Hey Guys,
I have been using MOI since I got tired of fighting with Rhino v3...so I think since version 1. I am not an engineer and have no cad cam training but have been playing with CNC routing since 2001 and 3d printing since 2012. The one thing I really feel that is holding me back is being about to to design multiple parts and "fit" them together in my CAD software to see how they interact. Is there anyway to do this in MOI? It may be beyond my skill level, but I would really like to try and start finding a way to design more than one part at a time. Thanks!

Hi Jimmy, some CAD software is set up to have different modules for creating one "part" like you're talking about and then a different module for making an "assembly" made out of the parts. But MoI (and Rhino too) are not set up like that, in MoI you just work in one environment and you can create as many different objects in that environment as you want. To put parts together you would use tools like the Transform > Move command using snaps to locate points precisely on to your objects.

But if you're talking about something like a simulation where you want to test how parts will move with each other, a more traditional solid modeling program something like SolidWorks or SolidEdge may be a better fit for that level of mechanical design, they have tools for doing that type of thing, while MoI is focused just on modeling and not on simulation.

- Michael

Or take a look to Fusion 360
http://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/try-buy
Free for students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and startups!
Seems it has all you want! :)

>> Or take a look to Fusion 360
>> http://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/try-buy
>> Free for students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and startups!
>> Seems it has all you want!

For now. I urge people not to get too hung on software like this (and other offerings like Onshape). They will not stay free forever and when they stop being free you will lose everything.

<< you will lose everything.

???
What avoid you to save files in any export format on your computer ?

Hi Pilou,

> What avoid you to save files in any export format on your computer ?

Exporting objects it's not the same thing of saving them in the native format, and this is true for any software in the world.

Nice day :)

- Marco (mkdm)

Sure but it's an ultimate save safe in case of! ;)

Hi Jimmybuckets
I'm not sure if this helps but simlab does mechanical simulation and explode views of assemblies.

http://www.simlab-soft.com/3d-products/simlab-composer-mechanical.aspx

Thanks folks. I will check out the suggestions. MOI has been such a great tool for me. one of the only CAD softwares I have been able to do just about anything I want to with. There is a ton I don't know how to do with it, which is shameful since I have been using it since v1, but trying to learn other software in my very limited spare time, just ends me up frustrated and back using MOI.

Sebastian, you certainly make a good point.

Still, for now, Onshape for me is a necessity as sometimes there's no other way to create some of the difficult fillets quickly in Moi. Perhaps someday with a new kernel...

Also, in the case of both Fusion and Onshape, I would suggest the Fremium model will not go away anytime soon. Both know that SolidWorks owns the CAD space and it's important for them to have users to stay relevant. Also, it costs both companies very little to provide free tools for hobbyists, all the time knowing they may be in a position to affect a purchase decision at some time in the future.

In my mind, the risk versus reward is a non-issue.