comparisons of cad jewellery software - cad jewellery skills

8/15/2019 Comparisons of CAD Jewellery Software - CAD Jewellery Skills

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BY CADJEWELLERYSKILLS 18 JULY, 2012 FAQ, JEWELLERY LEARNING RESOURCES

requently Asked Questions Part 1 – Comparisons Of CAD Jewellery Software on

he Market (Updated)

f ormation last updated and ve rified Oct 2015

h is marks the first of a series of Frequently Asked Question s posts. See the rest of

e FAQ pages .)

ver the years, the students in my CAD courses as well as my private clients have

ked me a lot of questions about CAD as it relates to jewellery manufacturing. Many

these questions were often the same. As I thought it better to tailor my answer to

ch student’s needs, I resisted writing a single standard answer for quite a long time.

en it occurred to me that I could probably answer at least some of the questions all

once, and just fill in the gaps if people wanted to know more.

is is how this new series simply called Frequently Asked Questions began.

n this and subsequent articles in the same series, I will break down the most commonly asked questions from my own

rticular fields of expertise.

anyone has any more specific questions or is not clear about something mentioned here, just leave a comment and I’ll add

answer to the entry.

r part 1, we’ll start off with the most common question of them all: “Which CAD softwa re should I learn?”

ectionsWhy are There So Many Different Kinds of CAD Software?

What is 2D Design Software?

What is 2D CAD Software?

What is 3D CAD Software?

What are the Comparative Advantages Of Each CAD Software Package (“The Comparative Jewellery CAD Software List”)?

Do You Have Any Examples of What These CAD Programs are Like to Use?

Where Can I Purchase These CAD Programs?

Want To Learn CAD. Where Do I Start?e first thing you should do is figure out how you want to use design software. There are actually several different kinds of

mputer-aided design software available, each one designed for a different purpose:

2D Design Software such as Photoshop and Gemvision Design Studio

2D CAD Software such as TypeEdit, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, and Inkscape

3D CAD Software such as 3Design, Rhino, PowerShape, Matrix, Firestorm, and JewelCAD

Customer-Facing CAD Software such as Countersketch and Gemvision Design Studio

CAD Jewellery Skills » FAQ » Frequently Asked Questions Part 1 – Comparisons Of CAD Jewellery Software on the Market

Updated)

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An example of 2D design software with a digital pen

3D Sculpture Software such as ArtCAM Jewelsmith, Claytools, Mudbox, and ZBrush

Why So Many Different Kinds?u could be cynical and say that it’s different companies competing for a piece of the same market, but in truth the tools are

rather different. Even for tools which serve the same purpose (such as 3Design, Matrix, and Firestorm), they behave in

fferent ways and were built starting from different design philosophies. It’s not uncommon for certain specialists or design

ouses to use more than one software package in conjunction. Adobe Illustrator and Rhino, for example.

Okay, So There Are Different Kinds of CAD. What is 2D Designoftware?

2D Design software is a bit like working with a set of

paintbrushes and a palette of colours. It’s designed purely for

working with bitmap images (such as photographs or

illustrations) composed of pixels. Tools like these have been

around since the early 80’s, so they’ve had plenty of time to

me up with clever ways to paint, manipulate, and apply special effects to images. Pretty much everything you could think

doing with a paintbrush or a photography studio can be done with 2D Design software. The most obvious 2D design

ftware tool available would be Adobe Photoshop, but it is not the only one. There is also Corel Paint and Sketchbook Pro,mong others. There is even a jewellery specific 2D Design software package– Gemvision Design Studio (previously known

Digital Goldsmith). While perhaps not as flashy as 3D design software, these 2D tools are vital in their own right for

ustrators and draftsmen, allowing them to make paint-ups and renderings of designs in methods as close to the traditional

ethods as possible. They also serve a vital role in post-production of photography and CAD renders, preparing and sizing

e images for use in print or on websites. As it happens, I usually recommend that absolute newcomers to any sort of

mputer based design start with a 2D design software like Photoshop or Corel. Compared to other types of software, their

arning curve can be much easier, and can help provide a gateway into more complex ways of working.

What is 2D CAD Software, and How is It Different From 2D Design

oftware?ink of 2D CAD software as a technical draftsman’s table, compared to 2D Design software’s paintbrushes and palette. Both

n draw a picture, but the purpose of each picture is very different. The purpose of 2D CAD is precision, usually for the

rposes of design communication. Rather than working with bitmaps and pixels, 2D CAD uses vector lines. Whereas pixels

e colours at locations on an image, vectors use points on a page with lines connecting them. There are three big

vantages to using vectors for technical drawings:

The lines are not fixed. They can be adjusted, moved, twisted, scaled, bent, even redrawn in sections.

No matter how big or how small you scale the lines, they will always be redrawn with perfect resolution.

Vector lines are also used by 3D CAD as well as laser engraving and industrial cutting tools. This means you can exportyour designs into formats directly useable by both applications, potentially saving the designers or service bureaus time.

What is 3D CAD Software?D CAD is what most people think of when they are talking about CAD. Conceptually, it’s the digital equivalent of fabrication

ols and a wax carving kit. Rather than just simply making designs on a screen, the user is actually building his design to

act tolerances and specifications. The end result of CAD can be either rendering (producing a photorealistic image) or rapid

ototyping (producing a physical model for use in manufacturing). CAD models are often (and incorrectly) referred to as

rawings”. Since they are still technically 3D even if they’re only stored on a computer, it ’s better to call them “3D models”.

sing 3D CAD for product design is not a new thing. The first military applications of CAD/CAM appeared in the 1960’s, ande first commercial product design with CAD started happening in the late 1980’s. But it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say

at there is no field of product design which doesn’t use some form of CAD for manufacturing. 3D CAD’s advantages include:

You can view a conceptual design in 3 dimensions, from any angle

Measurements and dimensions of objects can be specified down to insane levels of precision.

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Examples of 2D CAD (above) and 3D CAD

(below)

Since the piece hasn’t been made yet, it’s possible to modify or

rebuild part or all of it, or visualise it in any colour or material you

like.

