2022 Contest Winners

Congratulations to the top 10 designs picked by the community.
  • The original, handbuilt by Francesco's father decades ago.
  • Francesco's work at Scandalli Accordions Srl. 
Grand
Prize

Francesco Ricci

VibroCult

https://scandalli.com/
Alibre Design Expert

Hey Francesco, tell us about background!

"I've worked as a cabinetmaker for musical instruments, in particular accordions, for over 15 years, and since 2019 I have also been working as a 3D CAD designer for the same instruments. Thanks to skilled colleagues and masters with a long experience in this industry, I've learned and and am still trying to improve my knowledge to create musical instruments from wood.

Driven by my curiosity, I decided to attend a lutherie course in 2017, during which I realized the importance of drawing and design as a starting point for making guitars and mandolins that are increasingly precise and customized to the customer's taste. This made me decide to learn how to draw with CAD.

I tested different software, and eventually I realized the potential of Alibre Design. I proposed that my employer, The Scandalli Accordions Srl, start to use it to design accordions and also to improve all the knowledge that was previously not properly documented.

Scandalli is a legendary brand and a leader in the Accordion industry, carrying in its name more than a hundred years of history related to the production of high-class and professional instruments. I am proud of being able to contribute and collaborate with this team to carry on the tradition by using the latest tools available today, and Alibre Design is proving to be a great tool for this purpose."

Tell us about your submission!

"The vibrocultivator is an agricultural work tool used to prepare the seedbed for wheat. The implement is attached to a farm tractor and is lifted for transport via the standard three-point system and lowered into the ground where the various black-colored arch-shaped bodies made of elastic steel allow it to gently furrow the soil and adapt to various conditions. Currently the product is not in production but I have had some proposals and hope to receive more even after this satisfaction of winning your contest."

What inspired you to tackle this?

"I was inspired by a vibrocultivator that my dad made with his own hands more than 20 years ago (as you can see in the photos). In my realization, I increased the total width of the tool and inserted a hydraulic piston to reduce the total footprint. This modification makes it more maneuverable both in road transport and in work where, if desired, it can be used enclosed in particularly severe conditions."

How did you start using Alibre Design?

"As mentioned earlier, I discovered Alibre Design after a careful search for software capable of realizing my ideas. Alibre Design shines for being simple at first approach. As one works with it, one discovers more and more potential. This potential is useful in creating complex designs that, if done well, are easily modified and updated. Alibre Script allowed me, who had no programming background, to create small utilities that proved successful in my context."
  • Harold's workshop.
2nd
Place

Harold Lakoduk

USS Monitor Steam Engine

Alibre Design Expert

Hey Harold, tell us about yourself!

"I retired in 2020 after 43 years at nVent/Hoffman. The last 28 being a CAD drafter, starting in the custom order dept. modifying standard products or creating new ones based on customers' drawings. I ended up in new product development working on new catalog items with a team of engineers and other design drafters."

What keeps you busy these days?

"I spend some of my time now doing woodworking. I used Alibre Design to design my shop work bench, a mobile workstation for my Shaper Origin, and a new base for the table saw. It’s better to prove out the design in CAD so you don’t end up just making sawdust and scrap. I’ve also used Alibre Design to design some other projects, such as a double bin utensil holder, repurposed a chest of drawers, and an attachment to mount my trim router to a wing of the table saw, that I posted in the Forum Media section."

Tell us about this submission...

"After completing scale models of some vintage carriages, trucks and steam engines, I was looking for another piece of vintage equipment to model. It was during one of my internet searches that I came across the drawings for the USS Monitor engine. The drawings were done by Richard Carlstedt based on the original drawings and the model is full size. I just happened to find them on the Home Shop Machinists Downloads page within a day or two of them being uploaded. From what I can recall, it took him 20 years to complete them. After seeing the state of some of the original drawings I can believe that. I also found more Monitor drawings online at web.stevens.edu for the propeller, propeller shaft and stuffing box."

What inspired you to tackle this?

"I find it interesting to see the drawings for vintage engines and equipment and enjoy creating models from the drawings that I can download. Some of the drawings are works of art and I think the skill to make them today may be lost. (I was in the last class that taught any board drafting at the Technical College I went to for Design Drafting.) The latest drawings I found are collections by T. Carreras Soto. Some of them can be challenging for being small parts and assemblies. And there’s always the drawings used in the SolidWorks Model Mania, I model them just to see how “difficult” they are or are not. So far Alibre Design has not had a problem with any that I’ve done."

