Finding the Middle Ground

I started building Solids because I couldn’t find a modeling tool that felt quite right for my daily 3D printing projects. I spend a lot of time on r/functionalprint, and I usually just need to design a quick bento box, a replacement knob, or a jar lid.

Here is how I see the current landscape and where Solids fits in:

Fusion 360

Fusion is an incredible piece of software. It uses a parametric kernel, which means it’s perfect for complex engineering and strict tolerances. However, for a quick one-week project, it can feel like overkill. The learning curve is steep, and having to log in or manage cloud files adds friction when you just want to get an idea out fast.

TinkerCAD

TinkerCAD is great for beginners because it’s so accessible. You drag prefab shapes, combine them, and you’re done. It works, but the interface feels like it was made for kids. The UX quite old by now and jagged. Fine for learning, a bit awkward otherwise.

Solids

I designed Solids to sit right in the middle. It’s a web app aimed at “fast failing”, making a quick design, printing it, and adjusting it.

  • The Tech: We don’t use a heavy parametric kernel like Fusion. We rely on mesh approximation algorithms. This makes it lighter and easier for simple shapes, though less precise for complex machinery.
  • The Experience: There is no login, in fact, there’s no login button at all. We plan to make it free forever so it kinda operates like CloudConvert, you just open the site and start working. Though unlike CloudConvert we don’t upload anything to our servers(we don’t want to and we also don’t have the budget because it’s hosted on a Netlify free tier :) ). So everything is stored in local. (Don’t worry your progress won’t be deleted if you close the website we use localStorage)

If you just want to design something simple and get it on your printer, Solids is worth a look. For complex mechanical stuff, Fusion is still the way to go. Hope this helps!

Also if you have any doubts on the algorithms we use feel free to ping us at team@solids.app.