What Are Some of the Advantages of

ach Kind of 3D CAD?is is actually one of the questions I have to answer most often. From

hat I’ve experienced so far, at the most basic level all the 3D CADckages are capable of the same sorts of things (eternity rings, solitaire

edding rings, etc.). It’s only when you get to more advanced types of

sign work do the key differences start to stand out. For this reason, I

mmarise below certain key design tasks along with the programs

hich seem to be the best fit for that particular task.

Couple of Comments (and Disclaimers)

efore We Begin

All of these are based on my own experiences of each of the softwarepackages through a combination of testing, demos, tutorial videos,

and working with others who know their tools. Ultimately, these are

opinions, but I’ve tried (and will continue to try) my level best to keep

this list as informed and representative as possible.

Besides a comparative rating of level, I’ve listed each software

program in alphabetical order. If there are three different programs

in a section labelled BestBest, they’re of more or less similar strength to

each other in that category.

There is no CAD software out there which is good at There is no CAD software out there which is good at

everything.everything. Indeed, in many cases I’ve had to recommend userscombine the strengths of two different CAD software packages

together to achieve the complex tasks they’re trying to do. I even

made a separate FAQ page for CAD software combinations.

I’ve tried to keep this list up to date with the latest versions of the

software, but it seems new software comes out every season. If my

list is looking dated, or if a new version of the software has come out which changes how well it performs in various

categories (which does happen), please let me know and I’ll take a look and adjust accordingly.

To those people who have been sending me rude or pushy posts- I teach most of these software packages, and I do not

have any vested interest in selling any of these. If you feel I’ve missed something in my lists below, I’m happy to take

another look and do another demo. But I daresay bullying someone is not the way to change their experiences and

opinions on a piece of software.

For the full disclaimer, see the bottom of this page.

The Comparative Jewellery CAD Software List

Fast Modifications and Reworking of Existing ModelsFastest (either due toFastest (either due to parametric historyparametric history,, direct modellingdirect modelling, or working with libraries), or working with libraries): 3Design,

Countersketch, Firestorm CAD

Fast (with limited history features or a quick interface)Fast (with limited history features or a quick interface): JewelCAD, Matrix

Reasonably QuickReasonabl y Quick: Any of the others

Making a Size Range From a Single Ring

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BestBest: 3Design, Firestorm, Matrix

GoodGood: ArtCAM Jewelsmith, JewelCAD

Can do it, but not really designed for itCan do it, but not really designed for it: Rhino

Precision Modelling (ie fitted components, hinges, etc.)BestBe st: Rhino, Matrix

GoodGood: JewelCAD, Moment of Inspiration

OkayOkay: 3Design, ArtCAM Jewelsmith

Can do it, but notCan do it, but not really designed for itreally designed for it: Geomagic Sculpt, Mudbox, Zbrush

Organic Modelling (ie flowers, vines, scrollwork, filigree, etc.)BestBest: 3Design (especially with 3Shaper), Clayoo plug-in for RhinoGold, T-Splines plugin for Rhino and Matrix

GoodGood: Geomagic Sculpt, JewelCAD, Matrix, Moment of Inspiration, Mudbox, Rhino, Zbrush

Can do it, but notCan do it, but not really designed for itreally designed for it: Countersketch

Relief Sculpting (such as coins, medallions, or family crests):BestBe st: ArtCAM JewelsmithGoodGood: Mudbox, ZBrush, Matrix, 3Design

Can do it, but notCan do it, but not really designed for itreally designed for it: Rhino, JewelCAD, Firestorm

Full 3D Carving onto a 3D SurfaceBestBest: Geomagic Sculpt, Mudbox, Zbrush

Can do it, but notCan do it, but not really designed for itreal ly designed for it: Any of the others

Applying Texture or Inlay With Shapes Onto a 3D SurfaceBestBest: Geomagic Sculpt, Mudbox, Zbrush

Good (due to parametric history):Goo d (due to para metr ic his tor y): 3Design, Firestorm

Okay:Okay : Rhino, Matrix

Creating and Managing Pave SettingBestBest: 3Design, Matrix

GoodGood: ArtCAM Jewelsmith, Firestorm, RhinoGoldCan do it, but notCan do it, but not really designed for itreally designed for it: Moment of Inspiration, Rhino

Cannot do it at allCannot do it at al l: Geomagic Sculpt, Mudbox, Zbrush

Rendering ImagesBestBest: 3Design with DeepImage, Firestorm CAD with Keyshot, Matrix, Rhino (with a good rendering plug-in like Brazil,

Keyshot, V-Ray)

GoodGood: 3Design without DeepImage, ArtCAM Jewelsmith with Keyshot, Geomagic Sculpt with Keyshot, JewelCAD,

ZBrush

Can do it, but notCan do it, but not really designed for itreally designed for it: ArtCAM Jewelsmith without Keyshot, Rhino without a rendering plug-

in

Working in Front of a Client


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BestBest: Countersketch, Firestorm

Very GoodVery Good: 3Design

Good:Good: Matrix

Can do it, but notCan do it, but not really designed for itre al ly desi gned for it: Rhino, ArtCAM Jewelsmith, JewelCAD

Size of User BaseWhile nearly all of the above CAD software solutions offer great user support, where that support comes from also

depends on the size of the user base. Generally the wider the user base, the more places you can go to get your

questions answered. However, with small user bases, you’re able to get quick answers directly from the developer, andit also means they’re more likely to listen to your feedback on how to make the software better. So it’s a trade-off.

Widest User BaseWidest User Base (i.e. most people to ask for help, least chance of your feedback being heard) :: all Adobe

software, Rhino

Big:Bi g: Matrix, V-Ray plug-in, Zbrush

Fairly Big:Fairly Big: 3Design, T-Splines plug-in

Medium:Medium: ArtCAM, JewelCAD, Keyshot plug-in, Mudbox, RhinoGold (including Clayoo)

SmallSmall:: Geomagic Sculpt, Firestorm

SmallestSmallest (i.e. most direct dialogue with developer) :: Moment of Inspiration

Do You Have Any Examples of What These CAD Programs are Like

o Use?u have two options if you want to see what most of these software packages are like. The first would be to look at some of

e tutorial videos for each jewellery CAD program. The second would be to ask for a demonstration from any of the sales

presentatives of each software packages (contact links below). With a few exceptions, nearly every one of these software

oviders has sales representatives keen to show off the features of the software to you.