How did you start using Alibre Design?

"At work I was receiving a free subscription to a design magazine and one day a copy of Alibre 5.0 was tucked in the magazine. I took it home to see just what it could do. At that time Alibre Design didn’t have sheet metal and since that is what I worked on all day at work it took me a while before I committed to getting a license. When I was working I used it to flesh out some designs that I was developing at work with SolidWorks and now that I’m retired I have time to work on my own woodworking projects or just modeling vintage drawings. At one time I toyed with the idea of getting a seat of SolidWorks but Alibre Design more than fills my needs for CAD now and it is only getting better. I especially like the real time previews for instant feedback when adding features."
3rd
Place

Richard Garcia

STRIVE Rocket

Alibre Design Expert

Hey Ken, tell us about yourself!

ABC

Tell us about the engine!

ABC

What inspired you to tackle this?

ABC

How did you start using Alibre Design?

ABC
4th
Place

Ken Stout

Hammerhead 8 5.8l

Alibre Design Expert

Hey Ken, tell us about yourself!

"I have an associates degree in Engineering Technology, Mechanical Design, though I don't work in that field. My career is in a completely unrelated field. I'm pretty much a hobby machinist, and use my education for that. I use CAD to design and manufacture parts and repair machinery as a hobby. In the past I have operated both a gunsmithing and a small manufacturing businesses as a side gig to supplement the income from my full time job. Now I just use my shop equipment to entertain myself"

Tell us about the engine!

"A horizontally opposed 8 cylinder engine with a crossplane crankshaft would be inherently very difficult to balance. To knowledge, none have been ever designed or built due to the inherent imbalance. I just wanted a challenge, to see how close I could get. This model also gave me an opportunity try another Idea I had; A OHV (in block camshaft) engine, with 4 valve cylinder heads."

What inspired you to tackle this?

"The liquid cooled horizontally opposed 6 cylinder Subaru engine is commonly used in homebuilt experimental aircraft. I wanted to model something that has the desired features of the Subaru aviation conversions, but with a crossplane crankshaft, which better suits low RPM torque, allows for even cylinder firing and is better suited for driving an aviation propeller."

How did you start using Alibre Design?

"I learned Inventor and AutoCAD in school. I have never been a fan of Autodesk's licensing model nor costs. Alibre Design uses a similar enough workflow that I didn't have to relearn everything. Alibre also uses a licensing method that was acceptable to me. The biggest thing that drove my decision to switch to Alibre was the level of help and support I received from Alibre and on the user forum while I was demo'ing the software."
5th
Place

Matt Hodder

Racing Simulator

Follow Matt's build log >
Alibre Design Expert

Hey Matt, tell us about yourself!

"I have an engineering background, first in the electronics industry and now in the medical device industry. I am currently the lead engineer for a medical device startup company out of Minnesota. I have always been a technical guy; I enjoy learning new skills and applying them to my hobbies or work."

What's the story with racing simulators?

"Sim racing is a hobby that I have had on and off since as far back as I can remember. Things have changed so much in the last several years though, now you are racing in fully recreated models of real cars in virtual reality against real people. The equipment has improved tenfold as well, with steering wheels that have 1:1 forces of real cars, full motion cockpits and pedal/shifter setups that would make most real racecar drivers jealous."

Tell us about this beast you've made...

"The design I submitted is the 3D model of my actual racing simulator. I have been building it for nearly seven years and through each iteration I model everything in Alibre Design first and then replicate that design with a mixture of off-the-shelf components and custom parts that are either machined, laser cut or 3d printed. I have gone through many iterations over the years, but being able to design everything in 3D makes the process much faster and easier. A few of the features of the current design are linear actuators for motion, seat belt tensioner, 8x transducers for vibration, servo-driven steering wheel, 4x wind generators and virtual reality headset. It is a one-of-a-kind unit that I wouldn’t dare to put a price tag on."

What inspired you to tackle this?

"Seven years ago I stumbled across a fellow sim racer who had cobbled together a racing wheel using an industrial servo motor. At the time the best off-the-shelf racing wheel could put out about 5-6nm of torque, his wheel would do around 25nm. I was so amazed by the project that I had to build one for myself. I built one and I didn’t even have any pedals or any other gear to use it with, but that set the stage and over the next several years I designed and built the racing simulator I have today. There is a massive community of sim racers out there and many of the features on my racing simulator were either inspired by or borrowed from other likeminded guys."

How did you start using Alibre Design?

