3 ms·

The headline says Bento3D is a web tool that allows you to create 3D printable dividers and toolboxes with millimeter precision. Is the "millimete

by mg 2y ago

The headline says Bento3D is a web tool that allows you to create 3D printable dividers and toolboxes with millimeter precision. Is the "millimeter" precision noteworthy? This is kind of a CAD program, right? Why would it have trouble with any precision? Isn't it just juggling numbers?

serf 2y ago
it's noteworthy because a lot of similar solutions using OpenSCAD (progmatic on-demand creation of boxes/containers) are written poorly, and in many cases they only allow an arbitrary precision as set by the authors. >This is kind of a CAD program, right? Why would it have trouble with any precision? Isn't it just juggling numbers? this one kind of made me laugh only because of my familiarity with the history of CAD programs and what poor tasting dog-food has been served. There is a long history of conversion errors, process errors, arbitrary formats and unit types, whatever. A CAD program that truly 'juggles numbers' is the holy grail, and the high tech solutions nowadays are getting pretty close to getting it right -- but it's been a journey and they're still not really there; every CAD suite has a list of no-nos that must always be kept in mind, and they're not engineering/science no-nos, they're "it'll break the software when I try to create a chamfer around this type of edge." kind of no-nos that are quirky and specific.
- aredox 2y ago
  On the other hand, this here is just a program to design a box...
- atoav 2y ago
  To be honest I'd also assume to be able to create arbitrarily sized boxes. Last time I used OpenSCAD I didn't notice any arbitrary precision limitations — maybe the ones who expose interfaces to the web have them, but even there I don't seen how anything but millimeters would make sense (then again I live in Europe).
  - pbronez 2y ago
    I’m also a content OpenSCAD user. I had zero 3D design experience when I bought my first 3D printer. OpenSCAD let me use my coding skills to program shapes for printing. I find the code-first approach much easier to reason about than graphics-first software. Similarly, mm precision has been fine. All my dimensions are specified in mm, and parts come off the printer at the scale intended. I’ve also had good luck with some open source OpenSCAD programs, particularly in the Gridfinity ecosystem. OpenSCAD could use some polish, and perhaps a better packaging system, but it’s a reliable tool for me.
    - badcppdev 2y ago
      Halfway through the Gridfinity intro video and I've come back to thank you. (I'm also already exhausted from the level of manic energy from Zach but I'll try drinking two cups of coffee and hope that gets me to the end)
      - steve_adams_86 2y ago
        I enjoy his energy so much, but it might be because we’ve both got ADHD and his pace, unnecessary divergences from the topic, alliteration, and absurdist humour gratifies my attention span and keeps me focused. That might seem counter intuitive.
        philsnow 2y ago
        I about had a stroke when I got to 11m54s in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra_9zU-mnl8#t=11m54s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra_9zU-mnl8#t=11m54s ; I think this is the correct transcription of that sentence: > I did a whole episode on how more printers' printers print prints for printers' printers than printers print prints for printed projects
    - 15155 2y ago
      Cadquery is what you are looking for.
    - 2y ago
wakeupcall 2y ago
I also find that line hilarious, but maybe it's intended as in "size adjustable down to the millimeter". CAD programs are generally unitless. You can design a box with OpenSCAD "down to a micrometer" if you want. Designing a joint that works well also will poorly 3d-printed parts is usually what matters, but it's not like we're lacking customizable solutions: https://www.printables.com/model/757297 https://www.printables.com/model/757297 (not detracting from the website.. just commenting on the headline)
- sahruum9 2y ago
  The STL format is unitless, as is OpenSCAD, but the vast majority of CAD software uses units.
chakintosh 2y ago
I'm guessing for when you want to use these in drawers.
jareklupinski 2y ago
> Is the "millimeter" precision noteworthy? I think they wanted to highlight the unit they chose for their exported drawings. > Isn't it just juggling numbers? it is, until you have to hand your plans off to someone else to work with in their toolchain every time I want my local laser cutting shop to cut my piece correctly, I have to export my drawing from my CAD suite as a DXF, open Inkscape, set the page size to something physical like A4, import the DXF, align it on the physical page, then print the result as a PDF. This is the only way that the laser shop reliably receives a properly scaled drawing. Any deviation from this procedure has led to wasted time and material.
evan_ 2y ago
It's to draw contrast to "design systems" like Gridfinity, which is based on boxes that are multiples of 42mm on each side. There are tradeoffs between the two approaches, with no real "right" answer. Gridfinity trades some flexibility for compatibility, the 42mm squares mean you can move the gridfinity boxes on a base without reprinting anything. This gives you much more flexibility, but if you want to change the size of one part you'll have to reprint a bunch of things.

