cadcamstuff articles

Jun 27, 2018
1 min

Understand Generative Design – 1 minute read

To make you comfortable: If you know Inventor, Fusion 360, SolidWorks or any of the other mainstream CAD packages, you know that everything starts with a 2D sketch that then gets extruded into a 3D shape. And, with enough practice, you can model just about anything you want, as long as you know what the best design will look like. To make you even more comfortable: Generative Design is super easy to use, AND it does not care if you dont know what the best design should look l

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Don’t Trade Your Bandsaw For a Metal 3D Printer- 1 Minute Read

Lars Christensen

May 3, 2018
1 min

Don’t Trade Your Bandsaw For a Metal 3D Printer- 1 Minute Read

Most of us believe that new technology replaces old. New CNC machine in, old Bridgeport out. But did you know that your old dusty bandsaw might become one of your most valuable machines next to a Metal 3D Printer? I did not. I never realized how dependent Metal 3D Printing is on old technology. For example, Powder Metal 3D Printers are welding the part directly to the build plate. That means that in most cases you need a bandsaw or the more expensive Wire EDM process to separ

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Should you know the difference between Ordinary & Generative Design? – 2 Minute Read

Lars Christensen

Apr 19, 2018
2 min

Should you know the difference between Ordinary & Generative Design? – 2 Minute Read

“Never memorize something that you can look up.”- Albert Einstein. Do you remember your childhood phone number? Most likely you do. But, what if I asked for your best friends current number? Or your brother or sister? Most of us will turn to our smartphones for that. Same thing for calendar events and driving directions. We are moving away from storing information in our head that can be accessed in a better way. Ordinary vs. Generative Design. The same is happening in the ma

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Lars Christensen

Aug 28, 2017
2 min

Best Way To Learn Autodesk Fusion 360

My hero, Tony Robbins said: “You can only learn by connecting something unknown to something you already know.” Trying to learn a new CAD/CAM software can be painful, especially if you have no idea where to find someone to connect the unknown to the known. Now, there is a place for Fusion 360 users to close the gap between the unknown and known… The Getting Started Portal: https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/get-started I can still remember that Saturday afternoon i

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Lars Christensen

Apr 25, 2017
1 min

Job Shops— How About Working With An Autodesk Expert Before You Buy CAD/CAM Software?

Many will tell you that Fusion 360 is not only the latest CAD/CAM on the market but also very different…For example, different that the initial sale is not important; What is, is that you SUCCEED in using the software and continue to be successful using it. I still remember the Saturday afternoon when in frustration I throw my arms in the air and with tears in my eyes drove to Barnes&Noble to purchase SolidWorks for Dummies…What a defeat. That was when I realized that CAD & C

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Connect Design to Machining— Once Difficult, Now Easy

Lars Christensen

Aug 23, 2016
2 min

Connect Design to Machining— Once Difficult, Now Easy

There is no reason to argue the phrase “Because that is the way we have always done it…” is the stupidest reason for doing anything. However, the reason people are still holding on to this behavior is that of distrust and lack of confidence. I know that there have been times where I decided to start all over and completely re-program a part when faced with a few design changes. This is happens when there is a disconnect between design and machining. One question could be: is

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Lars Christensen

Oct 26, 2015
2 min

Is CAD in the cloud helpful or painful?

CAD software is just another tool. Today’s CAD Developers need to look beyond the latest technology and more at how people are using it. It is not about how many new functions you can fit in there. We do not have time for the latest technology if it is not helping. More can be painful. CAD in the cloud: is it painful or helpful? If CAD is just another tool we are using to get to the final result, there should only be one question; does it really fit? An example: My father-in-

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Podcast Episode 11 – Quick CAD Tip, 7 Skills Needed to be a top engineer & CAD News

3 Reasons that Autodesk has Become the Manufacturing Leader

Lars Christensen

Jul 9, 2015
3 min

3 Reasons that Autodesk has Become the Manufacturing Leader

One of the more interesting questions is; how has Autodesk developed to become the leader of manufacturing? For those unfamiliar with Autodesk, the company’s rise and current leadership developing design and engineering software has improved the technical tools and helped manufacturing. There are plenty of individuals at Autodesk who have been a big part of shaping this new industry leadership. The engineers who are creating Autodesk products have switched attention to making

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Lars Christensen

Feb 23, 2015
1 min

How do you handle design feedback?