Where Can I Purchase Them, and How Much Do They Cost?th the exceptions of Adobe and Rhino, I’m afraid you will have to go directly to the software developers to purchase any of

ese pieces of software. Fortunately, nearly all of them have sales reps, so they’ll be more than happy to help you out. With

gards to costs, they range anywhere from £1200 (for Rhino with a jewellery plug-in and rendering package) to £6000 (For

e full version of ArtCAM Jewelsmith and PowerShape). The problem is these costs change somewhat from country to

untry, and also depending on promotions and other factors. It’s always best to ask them directly. To this end, I’ve provided

ks to every single jewellery CAD manufacturer’s website below:

3D Space Pro (makers of Firestorm CAD, based upon Spaceclaim)

Adobe (makers of Photshop and Illustrator)Autodesk (makers of Mudbox)

DelCAM (Makers of ArtCAM Jewelsmith, PowerShape, and DelCAM Designer)

Gemvision (makers of Matrix, Countersketch, and Gemvision Design Studio)

JewelCAD

McNeel (makers of Rhino)

Pixologic (makers of Zbrush)

Geomagic (makers of Geomagic Sculpt, formerly known as Claytools), a subsidiary of 3DSystems

VisionNumeric (makers of 3Design and 3Shaper)

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3Design, ArtCAM Jewelsmith, Claytools, Countersketch, DelCAM Designer, Firestorm, Gemvision, Gemvision

esign Studio, Geomagic Sculpt, JewelCAD, Matrix, McNeel, Moment of Inspiration CAD, Mudbox, Rhino, Student Advice,

rush. BOOKMARK THE PERMALINK.

0 COMMENTS

Hi there just thought I would say great comparisons and break downs! Really enjoyed your detail! For items such as

signed rings with relief family crests – would you file them also under \”Relief Sculpting\” and \”

Best: ArtCAM JewelsmithGood: Mudbox, ZBrush, Matrix, 3Design

Not really designed for it: Rhino, JewelCAD, Firestorm\”

Still in the same order?

Thanks again for your work!

. Christopher

Thank you J. Christopher. I’ll add the update now.

Interesting article. I recently went the headquarters of Firestorm for a demo/open house. I was intrigued by the softwate

having sorked with MAtrix for the last year. It seems more intuitive. Is it my imagination or is it a comparable softwarte

to Matrix ? Also looking into Rhino Gold. I took training at GIA and got Matrix for $300 for a year. Good way to start in my

opinion, but now I must buy something in the next few months as the software will not work past a certain date. Thanks

elatedelated

equently Asked Questions Part 5 –

ut CAD is Taking Away Jobs!

Frequently Asked Questions 10 – 3D

Scanning, Model Conversion, and

ewellery CAD

Frequently Asked Questions 9 -

Which 3D Printers and Rapid

Prototyping Machines Are the Best

For Making Jewellery?

J. CHRISTOPHER GURITZ

28 February, 2013 at 4:57 pm

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

1 March, 2013 at 3:50 pm

MO

5 July, 2013 at 1:57 pm

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for your time.

Dear Mo:

Firestorm and Matrix are both good, but they are also two very different packages. From what I’ve seen, Firestorm isat its best when you are modifying existing files. When it comes to that, it performs in a way few others can (perhaps

Rhino 5’s new surface manipulation tools start to approach it, but not to the same extent). Firestorm (especially

newer versions) is also good for making new designs from scratch, but it is not quite as elegant a nuts and bolts

modelling tool as Rhino or Matrix.

RhinoGold is quite good if you all you need is a modest selection of jewellery tools rather than a full compliment of

fine jewellery tools. Matrix, and RhinoGold are all built upon the platform of Rhino 3D CAD software, and they all

have similar workflow up to a point. The big difference comes down more than anything else to how much stone

setting you’ll reckon you’ll need to do. If you only do a little bit of pave here and there, then Rhino will work. The

more stone setting or pave you’ll need, the more you’ll probably want to consider Rhino Gold at least, if not Matrix.

I hope that helps. If you have any more questions let me know.

am a jeweller… i have most of the customers having there designs on snaps or from jewelery books…. i am to create

same models… which software is best for me… as import a snap and do some work on it and to ger a. stl file…..

Dear Neeraj:

If you want more specific advice contact me through Holts Academy of Jewellery. Use their online query form.

-J

Hi, I am currently working in JewelCad, self taught and I just wanted to know if I want to work In Gemvision Matrix, how

difficult will it be compared with JewelCad.

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

6 July, 2013 at 1:42 pm

NEERAJ

1 August, 2013 at 2:41 pm

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

4 August, 2013 at 11:52 am

SIMONE

25 September, 2013 at 12:43 pm

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Dear Simone:

I reckon learning Matrix is about the same level of difficulty as JewelCAD. There are more commands, but the

commands and the interface are a bit easier to use generally. Having said that, once you get the core strategy down

in JewelCAD, I’ve seen people become astonishingly fast with this software.

Maybe ultimately the tool isn’t as important as the user…

Hi – I’ve purchased Matrix after doing a 4 day training course to assess the software, and am very impressed with it. I

have been asked to teach Jewellery CAD but using 3Design, and want to learn this program also. What a frustrating

exercise. I have downloaded Beginner level tutorials (pdf format) but cannot get them to work, beyond a certain level of

steps. Seems there’s key instructions left out. Am happy to send an example to you to see if you can get it to work,exactly as laid out, as a beginner accessing this for the first time. I believe the program is excellent.

Thanks in advance.

Dear Paul:

Thank you for an interesting testimonial.

I do wonder who was teaching you each piece of respective software, though. In the hands of a competent teacher,

3Design is every bit as easy to learn and use as Matrix. However, both programs can be an absolute beast if you’re

trying to learn them all by yourself.

Have you tried my video tutorial for the 3 stone ring in 3Design?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPLyMp-LBG0

If you’re based in the UK or passing through, I could even help you face to face with private instruction in either

Matrix or 3Design if you wished.

Regards,

Jack

hi,i am using matrix 6.3 and i need to know can we convert the stl file into 3dm file?