"In my first job out of college I only had access to 2D CAD software. At the time I was tasked with designing and manufacturing tooling. I didn’t have much of a budget, but I was able to convince my company to buy me a seat of Alibre Design for a fraction of the cost of the other popular software. I became so proficient in Alibre that I just sort of bring it with me from job to job now."

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

"Shoutout to all the guys on xsimulator.net, the incredible projects that have inspired me and wealth of knowledge and support that I have gotten from the community have made this project possible. I encourage everyone to peruse the forums but be careful as before you know it you might be building your own simulator."
Grand
Prize

Ralf Schöpper

Drone

Alibre Atom3D

Hey Ralf, tell us about yourself!

"I’m Ralf, 55 years old, and I've worked almost 40 years for a major car manufacturer in Germany. My hobbies are restoring and tuning old Vespas, 3D Printing and of course CAD modeling."

How do you spend your down time?

"In 2015 I’ve got my first 3d Printer, now I have 3 of them and design and print all kinds of things like RC planes, proof of concept parts for my Vespa tuning, and fixing broken parts for friends. Working with CAD is a really satisfying and relaxing hobby for me. To imagine the part, draw it in CAD and print it is just a fascinating process."

What's the story with this cool drone?

"It's an ambitious hobby project which for me is more about being artistic than technical. It's a single-ducted drone with contra rotating propellers and a kind of thrust vectoring/gimbal control. One of the most important goals was to design it to be as modular as possible so future major changes are as easy as possible. The other goal was that has to look a bit weird but eye catching, like a homage to early space tech."

What inspired you to tackle this?

"I was always fascinated by the early space technology, especially the way the engineers approached things that had never been made before."

How did you start using Alibre Atom3D?

"When I started with 3D printing I was looking for an affordable CAD software. Due to my professional background I wasn’t happy with the freeware. So I got an Alibre Atom3D license which really impressed me. It has the best workflow and very clean and logical user interface."
2nd
Place

Plinio Ferreira Pinto

Watering Device

Alibre Atom3D

Hi Plinio, tell us about yourself!

"Hi Alibre team, my name is Plinio Ferreira Pinto, I am originally from Brazil and I live in Canada since 2013. I graduated in 2017 with a Master's in Mechanical Engineering but I also have a background in energy and electro-electronics. Currently, I work as a Test Specialist at Xiphos Systems, we provide onboard computing solutions for small satellites. Although sometimes I design jigs or test plates at my current job, design is not my main function there right now. 

Looking back I think that since very young I always enjoyed opening toys to see how they were made inside. Sometimes I could put them back together, sometimes I couldn't... I think that is why I studied engineering and also why I really enjoy creating mechanisms or electro-electronic circuits and it has always been one of my favorite hobbies. Recently I bought myself a 3D printer so the design possibilities are limitless! "

Tell us about this watering device...

"This product is something I created to try to solve a problem I have. Every time I go on vacations or travel some of my plants dry out and die.  I didn't want to get a pump for each one of my many plants. So, instead, I thought about making a rotative smart valve with 10 ways controlled by a microcontroller. This way I can set the exact amount of water I want to be delivered to each individual plant. Right now I am building the prototype, I 3D printed the parts and created a mock-up, but it still really needs to be fine-tuned to work properly. I think that if there is a public interest, I would like to manufacture and commercialize it in the future."

What was the inspiration for this project?

"First I was thinking about old electrical switches, then I was trying to make it look more like a flower, and after several hand drafts, the overall idea you see came about."

How did you start using Alibre Atom3D?

"I was browsing the internet looking for an affordable 3D CAE with ordered design capabilities and Alibre Atom3D was just what I was looking for. I really like the intuitive approach, the same as what I have seen in previous experiences with more expensive software. After the trial, I decided that it was a great tool for hobbyists like myself and I had to buy it. Also, there was a discount, so I could not let it go!"
3rd
Place

Robert Boucher

TuFFpad

TuFFpad YouTube Channel >
Alibre Atom3D

Hey Robert, tell us about yourself!

"I'm 100% a hobbyist. The work I do with Alibre Atom3D is not for a company. I do offer modeling and fabrication services on a one by one word of mouth basis in a very specific or niche market."

Tell us about this hobby of yours.

