Hello everybody!

My goal is to create a model of my robot (which is currently built in Fusion360) to be simulated in Gazebo so that I can use ROS to control its simulated joints. Also I would like this process to be quick (since the measurements in the model might change, or a new one might be designed).

There are a lot of tutorials explaining all the details when building models from scratch using text editors in URDF, however given the complexity of my model I'd prefer to automatically generate these files.

So far I have been using fusion2urdf [1] which does a decent job. However, its development seems a bit stalled now. Also when trying to attach controllers like [2] to the model there are quirks, e.g. my exported wheels dont work since they are not cylinders but have been "meshed" ie they dont have round surfaces.

Now I was wondering which toolchain are people using to create models like in Gazebos model database? I refuse to believe that all the models in there [3] have been built using a text editor.

Same question goes for building worlds in Gazebo. I see the point of generating repetitive structures in text files but I'd much rather want an actual 3D editor / CAD program to export my models/worlds from (also including textures etc).

I recently found [4] which would suggest SolidWorks. Other places mention Blender and a Mesh Editor ..

[1] https://github.com/syuntoku14/fusion2urdf

[2] https://wiki.ros.org/diff_drive_controller

[3] https://bitbucket.org/osrf/gazebo_models/src/default/

[4] https://wiki.ros.org/Industrial/Tutorials/Create%20a%20URDF%20for%20an%20Industrial%20Robot