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

27 September, 2013 at 9:29 pm

PAUL ROSE

6 November, 2013 at 12:04 pm

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS


M.ADNAN

11 January, 2014 at 12:56 am

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Hi M. Adnan:

I’m afraid turning a mesh back into a .3dm file (also known as “unmeshing” or “reverse engineering”) is difficult at

best to do. Most of the tools which are capable of doing this are related to 3D scanning software and the associated

decimation tools. As of right now, I don’t know of any reliable tools out there which can do a consistent conversion,

especially on more details or higher quality mesh models. But I’ll have a look and let you know if I find any.

Regards,

Jack

hi jack

thanks to reply me.i am still waiting.did you find anything to solve this ?

best regards

adnan

Hi Adnan.

I’m afraid I have not. Reverse engineering, mesh to NURBS, and retopology tools only go so far. Search for any

of those terms if you want to see what they can do, but you will probably discover what I have– learning these

tools and using them is more work than just remaking the file from scratch.

UPDATE: Since writing this message, I’ve written an article about 3D scanning and retropology tools, which

might be helpful for explaining this issue in more depth.

Jack

thanks jack to answer me.do you know any person in pakistan to help me for learning 3design software?

best regards

Dear Adnan.

I’m afraid I do not. If you’re able to come to London, though, I could help you myself.

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

15 January, 2014 at 10:01 am

ADNAN

13 April, 2014 at 1:09 am

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

15 April, 2014 at 10:51 pm

ADNAN

16 April, 2014 at 12:39 am

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS19 April, 2014 at 1:13 am

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Regards,

Jack

Thanks for such a clear comparison of 3D softwares. Can you tell me more about how ZBrush works?

Currently I am incorporating a lot of textured organic shapes in my jewelry designs. I am using a combination of Rhino,

Rhino Gold and Clayoo.

I’ll create the shape in Clayoo and convert it to nurbs. If I apply the texture (using RG’s texture tool) it will apply the

texture to one surface of the polysurface.

I want a texture over the entire piece. So I extract the isocurves and network them to a single surface. A tedious process,

and it does what I want.

I’ve keep seeing the software ZBrush mentioned with texture, and wish there was a trial version. Is there a better

combination of software, to more efficiently create the organic textured pieces? (I ultimately am creating stl files from

them for print)

Your advice is greatly appreciated!

Hi Annie:

I gather you’ve already read my Zbrush page: http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/jewellery-cad-software-zbrush/

You’re right that ZBrush doesn’t seem to offer a demo anymore. I ’m rather surprised by that, because they used to.

Perhaps it might have something to do with their having quite possibly the most awkward user interface ever

developed for 3D CAD software? Indeed, you have to practically trick the software into allowing you to work on 3D

objects!

That being said, it’s a popular one. While there’s no demo of Zbrush anymore, Pixologic do offer Sculptris which is a

free application which gives you a flavour for how the sculpting aspects work.

http://pixologic.com/zbrush/downloadcenter/

As you’ve correctly observed, the big weakness of all NURBS modelling is the general lack of texturing options. There

are workarounds (such as Rhino’s Orient on Surface or Splop commands), and there are plug-ins which help

somewhat (such as Clayoo or T-Splines for organic modelling, or RhinoArt for bas relief flat mesh surfaces), but true

3D texturing is only really available through additional software like Claytools, Mudbox, ArtCAM Jewelsmith, and

Zbrush. Of these Claytools is by far the most elegant interface, as you can literally “feel” the surface of the 3D CAD

object as they sculpt it! But not everyone has £5000 to spare.

My suggestion: Check out some of the video tutorials, and try out Sculptris.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Jack

ANNIE KOENIG


CADJEWELLERYSKILLS


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We curently have artcam, my one son is very good on it the other thinks fire storm will be easier to learn he has difficulty

using, learning artcam.

Hi Bertram:

In all honesty, they’re all about the same level of difficulty to learn. It really depends more on what kinds of jewellery

you’re hoping to make. ArtCAM’s focus is primarily on textural work, relief carving, and “2 1/2D work”. This makes it

fantastic for textural designs on rings. However, it’s not as efficient as other programs with creating complex 3D

shapes and assembled objects (one of the reasons why it’s bundled with Powershape.)

Firestorm (now called SpacePro3D) is based on SpaceClaim CAD software, which was originally designed for the

express purpose of making it as easy as possible to modify the surface structure of existing 3D models. This makes it

ideal for reworking models in a library. However, the tradeoff of efficiency in modifying models is that it ’s not quite asefficient at building from scratch as some more basic “nuts and bolts” CAD modellers.

The best way to get a more informed comparison for yourself is to come up with one or two common designs like

what you like to make, and ask the salespersons from each respective company the same questions. Watch how they

work, and you’ll get a good comparison of workflow. Every program is different, and different programs suit different

people, regardless of which one’s the most efficient way.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Jack

Hi. I’m new to all of this. We had someone doing some designs for us and is now too busy to meet our deadlines. We just

need fairly simple designs for a bracelet and belt buckle. I am willing to learn a program but am unsure which to pick?

These are not complex pieces. Fairly sime but I know the manufacturer needs them in CAD. Any help is appreciated.

Dear Lisa:

There are some cases where it’s hard to even know where to begin. Tell you what: if you have images of the kind of

work you’d like to do, contact me through Holts Academy’s website, and then pass on the images to me there. I’ll take

a look and see if I can’t point you in the right direction.

Regards,

Jack

BERTRAM EDMONSTON

24 April, 2014 at 1:17 pm

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS26 April, 2014 at 9:20 pm

LISA

30 May, 2014 at 3:55 am

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

30 May, 2014 at 8:45 pm

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Hi

Iam a Graphic Designer, I am creating Catalogues for products mainly Jewellery.

I need 3D Software which is easy & fast to create, Final Images should be more Photorealistic. Not intended to

manufacture it.

What Should I buy : Rhino+V-ray or Brasil + Matrix (Expensive), Rhino + RhinoGold + V-Ray or any other combination

please suggest.

Hi Chetan:

My first question would be: have you made jewellery before? Specifically, I mean hand making jewellery at the bench

or using casting. I mention this because a person’s knowledge of how the real world process works will make a big

difference for controlling how efficiently and realistically they’ll make jewellery. Without knowledge of how jewellery

is made, we don’t know the tolerances or thicknesses required of the materials to make the object appear believable

in CAD and rendering.