But when someone does care enough, true constructive feedback can raise the lid. You’re design might get better, easier passing inspection and lower cost to manufacture. You can react to feedback by taking it as an attack, deflecting the blame and point fingers around you. Maybe you even point blame upward for not giving you enough time, better tools or direction. You can also act like you don’t care as much as I do. And if you don’t care, why should I? Another option: you

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The Advantage of creating a powerful design, engineering and/or manufacturing team

Lars Christensen

Jan 22, 2015
3 min

The Advantage of creating a powerful design, engineering and/or manufacturing team

If you are a leader; it’s your responsibility to help get the best out of your team. If you aren’t a leader, but consider yourself a team player; it’s your responsibility to help get the best out of your team. The end goal is the same, so stop looking at someone else to pick up the slack. You are in the driver seat, and you can be the driving force for how your team success. Imagine two teams. The first is full of team members who are open with one another, passionately debat

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The design of your world is changing, are you going to change with it?

Lars Christensen

Nov 20, 2014
6 min

The design of your world is changing, are you going to change with it?

“To venture causes anxiety, but not to venture is to lose one’s self…And to venture in the highest sense is precisely to become conscious of one’s self.” -Søren Kierkegaard I love the world we are living in. It is fast-moving and it seems like every day offers a new app or a software function you can’t picture living without. It’s change, and though change is good, many times it also can be overwhelming and a little frightening. Design and manufacturing companies are reinven

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Lars Christensen

Aug 15, 2014
3 min

You are in charge of your next design

Not all of us get to design the next sexy iPhone but that does not have to stop you from making better designs and innovate. If you stop and think about it, you have a great deal of influence on the projects you are working on. Take for example a simple fixture design for your next CNC project. Could you pick a different material, re-use old parts, or something be 3D printed?. What about function and handling, could you make it more operator friendly? You have the power to

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DFMXpress=Your FREE Design For Manufacturing Consulting inside SolidWorks

Lars Christensen

Jun 5, 2012
2 min

DFMXpress=Your FREE Design For Manufacturing Consulting inside SolidWorks

It will happen, one day you will receive a part that is nearly impossible to manufacture. Not because the part is on the “top secret out of space” difficult level, but because something as simple as an unexperienced engineer/designer did not realize that there is some physics rules that apply to make a design that actually can be manufactured in a very competitive industry. DFMXpress… SolidWorks has a nifty tool that pretty quickly can run an analysis on you part, and provide

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About Me

What I'm doing now

YouTube and Social content creation

What I'm doing now

YouTube and Social content creation

Lars Christensen

Understand Generative Design – 1 minute read

Don’t Trade Your Bandsaw For a Metal 3D Printer- 1 Minute Read

Should you know the difference between Ordinary & Generative Design? – 2 Minute Read

Best Way To Learn Autodesk Fusion 360

Job Shops— How About Working With An Autodesk Expert Before You Buy CAD/CAM Software?

Connect Design to Machining— Once Difficult, Now Easy

Is CAD in the cloud helpful or painful?

Podcast Episode 11 – Quick CAD Tip, 7 Skills Needed to be a top engineer & CAD News

3 Reasons that Autodesk has Become the Manufacturing Leader

How do you handle design feedback?

Good design…

The Advantage of creating a powerful design, engineering and/or manufacturing team

The design of your world is changing, are you going to change with it?

You are in charge of your next design

cadcamstuff corner

DFMXpress=Your FREE Design For Manufacturing Consulting inside SolidWorks