"I've been modding Razer gamepad devices such as the Nostromo, Tartarus, and Orbweaver since 2013. The issue with those one handed gamepad devices is either poor ergonomics or a lack of an analog thumbstick. I would mod them and either add an analog stick, or replace the factory DPAD with an analog stick. That led to an idea to design and create my own gamepad in that style that fixed the common issues with the commercial devices and added some often requested features. You can see my very crude early attempts back in 2015 here on the XIM community forums. If one were to read that forum thread, they would see I ran into the problem of designing and fabricating a device enclosure several times. The dream died until I purchased a 3D printer around 2018 because I was still doing Razer mods and was long tired of relying on a fabrication service like Shapeways to get the custom plastic parts I needed."

What about the TuFFpad?

"I submitted my original design I call the TuFFpad. It is a real product in that I manufacture them on a one by one word of mouth basis for people willing to pay for my time. I'm not a registered business entity though. So it's not a real product in the way that you can't find it on any shelf or in any web shop. There are options that can change the price, but the base price I sell them for is $165 USD. As described above, the TuFFpad is a one handed gamepad similar to a Razer Tartarus or Orbweaver. It differs mainly in the fact that it incorporates an analog thumbstick, and has many different points of adjustment to suit people with different hand sizes and playstyles."

How did you start using Alibre Atom3D?

"Acquiring a 3D printer led to the need to learn SOME amount of CAD to design my own parts. That led to FreeCAD, which led to horrible frustration. FreeCAD, at the time, had this really nasty entity naming issue that caused designs to break in unexpected ways. Researching that problem led to YouTube which led to this video by JokoEngineering. Watching him use Alibre Atom3D was enough to convince me to try the product. The experience of Alibre Atom3D coming from FreeCAD was immediately freeing. I was able to bring whatever was in my head to the screen without the software fighting me. Soon after that I remembered my gamepad dream, and realized I probably had the skills to bring it to reality."
4th
Place

David Scholl

Sign Language Clock

Changing Times Website >
Alibre Atom3D

Hey David, tell us about yourself!

"I’ve always loved working with machines, and especially wood-working machines. Thus I obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Industrial Arts in 1981. During my college days I developed an interest in gears, and especially wooden-gear, weight-driven, pendulum clocks. In more recent years I began a business featuring such clocks."

Is this clock your newest product?

"I recently purchased a small CNC router and plan to add a novelty clock page to the above website. I plan to produce the design within the next 30 days."

What inspired you to tackle this?

"I have a number of friends involved in the deaf community, (American Sign Language). Their passion ASL has led them to an awareness of the need for greater variety of novelty products. Naturally, with my interest in clocks and wood-working I decided to try my hand at a design. The submitted entry is the result."

How did you start using Alibre Atom3D?

"Being completely new to the world of CAD/CAM software I was initially overwhelmed with information. My research led me to give Alibre a try. It was the first, and subsequently the only CAD software I tried. I’m amazed at what Alibre Design is capable of. I purchased it immediately when the free trial period ended. I’ve only scratched the surface of what is possible. I discover a new use of a feature regularly. One of the biggest benefits to me has been the ability to scale SVG files for export/import. Another aid is the “offset” feature. Both features were invaluable in making modifications. For example, many of the SVG files I used for the ‘clock’ drawing had parallel lines that were too close together for a tool to fit between. The “offset” feature aided me greatly in correcting this problem."

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

"I’m very impressed with the customer service of Alibre. The prompt, professional response to my emails both during and after my trial period has been phenomenal! Thank you!"
5th
Place

Eric Anderson

Sandbox with Seats

Alibre Atom3D

Hey Eric, tell us about yourself!

"My degree is Electrical Engineering and I work as a Senior Manufacturing Process Engineer. I got Alibre Atom3D for my personal use and in some ways find it superior to SW."

Tell us about the sandbox...

"I've seen sandboxes with simple benches but before I make one for our yard I wanted to design one that will protect the sand from the elements when not in use. (And keep it from becoming a litter box for the feral cats.) I will be building it next year but haven't priced out the materials yet. Would I be selling them? Only if there was sufficient interest and profit to warrant it."

Tell us about your hobbies...

"My hobbies that I use Alibre Atom3D for include: woodworking, machining, 3D printing models, and starting to create house plans."

How did you start using Alibre Atom3D?

"By using Alibre Atom3D I've found ramping up on the necessary skill sets much faster than SW. I am finding that my skills in thinking "outside the box" come into the light by seeing the motion, interference, and general layouts that Alibre Atom3D provides. Another design I was hoping to enter was showing me the mistakes that I missed, thus missing the deadline. However that is exactly why I needed Alibre Atom3D to flush out the problems."

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

"Thank you very much for having this software at an affordable price for the hobbyist!"
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