All of the packages above would work for making CAD jewellery efficiently. The problem is that you’re going to need

to know just as much about how jewellery comes out of the casting process as you would about how CAD models are

assembled.

If the answer to that question is yes, then the biggest difference between the choices you listed above is cost. Matrixis the most expensive, followed by Rhinogold (which I would recommend combining with Brazil since that’s what it

was made for), and Rhino with Keyshot, Brazil, or V-Ray would be the cheapest. What you get for that extra cost

though is time saving tools for working with stone settings in fine jewellery. The more time you’re going to be

spending on Pave, channel setting, or other types of fine jewellery stone setting, the more I would recommend an

expensive option.

Hope that helps. For other tips in getting started with jewellery (if your answer above was “No”), FAQ page 2 on my

blog can help:

http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-part-2-getting-started-in-jewellery-design/

Regards,

Jack

Hi Jack

Thanks for guidance, I don’t have much knowledge of Jewellery manufacturing. Idea is I am getting hand drawn

sketch from Jewellery Designer & I have to convert it in to 3D & Render it to look like actual photographed piece

or some time actual products are there but not very finished one to shoot or my jewellery manufacturing client

already have cad file with them I have to just render it to suit to my printed / web layout requirements.

I don’t want to manufacture jewellery from my cad file, manufacturers will take care of it my requirement is it

CHETAN

13 June, 2014 at 11:50 am

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

14 June, 2014 at 6:33 pm

CHETAN

16 June, 2014 at 3:56 pm

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should look real & fast to create.

I think Rhino + RhinoGold + V-ray (as I heard V-ray has better material & good effects) suitable to me.

By not choosing Matrix am I loosing something in finished superior image ?

Thanks & Regards

Chetan

Hi Chetan:

I’m afraid you’re only going to get so far with making jewellery look like a convincing illusion without

understanding more about jewellery tolerances. The problem with working from sketches is that even the

best hand drawn sketches from an experienced jewellery designer haven’t thought of everything when it

comes to how the ring would actually be made. There is always some information the manufacturers have to

fill in on a given design. Mostly this is because the skills required to create a good jewellery drawing and a

physical ring are very different.

Thinking about it, you’d probably have better luck finding a real world physical ring by measuring it with

calipers and modelling that. This might be a way of solving your problem, actually.

As to not choosing Matrix, if you’re not seriously pursuing jewellery manufacturing, it’s probably not going to

make that much of a difference.

Hope that helps.

Jack

Hi,

I found some news and interesting advice here.

Are you aware from Jewelry Animation? What program/software would you advise to use to get ideal and excellent

animation?

Thanks

Hi Armen:

I’m afraid none of the CAD programs made for jewellery or product design are designed for animation. I discuss this

in the FAQ page about how jewellery CAD fits in with other types of CAD and design software:

http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-jewellery-cad-as-it-fits-in-with-computer-graphics-in-

general/

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

16 June, 2014 at 9:26 pm

ARMEN

19 June, 2014 at 10:59 am

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

20 June, 2014 at 2:44 pm

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The best thing to do if you want proper animation is to design a model in product design CAD, and to import it into a

dedicated animation package.

However, if this is not possible for financial or time reasons, or you don’t need that powerful an animation tool, then

some of the more advanced Jewellery CAD software packages are designed to allow some simple animations. 3Design

and Matrix immediately come to mind for having rudimentary animation builders dedicated to this purpose.

Regards,

Jack

Hi There,

Thanks for the post, it’s been a real eye opener for me.

I actually come from a photoshop background as a digital retoucher on Mac computers and I’m interested in jewellery

design. I’ve been playing with Zbrush for a couple of months now and absolutely love it! I can now see the advantages of having a more bespoke jewellery software for the main structures and shapes along with keeping the typology correct.

I’m not particularly interested in stones/diamonds, I guess settings in general.

My question is what would be a good program with all of the above in mind, to accompany Zbrush? I assume I can’t avoid

going down the PC route, or can I?

Many thanks in advance

Ant.

Hi Anthony.

No worries. I’m glad to help.

While I really enjoy the amazing capabilities of ZBrush too, in my experience it has two big problems which pose

serious obstacles to new users: first, the user interface isn’t even remotely intuitive. This makes for a very steeplearning curve, worse than nearly any program I’ve ever worked with. Put it this way– if you can conquer ZBrush on

your own, you can learn any CAD software I could throw at you.

Second, model conversion in and out of the program can be very awkward, even with the .stl export and decimation

plug-ins. The issue isn’t just that you have to bring in meshes for ZBrush to use, but you have to bring in meshes

constructed in a specific way . This means even the cleanest mesh from most product design programs has to be

remeshed once it’s been imported as a Ztool into ZBrush. This can be highly maddening if you’re trying to preserve

crisp lines and clean surfaces. It also makes for very heavy meshes and large .stl files when you finally re-export

again.

With all this in mind, it doesn’t terribly matter which 3D product design CAD software or jewellery CAD software you

use for your initial solid form– they’re all going to work equally badly with ZBrush. So long as it has a reasonably good

.obj mesh export option, you’ll be okay. (I believe that would include 3Design, Rhino, Matrix, and 3DSpacePro).

Hope that helps.

Regards,

ANTHONY PUGH

29 July, 2014 at 7:56 am

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

29 July, 2014 at 5:12 pm

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Jack

Thanks Jack,

I appreciate your advice. I went with Rhino for the Mac which is free as it is in development at the moment. Itseems fine so here goes.

Cheers

Ant.

Hello Jack,

I am currently considering the purchase of either Matrix or 3Design.

Regarding your below comment, would you be able to give me an example of how 3Design would be less precise than

Matrix, just so that I can understand this better? (are some things “pre-set” and unable to be changed?).

“Precision Modelling (ie fitted components, hinges, etc.)

Best: Rhino, Matrix

Good: JewelCAD, Moment of InspirationOkay: 3Design, ArtCAM Jewelsmith

Can do it, but not really designed for it: Mudbox, Zbrush, Claytools, Countersketch”

Thank you in advance.

Hi Julie:

Rhino and Matrix are based upon a classic cartesian grid system, which is well-suited to working in terms of

measurements.

3Design (and several other parametric programs like it), work not based upon a grid system, but rather based upon a

fully parametric history tree system. The advantage of this is that it allows you to make changes to earlier parts of a

model and have later stages automatically update themselves.

