3D Design tips
Tips...
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- Always plan your robot before starting to design it. Trying to draw it first might help.
- Work organized, placing your projects and useful components inside specific folders can be helpful in the long run.
- Do not try to design everything simultaneously, go step by step and move on to another mechanism after finishing the previous one.
- It is okay to not know everything. There are many tutorials and explanations on how to use the 3D Design softwares, feel free to use them to improve yourself.
- If you need to cut a VEX component, do it on another file and save it. This way, you can use this modified component any time by just inserting it into your current design.
- Do not copy important components (C channels, L channels, etc.). If you need to cut one of these pieces, the original component can get affected too. Simply, insert the same piece into your design once again if you need another one.
- Rename the components that you use the most, this way they can be easier to find when you need them.
- You can always use the CAD files on VEX’s original website to download the components that you do not have.
- Try to focus on every detail while designing your robot. Even a single screw’s placement can change your whole design.
- Pay attention to the joint types while designing your robot, these can help you test the mechanisms later on.
- Try to create a new file every time you reach a milestone for your design. This way, if you make a mistake, you can directly go back to the previous version of your robot. The easiest way is to copy the project inside the same file after finishing certain parts of the robot.
- Save your design frequently, you would not want to lose the work that you have completed.
- If you are working with chains, creating a pattern where all chain links connect perfectly might be quite hard in a 3D Design software. To have a better connected chain, you can try to change the sprocket sizes. This way, you can alter the amount of chain links used and the path that the chain follows.
- Occasionally measure the size of your design in order to prevent your robot from exceeding the size limit.
- The mirroring tool is really useful if you want to create two symmetrical mechanisms.
- Choosing a background color while rendering your design can help it look more interesting and clear.
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