3d Cad Mouse Views

General Goods

Leave it to the Germans to top that. Space Controller is a 3D mouse designed specifically for CAD work. Its 3D controller allows one to manipulate an object in all dimensions making panning around, zooming in etc a walk in the park. Plus you get to choose if you want a cap or a ball. Add 17 buttons, LCD screen and again the fact that your right hand is free to use a traditional mouse. It doesnd’t come cheap but could be a good investment if it saves time. Price: $299

I use and have been using a trackball for at least 10 years now. My first was the Logitech TrackMan Marble FX Trackball. It was a great trackball after I wore it out and Logitech saw fit to discontinue it I switched to the Trackman Mouse and have been using it for almost 5 years now. I do not do a lot of 3D CAD work so I don’t see the need to spend the money on a pricy 3D gadget that would be more of a toy than a tool. We just upgraded our PC’s here and I am now looking for a replacement of the Trackman and I have not come across a suitable replacement, so it looks as if Logitech will be getting my business again.

While its true that you need to change tools frequently in eagle (as with most CAD tools ;), you also need to pan and zoom a lot with only one or two tools, for example while routing or placing parts. The problem is, that once you have used a space mouse for CAD, you will never go back to not using one (at least for 3D CAD). I work frequently with both 2D CAD, such as eagle, and 3D CAD, and my hand always reaches into the blank spot where I suspect the space mouse when I am using a program that does not support it (or I start to use it, and nothing happens :/).

A few weeks ago, i was deep into Solid Edge 3D CAD modeling for some mechanical stuff. our CAD computers are equipped with 3DConnexion 3D mice. this 6-DOF input device makes navigating in CAD software a pleasure. you can rotate and translate the objects on the screen while using a normal mouse in your other hand to manipulate them. anyways, once you get used to this, you cannot CAD without it. seriously. now at about the same time i had the pleasure to design some PCBs in CadSoft Eagle. my left hand kept moving the 3D mouse in order to pan and zoom the view, but of course nothing happened. unfortunately, Eagle does not support 3D mice.