What this also means is that you’re building objects in relation to each other rather than in relation to precision

measurements themselves. In the case of precision modelling, however, this is not an advantage. You can still do

precision work in 3Design, but the this modelling structure the history tree enforces makes the laying out of complex

assemblies for mechanisms a bit more complicated.

Does that make sense?

In short, the big tradeoff between Matrix and 3Design boils down to parametric history-based modelling. If you

would find it the ability to be able to rework your previously completed models from any stage useful, then 3Design is

ANTHONY PUGH

31 July, 2014 at 9:49 am

JULIE

3 August, 2014 at 10:19 pm

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

4 August, 2014 at 10:35 pm

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definitely worth a look.

Jack

Hi.. I pretend create jewels (rings, earrings, etc)…

What is the best software or the best combination of softwares(desconsidering de price)?

Best Regards,

Vitor SPadeto Venturin

Dear Vitor:

Do you mean you’re only making images of jewellery? That sounds more like animation.

All of the CAD tools we use for making jewellery for manufacturing are product design CAD. But, as mentioned in one

of my FAQ pages (link below), there are three different types of CAD:

http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-jewellery-cad-as-it-fits-in-with-computer-graphics-in-

general/

I’m afraid I can only help you a little bit with 3D CAD for animation, and cannot recommend any specific ones. But if

the look of the piece is what you want, and precise dimensions do not matter, I reckon most any animation tool will

do. Perhaps Google Sketchup, Blender, or even 3D Studio Max (if you want to spend some money)?

If you Google search for 3D Animation software, you’ll come up with some more options.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Jack

This is an interesting comparison of different programs. I am an avid user of Jewelsmith, but where it sometimes falls

short is creating full, freeflow 3d designs.

I am looking to create some small figurines in the near future, less than 30mm high. I have looked at Rhino but it is

hardly intuitive to use and seems very drawn out to do easy tasks sometimes, any ideas for a more practical alternative?

VITOR SPADETO VENTURIN

19 August, 2014 at 9:21 pm

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

20 August, 2014 at 9:47 pm

LIBERTY

21 August, 2014 at 10:25 am

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Hi Liberty:

The thing about ArtCAM Jewelsmith is it’s method of modelling is unlike any other on this list. Technically it’s a point

cloud relief modeller, so you’re building up your layers from a flat surface using colour fields and sculpting tools.

I’m afraid most of the efficient ways of modelling in 3D are going to be based upon a more architectural methods of

modelling. You’re right it’s going to be a learning curve if you’re coming from Jewelsmith, but for what it’s worth,

programs like Rhino work well as “opposites” to Jewelsmith, allowing you to use the programs together to greateffect.

Have a look at my FAQ page about software combinations favoured by those who work in industry:

http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-part-4-when-2-cad-tools-are-better-than-1-or-the-

best-combinations-of-cad-tools/

Regards,

Jack

Hi,

I am a self taught jewelry designer. By jewelry designer I have never made my own jewelry but I do create sketches and

scaled drawings which I then have made by my manufacturers for my jewelry business. I am quite proficient in

photoshop and am looking at starting a 3D design course or tutorial on CAD software. What would you recommend given

I don’t have hands on jewelry experience? Am I out of my depth? I am living in Shanghai, China.

Thanks

Ashley

Dear Ashley:

Over the years, I’ve found an interesting common thread among all the self-taught jewellers who’ve come to my

classes. It seems the seldom know how good they really are until they take that first class with other students. But

having the will to learn on your own is a powerful thing, and the fact you’ve managed to work with a manufacturer

and make a business out of it says quite a lot about your abilities to learn (and how far you’ve come already).

Before taking a CAD course though, I would make sure you’ve spent some time working with metal at the bench. It is

important to have a feeling for the materials, as that helps you understand better how to design for those materials.

If I were you, what I’d do next before going into CAD would be to find a hand-made jewellery manufacturing course

and take that first. If it’s not too far away from you, I know someone in Hong Kong I can recommend to you fortraining if you wish.

Regards,

Jack

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

21 August, 2014 at 9:47 pm

ASHLEY BELLINO

6 October, 2014 at 2:59 pm

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS


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Hi, Thank you for this resource! We’re looking at software for the production of high relief award medallions and lapel

pins. We’ll also be 3D printing models of them for clients to let them look and feel. We were also going to be creating

models for some sports sculptures. I was originally thinking ArtCam but perhaps I should be looking more at a

combination of things? Any suggestions? Art Cam and Rhino? Other? Thanks so much.

Hi Garth:

ArtCAM Jewelsmith is definitely up your alley for the medallions and lapel pins, and is probably your best choice for

that task.As for the 3D models for sports sculptures, you have a couple of options. DelCAM (ArtCAM’s developer) makes it’s

own proprietary 3D surface modeller called Powershape. It’s a pretty good program, and DelCAM have been working

to integrate it so that it can communicate back and forth with ArtCAM Jewelsmith. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a

larger user base for support and a lower cost program, Rhino also makes a good secondary for ArtCAM. The strengths

of one offset the weaknesses of the other very nicely.

Hope that helps. Give me a shout if you have more questions.

Regards,

Jack

Thanks for this, Jack. We were thinking of using ArtCAM and Rhino. I’ll definitely look at Powershape as well. Is

ZBrush something we should be considering as well for modelling? Also do you know of anything that would help

with setting a photo to 3D? I’ve seen the 3Sweep video on Youtube and was ultimately looking for something like

that in a way, where I could take a photo and use that as the basis for creating a model. For example if I had aphoto of a soccer player kicking a ball I could use that as the basis to create a model for one side of it. Taking

photos from the front and back and maybe top and bottom and other side as well, I could stitch them together

and then sort of inflate it to define features? Maybe I’m dreaming and that is still years off? I keep thinking of

Terminator 2 and how they modelled the police officer. I was thinking/hoping things have maybe advanced to do

something like that on a smaller scale…Thanks again!

Hi Garth:

ZBrush is mainly a tool for taking a 3D object from another piece of CAD software and using texturing and

sculptural techniques directly on it. It can make models on its own, but it’s a much harder learning curve than

GARTH


CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

31 October, 2014 at 11:33 am

GARTH

6 November, 2014 at 12:08 am

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

6 November, 2014 at 11:54 am

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most other programs. I think from where you’re starting you’re better off with your original ideas.

