Space Ball usage with SW
Space Ball usage with SW
(OP)
I was wondering how many of u guys are using spaceballs or similar inout devices. I'm currently testing one and my company is thinking of buying one for all designers. What is your experience with these devices ???
Bouke
Bouke






RE: Space Ball usage with SW
http://www.3dconnexion.com/spaceball5000.htm
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com
http://www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
I too am using a Spaceball 5000, but I have no problems with my buttons deprogramming.
Bob
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
Besides the fact that I feel like I've reached out and grabbed my part and just twitch my left hand to put the next view in front of me.
nick
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
the spaceball saves a lot of time in adding mates because it greatly increases your ability to rotate, pan and zoom which are used so much when adding mates. Instead of rotating the model to see the face I need to mate, then zooming in using the wheel/button on my mouse, selecting the face, then zooming out, rotating, then using CTRL-wheel/button to pan, then zooming in again etc., I can rotate and zoom at the same time with the spaceball, select the face, then zoom out, pan and rotate all at once, then zoom in again, all in one fluid motion. You can even use the spaceball to move/rotate parts in addition to using it for panning/zooming/rotating your view. This helps you get this positioned very quickly.
Even just having some of the spaceball buttons programmed as "Mate", "Move Component" or "Rotate Component" saves a lot of time. It might only save a second or two over having to actually go and click an icon, but it adds up quickly.
Hopefully this helps,
Bob
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
Another option is to check out ebay for older version spaceballs. I believe the 3000 series go for as low as $30.
I told my boss I was going to buy an old one my own and convinced him of the time it would save modeling. He got me a spaceball 5000 and its worth every penny. If you consider the amount of time you would save... it can easily pay for it self in a short period of time.
My pitch to managment went something like this... If you save one manhour per week, at $100/hr, it'd be paid off in 5 weeks.
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
Thanks for all the good info people!
Chris Gervais
Sr. Mechanical Designer
Lytron Corp.
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
All our new computers are ordered with 3D mouse.
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
We had a cadman come in on a trial period and I showed them how much movement I had to go through using a mouse. I then switched over to the cadman. I barely had to do anything and I could manupilate the object. It looked like I wasn't even moving my fingers less then .010" for full movement. They agreed to get me one that same day and even decided to upgrade to the spaceball.
So if management even cares about your health, they will get you one in no time.
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
RE: Space Ball usage with SW
I find that the draw back (and the reason I only use it at home these days) is with LARGE assemblies. In fact any slow file. You have to be very carefull not to inadvertently tweak it, even very slightly. If you do, it rotates/zooms/scrolls and refreshes your view. That is very time consuming and distruptive on large slow files. So you have to learn to keep your hand off it unless you really wnat to make it do something for you.
John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics
There's no place like 127.0.0.1