Should I continue with the FirstCadLibrary ?

[Tristan Lall]

One thing I value—and I know Ed values as well—is accuracy.

Essentially all of the parts on FirstCadLibrary are carefully modelled with accurate dimensions and proportions. This is especially difficult with things like motors (that have a large number of complicated features).

While designs using the simplest motors and the provided gearboxes don't really need to pay much attention to the minor aspects of the shape of a motor, occasionally FIRST gives us something like the Bosch/Scintilla drill motor (2003 and 2004) that has features that are non-obviously important to some designs (diameter of round holes on face, thickness of case, position, diameter and depth of side holes, etc.). In a situation like that, I want to be able to depend on my CAD model to give me good information, so that I can make parts without worrying too much about how it will fit.

Even though I have the ability to measure it and model it for myself, it saves me time to have a reliable source for models. Since CAD can sometimes be a limiting factor in producing accurate parts (e.g. when you have a fast machining method provided by a good supplier), every advantage in the drafting process is worthwhile.

So accuracy is a priority for me: if it's not a good model, I don't even want to know it exists!

[R.C.]

Originally Posted by Tristan Lall

One thing I value—and I know Ed values as well—is accuracy.

Essentially all of the parts on FirstCadLibrary are carefully modelled with accurate dimensions and proportions. This is especially difficult with things like motors (that have a large number of complicated features).

While designs using the simplest motors and the provided gearboxes don't really need to pay much attention to the minor aspects of the shape of a motor, occasionally FIRST gives us something like the Bosch/Scintilla drill motor (2003 and 2004) that has features that are non-obviously important to some designs (diameter of round holes on face, thickness of case, position, diameter and depth of side holes, etc.). In a situation like that, I want to be able to depend on my CAD model to give me good information, so that I can make parts without worrying too much about how it will fit.

Even though I have the ability to measure it and model it for myself, it saves me time to have a reliable source for models. Since CAD can sometimes be a limiting factor in producing accurate parts (e.g. when you have a fast machining method provided by a good supplier), every advantage in the drafting process is worthwhile.

So accuracy is a priority for me: if it's not a good model, I don't even want to know it exists!

Tristan,

I do agree accuracy is important and its great that only one person draws it. But then your limited by how much content is available. Then that offers no room for other people to contribute.

Maybe Ed or I or a group of people could be mods and check each model that goes up?


-RC

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Ed,
Just from the shear number of team members who have told me they use the library, I would like to keep it up. You may not hear it enough, but people have used it. Do you track activity? That might give you a better idea.

[ajlapp]

Keep it up.

I use it regularly.

The models are very accurate and we've been using them for FIRST projects from day one.

Thank you for the hard work.

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by ajlapp

Keep it up.

I use it regularly.

The models are very accurate and we've been using them for FIRST projects from day one.

Thank you for the hard work.

Ditto x100. I use Ed's CAD library weekly. I also use RC's often.

Andy Baker

[Alex Cormier]

Originally Posted by ajlapp

Keep it up.

I use it regularly.

The models are very accurate and we've been using them for FIRST projects from day one.

Thank you for the hard work.

Yup, I would say the same.

[kramarczyk]

Yes, yes, yes, please continue! Your work is wonderful and highly educational. Thanks for all of your efforts.

[Jeff Pahl]

Ed-

It's the first place I look for models. Like the others, I feel it's a valuable resource.

[joek]

Originally Posted by Jeff Pahl

Ed-

It's the first place I look for models. Like the others, I feel it's a valuable resource.

me too, heck, where else can one fond such a collection of obscure robot parts modeled in several programs.... keep it going!

[sanddrag]

I've enjoyed FIRST CAD Library for several years, and still do. If it isn't too much trouble or cost, I'd really like to see it stay. A lot of the models are still very useful, even just as educational tools. I even like the somewhat older-fashioned website. I really appreciate everything you've done for the community with that site, and I hope it sticks around for a while longer.

[Ed Sparks]

Thanks everyone for the comments.

I'll renew the domain, update some of the older models, and add some new models. I know the "Look" is a little dated and I'll put some effort to that too. I wrote some ASP scripts when I started this website that automate the pages so I kind of hate to re-do all of that. As is, I just drop the files in my account and add an entry to a database file and ..... presto ...... the pages are generated.

I'm not totally against the concept of a group effort, but It would have to be a select group of contributers. My #1 concern is accuracy. I just hate using a model in a design just to discover later that a critical feature is missing or misplaced. Most, if not all of the models I post are there because I have the part in hand and I know it's complete. The 2nd thing is that I like to use an older version of Inventor (v10) to generate my models. As most of you know, Inventor is not backward compatible and this becomes a problem if you want to use a native Inventor file from the current Autodesk kit of parts in an older version of Inventor. I know, you could use one of the generic formats, but it's just no issue for me to use a "mature" version of Inventor.


If you have any specific requests, please post them and I'll do what I can.