As for taking photos into 3D, the standard method for doing so is to take several photos into any CAD software

(both Rhino and ArtCAM can do it), and draw lines and interpret 3D shapes tracing over that image in the

background. Even with modern 3D scanning this is still the most efficient way of making a jewellery design at

the moment.

Directly interpreting the shape into a full 3D form for modelling sounds more like 3D scanning, and that can

be done as well, but that would be an entirely different matter. As of right now, 3D scanning can do some of

what you’re saying, but the model would have to stand dead still, and you’d have to set up a full scanning tent.

It would be a bit like what these guys do:

http://mini-you.co.uk/

I’m just finishing up now a new FAQ on 3D scanning and how it fits into jewellery and product design CAD. It

should be up on the blog in a week or two from this posting.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Jack

Hi Jack,

Thanks for this. I’ve been talking with the vendors with your advice in mind and we are moving forward

with the medal and pin end of things. The sculptures still sound a bit out of our depth. I’ll be watching

here and looking forward to your coming FAQ. Thanks so much again!

Garth

Hi Garth:

As promised, I’ve written an article about 3D scanning and retropology tools, which might be helpful for

explaining what you want to do in more depth.

Hope it helps, and let me know if you have any more questions.

Regards,

Jack

Hi Jack,

I am have been fabricating some precision hollow pieces (think large beads or objects about the size of a kumquat. I am

wanting to experiment with piercing the forms and would like to experiment with creating multiple patterns and 3D

printing them to see them before I move forward to fabricate (time factor). the forms are very geometric in nature

(spheres, lentil shaped forms, tubes, etc.). Can you suggest CAD software that would work best for this? I use a Mac so

something that would work on a Mac would be best. I could use windows (parallels or bootcamp) but am more

GARTH


CADJEWELLERYSKILLS


LESLIE

17 December, 2014 at 6:38 pm

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comfortable in the mac OS. Thanks!

Dear Leslie:

I’m afraid there aren’t that many Mac OS specific CAD software packages, and most of the ones available are mainlyfor digital effects/animation. I reckon most CAD programmers assumed engineers worked only on PC. Parallel

partitions and bootcamp OS emulators will allow you to work on a few more options, though.

The size you’re planning to work means you may well be able to work just fine with any general product design CAD

software. Any piece of software which is able to export meshes to .stl files will work okay for you. Spaceclaim, Rhino,

and Moment of Inspiration are three possible places to start looking. Each is at a different price point, and as you

might expect you get what you pay for in terms of functionality. But have a look at those and see what you think.

Note that all three of these recommendations I’m giving to you are PC software which I am fairly certain can run on

Bootcamp or parallel partitions. I’ll have another look at Mac options though and see what I can find, but I don’t think

product design CAD software developers have given Mac much time in general.

Hope that helps. Let me know how it goes, and give me a shout if you’d like to know more.

Regards,

Jack

Hi Leslie-

You might want to check out FormZ. I used it years ago when I worked on a Mac and it was the only solid model CAD

software around for Mac. I just checked out their website and they have a few different levels of versions, including a free

one with no restrictions, that will let you make files for 3D printing.It’s http://www.formz.com.

Good luck!

Annie

Hi Annie:

You’re right. FormZ is a pretty good general purpose CAD program. It doesn’t have any jewellery specific functions,

but you can learn to work pretty well without them. Besides, from what Leslie described, jewellery specific functions

wouldn’t be particularly necessary.

Thanks for the addition.

Jack

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS


ANNIE


CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

3 January, 2015 at 4:55 pm

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I believe 3DESIGN has a mac version

All your posts have been really interesting Jack and worth reading.

Im a jewellery designer and G.G from India, with 16 years of experience in Manual and Cad design

have working knowledge in 3design, and Rhino

but now a days I dont design myself, I have a team working under me.

Nevertheless, I keep my self abreast with all the happenings in the CAD and CAM area as much as possible, sitting here in

India

Thanks a lot for all the information. Its helps

Hi Sonali:

Nice to meet you. And thank you for the kind words.

Yes, 3Design definitely has a Mac version. Indeed, I believe it has always had a Mac and PC version, and it once had

even had a Linux version.

The reason why I didn’t recommend it for Leslie is because she’s working on very large objects which would be more

suitable for general product design CAD than jewellery specific CAD.

Regards,

Jack

Hi!

What is your opinion about modeling jewelry on parametric softwares such as Solidworks and Inventor?

Thank you!

Dear Elisa:

Good question! As a matter of fact, I’ve been putting the finishing touches on a new blog entry specifically about

parametric modelling (and Direct modelling) which will be coming out very soon. It seems to me that the subject is

complex enough to warrant its very own FAQ page.

SONALI


CADJEWELLERYSKILLS


ELISA


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Watch this space!

Regards,

Jack

Thank you very much for your answer! I`m looking forward for the article. Tell us also if you already tried to

model jewelry on these softwares yourself, and what is your opinion in comparison to the traditional jewelry

softwares!

My best regards, have a nice day!

Hi Elisa:

On the comparison list above, 3Design is a Parametric modelling program, and Firestorm is a Direct modelling

program. The parametric and direct modelling methods within them make changing many aspects of existing

models extremely easy and quick, hence their high ratings in certain categories.

There are a couple of other parametric and direct modelling programs on the market I haven’t listed here, but

they’re either not really designed for jewellery CAD, or they’re actively hostile to being listed and compared to

other programs (except by their own internal sales reps).

Regards,

Jack

Hi Elisa:

As promised, I’ve finally finished the FAQ article on parametric and direct modelling. Here it is:

http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-11-what-are-parametric-solid-modelling-and-

direct-modelling-and-how-do-they-apply-to-jewellery-cad/

Have a read and let me know if you have any questions.

Regards,

Jack

ELISA


CADJEWELLERYSKILLS16 January, 2015 at 12:04 pm

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

7 March, 2015 at 9:40 am

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Hi Jack,

Thanks for providing such detailed information, it is a great help for someone looking to invest in a CAD CAM system. I

work with a lot of small descriptive pieces of jewellery and would like the ability to copy some of these products into a

CAD format to make exact wax moulds. I see you mentioned before that:

”As for taking photos into 3D, the standard method for doing so is to take several photos into any CAD software (both

Rhino and ArtCAM can do it), and draw lines and interpret 3D shapes tracing over that image in the background. Evenwith modern 3D scanning this is still the most efficient way of making a jewellery design at the moment.”

