new things and different ways of doing it.

[@IlyaMikhelson]

I'm very glad to hear that, and I hope your project goes well!

[@loko5307]

Amazing tutorial, thank you very much! it's the best start for who is learning this tool

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@skysurferuk]

Very, very useful, thanks for posting.

[@IlyaMikhelson]

I'm glad I could help!

[@Johncoffee2002]

Agreed - excellent tutorial. Thanks a lot Ilya !

[@IlyaMikhelson]

My pleasure!

[@adriancoetzee2725]

Fantastic- really easy to follow and I learned heaps from it- Thanks

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nigelmtb]

Very very good tutorial. I was able to follow everything you did and mine worked exactly like yours. I thank you!

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Thank you for your kind words! I hope your projects are going well!

[@blitzkneisser]

Thanks, very nice tutorial to get me started!

[@IlyaMikhelson]

I'm very glad I could help!

[@lindsayferris1073]

An excellent tutorial thank you

[@vegasdealer777]

Well done! Jolly good show!!

[@peteabdu9179]

Awesome tutorial, thanks!!! :)

[@IlyaMikhelson]

I'm glad I could help!

[@barabolak]

Great tutorial!

[@IlyaMikhelson]

I'm glad I could help!

[@Emma-ru7kj]

Excellent lecture!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Thank you!

[@jeffkrueger8939]

Great tutorial, Thanks

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Glad to help!

[@newb529]

Already the easiest to understand right off the bat!

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@JoeLyddonWWR]

This is SICK SICK SICK!

[@user-un6dt3me9y]

very good tutorial~~ thanks

[@IlyaMikhelson]

I'm very glad to help!

[@Rubbernecker]

Very good video!

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Thank you!

[@ibrahimuruker]

Good job, good video, thanks for information.

[@IlyaMikhelson]

You are very welcome!

[@tolgagercek]

Very good tutorial thank you...

[@IlyaMikhelson]

You are very welcome!

[@hayzersolar]

that is so awesome

[@danielalkapols4621]

Very cool i think, goodnight

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Thank you!

[@hendrikjbboss9973]

This is an EXCELLENT presentation. OnShape should sent some of their incompetent "presenters" to this guy for training!!!

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Thank you!

[@Zardwark]

Very useful tutorial. I am *very* new to onshape but a) custom enclosures are a great way to start and b) variables are your friends and dimensions can be formula. In my enclosure I used the wall thickness variable to calculate the center point of the holes. So if I want the walls 1.5 mm the position of the holes changes accordingly. Similarly the pillars for the holes are a function of the screw diameter. So...I want my box 50x20 with M3 screws and voila. Next box 20x20 2 screws and abracadabra! Very handy, Some good other tips in there as well.

[@stevenphang3322]

Very Helpful

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Thank you!

[@config2000]

At 12:02 I would recommend choosing "Through all" instead of the "Blind" option and having to put a mesurement. That way you can change things later without having to think about updating the 'through all' holes.

[@user-gd1iu4pb7n]

Excellent tutorial!! I would have loved to see you add some threads on the four screw holes.

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Thank you! I've tried threading, but the print always ends up horrible, especially with fine threads. Maybe I need a new printer...

[@khalidhashimeh]

Cool stuff man..I would use edit in context when making the lid for the box..

[@config2000]

BTW I should add that OnShape is really super. I use SolidWorks at my work place and OnShape eats it up in many ways.

[@config2000]

Instead of messing around with creating a 1mm wall just click Shell then select the top face. Enter 1mm and you are done.

[@IlyaMikhelson]

That is a great suggestion! My goal was to show a variety of generalizable tools. However, your approach is indeed quicker and easier for this purpose.

[@config2000]

Thanks. There's also another tip as good practice. When you have same dimension edges (like 5x5mm) then you can dimension one of them, then select both edges and use equals. So, when you change one dim anything else linked is also updated.

[@config2000]

As another example, when you create the cutout circles at 3mm dia, you only need to dimension one of them, then select all of the circles, then click the equal coincident (or press e). Quick and convenient.

[@Rubbernecker]

OMFG, config2000 is a goddamned genius!!!

[@BaKer312213]

super

[@gaildomiano2402]

Can you help me with reducing a finished design? I have a finished item that I would like to copy and then reduce the copy to a different scale. Thank you

[@markwinton8555]

Maybe you could have used the DERIVE Function for the Lid ?

[@HighlandViolinist]

I don't understand how you are finding the center at 4:53. Whenever I hover my mouse over the edges, that option does not show up at all.

[@IlyaMikhelson]

Are you dragging your mouse along the edge slowly?

[@tswdev]

Hi. I have a problem when printing where the outer part has correct dimensions but the inner part is way off. (I made a cylinder with 3mm thickness) The inner diameter was measured with caliper from a real part and I used that to create the shell but when printed the inner diameter was too small and the real part didn’t fit. The outside was fine though. Is there a trick to solve this problem? What am I doing wrong? (I did scale the part in all axis to 100.5% to account for PLA shrinkage)

[@DanVanDamme]

I know this was two years ago, but do you recall what you did wrong? I’m looking into getting into 3D printing myself.

[@tswdev]

@@DanVanDamme Hi, yes. So, basically, theres a setting called "horizontal size compensation" in Simplify3D that you can use to fix it. It varies from printer to printer too and its sort of part of the calibration process for a printer. In addition, you should by default make sure theres is "clearance" on holes and thats even with a perfectly calibrated printer. Theres multiple guides online for this. The most basic one is the "XY Cube calibration" but check this video: watch?v=dbWAhb40kG4 or some similar. Unfortunately, it involves a lot of trial and error until your printer is "right-ish"

[@DanVanDamme]

@@tswdev thank you! Very helpful.

[@hammershigh]

I am not capable of making the nuts on the bottum constrained...

[@murray2225]

Why not just shell?

[@IlyaMikhelson]

I prefer the method I presented because I want full control of the thickness of every wall. However, you are correct that using "shell" would be easier with the example I used.

[@marktwainabl]

Ilya Mikhelson If you want to have different thicknesses you can still thicken each side individually afterwards.

[@IlyaMikhelson]

That's true, but wouldn't that result in more operations? With my method, you have a single sketch that contains all the wall thicknesses. It is, of course, just a matter of preference.

[@gladand]

14:32 deez NUTS

[@JoeLyddonWWR]

I just signed up... I click Sketch & do rectangle... Supposed to define Dimensions... Does NOT Work! I thought this was going to be EASY based on the Tutorial Video... NOT!! I am just as frustrated as I was when trying Fusion 360! VERY FRUSTRATING! Why can't ANYTHING go RIGHT from watching this video?!??? The program has probably been changed making this video Obsolete... Yes? Now what? PUNT? Thank you

[@IlyaMikhelson]

I agree that using such programs can be frustrating, so I am happy to help! After you draw any shape, don't forget to select the Dimension tool at the top. Then, you can click on any edge and drag out the dimension. After you select where to place the dimension, you should be able to modify it. I hope this helps!