Stud.io - How is the Technic building experience?

[Carsten Svendsen]

I have model that I would like to digitise (see signature) and it will be a lot of work. I will have to take the model apart to create the 3D model, and thus, I would like to make subsections as I go along of which I can create instructions for later. Is this easy enough to do post build, or do I have to do this from the beginning..? Which in turn would be extremely time consuming if not impossible.

My concern is that there's so many specific connections that are random angles and how easy is it to model something like this? How about flexible hoses? Pneumatic hoses? Wires? Even chain links, are all of these easy enough to work with or do I need to wait a few more years before this program is usable?

Are there any experts out there who might want to give me a crash course in using this program? I have used it a little bit a few years ago, but found it quite tricky to align anything on axles, there was no snap, and also anything that goes in a hole in a multi-layer MOC was super frustrating as the pin/axle would jump between the holes depending on the view orientation. I found Sariels SR3D Builder so much more user friendly to work with technic models.

Edited December 5, 2021 by Carsten Svendsen

[1963maniac]

I would also like to know the answers to these questions. I'm still old school using MLCAD with LPUB3D. I still cannot do flexible parts. I usually just insert a picture for flexible parts. I see many building instructions that also do not model flexible parts for technic models. If Stud.io can do this, I would surely like to know how it's done! LDCAD is a program that can do flexible parts. But, that doesn't mean it's easy.

[arieben]

As a lego CAD noob, I'm finding stud.io to be pretty intuitive and i've been able to build a number of solid constructions including stuff at weird angles. There is a lot of manual adjustment needed, turning on/off collission constantly, but it works. The random snapping is annoying but can be mitigated by hiding surrounding parts from view.

This is just what I've figured out from a few days of tinkering with it, I would personally love to know more. I do see people using flexible parts in stud.io but I have seen no tutorial on how to do it, nor have i tried it myself. Maybe later today I will mess around with that and report back..

An overall tutorial would be great though - there are surprisingly few resources regarding the program. I tried their discord but it is rather inactive.

Edit: did find this. not much on technic unfortunately.

 

Edited December 5, 2021 by arieben

[Toastie]

@Carsten Svendsen and @1963maniac

Hmmm.

Stud.io with all the bells and whistles - I have no idea.

I use it solely for rendering of final models, which is simply amazing.

"Sometimes" it is a pain in the butt to get an MLCAD model in there - just because a few nano-meters were misaligned in MLCAD/LDRAW - but it would also not "click" into the right position, when moving that piece a bit around. I am sure this was judged as "illegal" by Stud.io. And maybe it was "illegal". Not in the real build, as it was/is real. And works.  So I don't care.

I am also very old school. MLCAD is my world - with LSynth installed (http://www.holly-wood.it/index-en.html) - browse to LSynth.

Installing LSynth is also old-school. The way it works also. Old school in the sense of: You have to do it all. No automatics here. You tell your LDRAW file how the chain/hose/tube etc etc should look like - and LSynth will do it. Exactly as you - manually - modeled it. It is quite elaborate - but you can bend hoses to a degree, that even does not work in reality. LView (another CLASSIC) as well as PovRay render these synthesized parts perfectly.

Summary: MLCAD lets you build your model without any restrictions. And no collision checking. And no click snap plop whooosh - nothing. It is up to you. For hinges: Go to 300% magnification, make the rotation point visible, move it to the location you want it, rotated the corresponding part around this very point. Every angle is possible. Realistic or not. Cheating is entirely possible (assuming a part is a bit out of "legality"). Perfect for me. And my models. I love it. It is much more manual work, but in the end it works. And LView will render it. So will PovRay.

Best,
Thorsten

 

 

[Carsten Svendsen]

7 hours ago, arieben said:

An overall tutorial would be great though - there are surprisingly few resources regarding the program. I tried their discord but it is rather inactive.

Edit: did find this. not much on technic unfortunately.

[VIDEO]

I checked out his videos just now and there is some useful information there for sure, it's quite dated though, so I'm not sure if it's still as valid. But I learnt something for sure. And tutorials would be great yes, it seems technic is a big minority when it comes to digital modeling.

 

6 hours ago, Toastie said:

I am also very old school. MLCAD is my world - with LSynth installed (http://www.holly-wood.it/index-en.html) - browse to LSynth.

I appreciate your feedback. I have already tried using MLCAD more than a handful of times and every time I try it out it frustrates me to no end. I don't know if it's the old as interface or the work area or what, but it is not for me, however powerful it might be unfortunately.

Edited December 6, 2021 by Carsten Svendsen

[Carsten Svendsen]

Some things I found and have reported on the Studio forum:

 

[Philo]

My personal recommendation is LDCad (http://www.melkert.net/LDCad), very practical for building, especially for Technic stuff. See for exemple my virtual build of 42131 bulldozer... It also allows relatively easy creation of flexible parts such as cables or hoses.

[1963maniac]

I agree with toastie and would add that I have had problems with Stud,io and certain parts not rendering sometimes. I don't know why and I don't figure it out, i just go back to MLCAD. I have not had these problems with LDCAD.

LDCAD is probably easier to use than stud.io, especially for flexible parts. I have not mastered either one.

Her are some links for LDCAD on flexible parts modeling: http://www.melkert.net/LDCad/docs/advEdit and