I just wanted to know for small intricate pieces that I would like to make into CAD for designing moulds, would taking

photos of the product or using a scanner be the best method? If its taking a photo, are the products you previously

mentioned (Rhino or Artcam) still the best solutions?

I appreciate your help.

Regards,

Dan

Hi Dan:

I’ll answer your question in a few parts:

First, I’ve written a whole FAQ page on 3D scanners, showing the limitations and uses of them. Rather than giving thefull answer here, I’ll simply refer you to that: http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-10-3d-

scanning-model-conversion-jewellery-cad/

Second, it’s a good question whether it’s better to work from 2D photos that you trace inside the CAD program, or to

work from freeform just holding the real world imagery/object in your hand. Both methods have followers. I simply

say use whichever suits you or the situation demands.

My suggestions for you would still remain the same for the kind of work you mentioned.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Jack

Hi Jack,

Thanks for getting back to me. Your information helps a lot! I will keep working off the 2D images, as it suits the

product I’m trying to replicate the best.

Cheers,

Dan

DAN

20 January, 2015 at 11:07 pm

CADJEWELLERYSKILLS


DAN


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Thank you very much, Jack! Have a nice day!

Hi Jack,

Thank you for the comparisons and your very generous answers to all of these questions. I hope you may be able to help

me too! I am a jeweller who trained at art school rather than through the trade. I have picked up lots of skills in my 20

odd years of working at the bench and have developed a range of “contemporary” precious jewellery incorporating gold

and gemstones. This is only one aspect of my practice and probably takes up about 20% of my time but obviously has the

potential to be the most financially viable. My designs are quite geometric and I don’t think I would use close to 10% of

the capabilities of Matrix but I do need to be able to alter ring size, gem size and type of setting in individual designs. Iguess I want to know if an investment in Matrix will be worth it or whether I get rhinogold and work with its limitations?

Is an investment in Matrix going to set me up for the future? I understand you’re a CAD specialist, not a psychic but is an

nvestment in Matrix software and skills going to still be valuable in 10 years time, say.

Thank you in advance.

Hi Anna:

Good question. It makes sense to consider buying a tool whose scope matches the kinds of work you do.

I went ahead and had a look at your site. Frankly, I agree with you that your work is too much in the contemporary

arena for you to find fine jewellery plug-ins particularly useful. However, wanting to change the stone sizes and ring

sizes after you’ve made your designs complicates matters a bit.

Any software can change a ring size faster than you can at the bench. However, for most software you would have to

go back a few steps and basically “regenerate” parts of the ring to resize the stone settings or the ring shank. Theexception to this would be a subset of CAD modelling tools know as Parametric Modelling (or its cousin Direct CAD

modelling). Rather than storing models as geometry, they store it as stages in a process. You can then go back in and

change earlier stages of the process, and later stages update themselves.

I guess it depends on how important being able to change your designs after you’ve made them is to you. If being

able to change old designs quickly is your biggest priority, then you should be looking at parametric or direct CAD

software (like 3Design or Firestorm CAD). If reworking old designs is a frequent issue for you, the cost of these is

justified. However, if low cost solutions are your biggest priority, then RhinoGold is as good a solution as any.

I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Regards,

Jack

ELISA

9 February, 2015 at 11:58 am

ANNA


CADJEWELLERYSKILLS


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Thanks Jack,

I think that Rhinogold is the best option for me. Particularly as the conversion rate at the moment brings the price

up to nearly AUD$9G!

Cheers

Hi Anna:

Following your previous question, I’ve done some research and written a FAQ page about parametric and

direct modelling. Have a look if you’d like to know more about these:

http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-11-what-are-parametric-solid-modelling-and-

direct-modelling-and-how-do-they-apply-to-jewellery-cad/

Regards,

Jack

Hi,

Thank you very much for your detailed explanation.

However, I would like to know which software you would recommend for 2D Design (using vectors)? This would be good

for me I believe as I am very new to jewellery design and would like an easy interface. I don’t design large quantities so I

don’t need a fancy software. Just something to give me an idea of what the final product could look like in terms of shape,

dimensions, angles etc.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Didn’t know who else to ask for this advice. So happy I found your website.

Hi Milari:

You’ve got a good question there with regards to 2D design software. I may add a section here for this.

However, before I start answering your question, I feel I should manage some expectations. While Photoshop and

Illustrator are often considered gateways to more advanced software, ultimately they have pretty similar learning

curves to some 3D CAD software packages. So rather than picking a 2D software program because it’s easy, it might

be more worth your while looking for software which will do what you want to do, even if it seems intimidating at

first.

For precision technical 2D work, I would definitely recommend going for Adobe Illustrator any day of the week

because its flexibility for drafting work is unmatched by anything else. Perhaps it’s only drawback is cost, which is why

I sometimes recommend the free program Inkscape as a good place to start learning 2D vectors before moving up to

ANNA


CADJEWELLERYSKILLS

7 March, 2015 at 9:38 am

MILARI BARKER


CADJEWELLERYSKILLS


http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-part-1-comparisons-of-cad-jewellery-software-on-the-market/#comment-19222http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-part-1-comparisons-of-cad-jewellery-software-on-the-market/#comment-19193http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-part-1-comparisons-of-cad-jewellery-software-on-the-market/#comment-19383http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-part-1-comparisons-of-cad-jewellery-software-on-the-market/#comment-19232http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-11-what-are-parametric-solid-modelling-and-direct-modelling-and-how-do-they-apply-to-jewellery-cad/http://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-part-1-comparisons-of-cad-jewellery-software-on-the-market/?replytocom=19193#respondhttp://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-part-1-comparisons-of-cad-jewellery-software-on-the-market/?replytocom=19383#respondhttp://www.cadjewelleryskills.com/frequently-asked-questions-part-1-comparisons-of-cad-jewellery-software-on-the-market/?replytocom=19232#respond


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Illustrator.

I will admit vectors can be

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