by mg 2y ago

serf 2y ago

it's noteworthy because a lot of similar solutions using OpenSCAD (progmatic on-demand creation of boxes/containers) are written poorly, and in many cases they only allow an arbitrary precision as set by the authors. >This is kind of a CAD program, right? Why would it have trouble with any precision? Isn't it just juggling numbers? this one kind of made me laugh only because of my familiarity with the history of CAD programs and what poor tasting dog-food has been served. There is a long history of conversion errors, process errors, arbitrary formats and unit types, whatever. A CAD program that truly 'juggles numbers' is the holy grail, and the high tech solutions nowadays are getting pretty close to getting it right -- but it's been a journey and they're still not really there; every CAD suite has a list of no-nos that must always be kept in mind, and they're not engineering/science no-nos, they're "it'll break the software when I try to create a chamfer around this type of edge." kind of no-nos that are quirky and specific.

aredox 2y ago
On the other hand, this here is just a program to design a box...
atoav 2y ago
To be honest I'd also assume to be able to create arbitrarily sized boxes. Last time I used OpenSCAD I didn't notice any arbitrary precision limitations — maybe the ones who expose interfaces to the web have them, but even there I don't seen how anything but millimeters would make sense (then again I live in Europe).
- pbronez 2y ago
  I’m also a content OpenSCAD user. I had zero 3D design experience when I bought my first 3D printer. OpenSCAD let me use my coding skills to program shapes for printing. I find the code-first approach much easier to reason about than graphics-first software. Similarly, mm precision has been fine. All my dimensions are specified in mm, and parts come off the printer at the scale intended. I’ve also had good luck with some open source OpenSCAD programs, particularly in the Gridfinity ecosystem. OpenSCAD could use some polish, and perhaps a better packaging system, but it’s a reliable tool for me.
  - badcppdev 2y ago
    Halfway through the Gridfinity intro video and I've come back to thank you. (I'm also already exhausted from the level of manic energy from Zach but I'll try drinking two cups of coffee and hope that gets me to the end)
    - steve_adams_86 2y ago
      I enjoy his energy so much, but it might be because we’ve both got ADHD and his pace, unnecessary divergences from the topic, alliteration, and absurdist humour gratifies my attention span and keeps me focused. That might seem counter intuitive.
      - philsnow 2y ago
        I about had a stroke when I got to 11m54s in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra_9zU-mnl8#t=11m54s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra_9zU-mnl8#t=11m54s ; I think this is the correct transcription of that sentence: > I did a whole episode on how more printers' printers print prints for printers' printers than printers print prints for printed projects
  - 15155 2y ago
    Cadquery is what you are looking for.
  - 2y ago

wakeupcall 2y ago

I also find that line hilarious, but maybe it's intended as in "size adjustable down to the millimeter". CAD programs are generally unitless. You can design a box with OpenSCAD "down to a micrometer" if you want. Designing a joint that works well also will poorly 3d-printed parts is usually what matters, but it's not like we're lacking customizable solutions: https://www.printables.com/model/757297 https://www.printables.com/model/757297 (not detracting from the website.. just commenting on the headline)

sahruum9 2y ago
The STL format is unitless, as is OpenSCAD, but the vast majority of CAD software uses units.

chakintosh 2y ago

I'm guessing for when you want to use these in drawers.

jareklupinski 2y ago

> Is the "millimeter" precision noteworthy? I think they wanted to highlight the unit they chose for their exported drawings. > Isn't it just juggling numbers? it is, until you have to hand your plans off to someone else to work with in their toolchain every time I want my local laser cutting shop to cut my piece correctly, I have to export my drawing from my CAD suite as a DXF, open Inkscape, set the page size to something physical like A4, import the DXF, align it on the physical page, then print the result as a PDF. This is the only way that the laser shop reliably receives a properly scaled drawing. Any deviation from this procedure has led to wasted time and material.

evan_ 2y ago

It's to draw contrast to "design systems" like Gridfinity, which is based on boxes that are multiples of 42mm on each side. There are tradeoffs between the two approaches, with no real "right" answer. Gridfinity trades some flexibility for compatibility, the 42mm squares mean you can move the gridfinity boxes on a base without reprinting anything. This gives you much more flexibility, but if you want to change the size of one part you'll have to reprint a bunch of things.