Do the DM computers all have the Adobe licenses? Figured this would be best to line up with the Adobe licenses since they integrate so well.
DM has Adobe licenses and we’ve taught most of if not all the Adobe classes over the years that I know of. So it should fit in nicely.
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Here’s some of the software
https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/Tools#PC_Software_Stack
Digital Media has the best software stack in the space for design, AI, CAD/CAM, VR/AR & engineering in the space. It is also the most updated. Made a big push over the last year to design the computers in mind to design for every machine in every committee area across the entire Makerspace.
We also go over how to login to makerspace resources, file storage, AD permissions & Adobe in the 101 class. In addition we explain what program is useful for what type of task you are trying to learn or accomplish. Like parametric vs mesh modeling. Vector graphics vs image. AI. Video. VR/AR stuff like that. Plus which software to use for every machine in the space. Laser, 3DFab, multicam, dynatourch, cutter, Machine shop.
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Sounds like your covering a lot more than we use to. When is your next class? Would be interesting to sit in on.
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What about Fusion 360? Is that under Digital Media? I want to see if we can get free license to use Generative Design from them, that would be really cool. I’m pretty proficient at it at this point. I could teach that.
We really do not need all the CAD/CAM software to be in Digital Media.
That’s not the prime use for it at DMS.
Nor the black hole down which we want it to disappear…
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Actually the CAD/CAM software does fall under Digital Media. The idea being a central committee housing/teaching the software used all across the Makerspace. Digital Media use to regularly teach everything from Fusion360 to Adobe/Vector Graphics.
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Since we use Fusion360 and several other tools for 3D printing, the HAAS, the MultiCam, etc, I’m not at all sure that’s a good arrangement.
Certainly not at all what I thought Digital Media did.
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Like you point out, they have their uses across many different committees. While no one would stop a particular committee from teaching it, having Fusion360 being taught across so many different committees would distract each committee from teaching more specialized classes.
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So the CAM portion on Fusion 360 has switched recently. If you have the personal edition, it is a limited time offer for the CAM. So we need to be looking at other options as well for CAM.
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Might be time to switch to something like FreeCAD. Not as polished as the commercial products, but open source.
There is a CAM plugin for it as well.
Yes we have fusion 360, inventor, solid works on every computer.
We also have Netfabb for additive which we’ve been experimenting with generating advanced lattice support structures and simulating print failures ahead of time. Actually we have a fuck ton of Autodesk software
We changed the focus last year to how can we be of greater service to DMS as a whole and identified ways to help in most areas in the space one by one. It really has wide reaching benefits to making across most disciplines. I didn’t want it to be a club or click just in one area but instead try to help everyone across the space in knowledge and making. Also made it known to be available for all to teach any subject regardless of where the honorarium goes since it was the best computer lab in the space at the time and could fit 14/16 people with computers.
- 3dFab - NetFabb
- CA - Teaching Illustrator for vinyl cutter classes
- Science - VR science education lessons & Powermill for roboticarm
- Woodshoop - VR Training programs like InductVR
- Education - Worked hard on computer lab & investigated/trialed many online systems. Provided GoPros to record I think all recent educational videos
- PR - Loaned one of the GoPros to make it easier to make all the FB & Insta videos / other PR videos even though we payed dearly budget wise for them. Made the new business cards.
- Hackerspace - Offered to give a mac pro, mac mini & pc from digital media computers & tables to help it furnish and move into orange
- Laser - Setup all the new computers
- Metal - Better dynatorch design software & VR welding + Plasma training
- Machine Shop - Held solid works certified instructor training & helped everyone with fusion. Got Powermill for advanced toolpaths & 5-axis in future. FeatureCAM for CNC lathes
- Printmaking - Tried showing how to make letter press blocks with CAD & 3D printing resin
- Electronics - Loaded both Eagle and KiCAD for circuit board and electronics design. LED stuff
- Infrastructure - Put in grants for a few hundred thousand dollar SSD Western Digital Enterprise system to replace failing file server and lower electrical needs. Filled out but havent submited for Cisco grants to upgrade to $50k worth of free UPOE 5Gig Catalyst 9300 48 port switches
- Performing Arts - Helped new members organize for a new interest and help guide on how to run a committee. Help teach the future. New blood
Even went so far as to make project gant timelines, floor layouts. There’s a definite direction for the future year/s. Covid did push it back half a year though
@Josh_Melnick
Try installing all the Autodesk software and arrange the programs into a periodic table on your desktop for design & engineering. It’s a good way to remember each programs capabilities and how it fits in to what you are trying to accomplish. Youll enjoy that
Just login to https://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software/featured
Try to get one it’ll ask you to login and then register as student.
Type “Dallas Makerspace” for the education institution.
It’ll take you back to the product download and key page.
It’s say error not verified.
Look for the small red link in the error message to manually upload proof.
Upload a copy of your latest maker manager DMS membership bill.
Come back in like 2-5 minutes and some one will have reviewed it and give your account access to basically everything they make.
Protip:
You have to go into each each program you want individually and generate a key.
If it’s a personal key it will be the same for each program but you still have to generate it seperately for each program.
Then if you install the desktop app and login most all of what you need will show up and itll help you install everything. Think of it like Adobe Creative Cloud
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Are you saying generative design is already free and ready?
I’ve been on top of that.
Everyone has access to the student version @ DMS they just have to register and upload their maker manager bill. See above.
Also the postprocessors are now across the CAD/CAM Line
There are also like 6 CAM levels higher than that from Autodesk that can all use the same post-processor for the HAAS & Sherline CNC
Fusion
Fusion Student
Fusion Ultimate
Inventor
Inventor CAM
HSM Utlimate - Solidworks
Feature CAM
& Powermill
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Yes plus your cloud credits
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oh my God ive been paying for this!!!
This will save me a lot of money! Thank you so much.
No problem buddy.
I also got a quadro rtx 5000 like a 2080ti but engineering version and more ram if you need to really crunch something
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So how many computers are set up like this ?
So a few notes:
First, Digital media can’t seat that many people reliably (especially with the disastrous condition it’s been in even before the closure).
Second, as the metal chair you’ve not talked with us about any training. Virtual Reality welding training isn’t helpful for our type of students and our environment. Shops that use VR for training have equipment built for the purpose, that integrate with the welding helmets and PPE, on top of emulating the gun and properly simulating the welds. They’re intended for experienced welders upping their game, not for people unfamiliar with the process and starting out. Given most of our students don’t even have experience dealing with the right shading coming in, and their PPE will vary drastically by age group, we can’t even begin to simulate that properly with a vive headset
As for the Dynatorch, we don’t need it. We need teachers. It’s not something we can train properly with VR, and it’s a very hands on machine with intricacies. If you want to make videos for various failure conditions or something go for it, but you haven’t even asked the committee what would be of use. There’s nothing special on the design side, so no idea why you’d teach a class specifically for it (though general CAD classes by all means). The committee needs to build on the machine operation and tuning jobs for users to build abilities.
As for infrastructure: I see puffery here. The WD grant didn’t go through, and we don’t need a grant of a bunch of new Cisco switches (especially, IIRC, one with a bunch of strings attached to the grant). Our needs are elsewhere.
For Science powermill won’t drive that robotic arm without a complete rebuild. We could never even get the thing in full power-on automatic mode for the g-code that was already on the machine when we were working on it.
DM has a lot of core issues to resolve before going into all this pie in the sky stuff: cleanup it’s room, hold it’s meetings, and teach classes.
Edit: @moderators we probably want to split off all this Digital Media stuff that’s not related to the original Topaz discussion
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