forexxxxxxxxxx
Top FREE 3D CAD Modeling Software: The 24 Best FREE CAD Tools for Ideation, Rendering, Prototyping and More for Product Engineers
Last Updated: Nov 19, 2019
Tinkercad helps product engineers develop the best products for life. A browser-based 3D CAD modeling tool that is appropriate for nearly any skill level, Tinkercad suits product engineering students and seasoned professionals. Many product engineers also turn to Tinkercad when they need a 3D printing solution.
↚
↚
Key Features:
↚
↚
· 3D design and modeling tool for all
· Part of the 123D family of free apps
· Complete designs and models in mere minutes
· Click-to-3D print
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
2. FreeCAD
An open source software tool, FreeCAD is specifically designed for mechanical engineering and product design. FreeCAD is a parametric 3D CAD modeler appropriate for designing real-life objects of any size and includes tools similar to SOLIDWORKS. FreeCAD is open-source and multi-platform and reads and writes several open file formats including STEP, IGES, STL, SVG, DXF, LBJ, IFC, DAE, and others.
Key Features:
· Parametric modeling for easily modifying designs by going back into model history and changing parameters
· Highly customizable, scriptable, and extensible
· Appropriate for experienced CAD users who identify with the tools and workflow that are similar to other commercial CAD and BIM modeling software
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
PTC brings technology solutions and leadership to the Internet of Things, and their 3D CAD tool is ideal for innovative product development. Creo Parametric 3D is a product engineering software tool that improves quality and speeds time-to-market because it enables users to efficiently build 3D virtual prototypes of products and automates the product development process.
Key Features:
· Unique blend of parametric and direct modeling with product design apps that are interoperable
· Seamless integration of technology for greater productivity and innovation
· Easily capture design intent and build models that change as you change the parameters of their features
· Freely create and interact with 3D CAD geometry to quickly see the results of your engineering decisions
· Intuitive, flexible editing environment that is suited to beginners through experts
Cost: FREE trial available; Contact for a quote
↚
↚
A leading provider of innovative design collaboration solutions, IronCAD delivers productivity and design freedom with their software tools. Their product engineering software solution aids in designing more quickly and easily because of its intuitive solution that empowers engineers to increase productivity and collaborate throughout the enterprise.
Key Features:
· Intuitive platform that mirrors interaction with the physical world
· Easily reposition components with the patented TriBall visualization tool
· Complete 3D design program that allows engineers to choose from parametric, direct, or a combination of modalities on demand in a single environment
· Freely explore design ideas and create models dynamically onscreen without needing to plan and map out concepts in advance
· Use one tool to manage the entire design process from concept to production
· 3D models only require one file, regardless of complexity
Cost: FREE trial available; Contact for a quote
↚
↚
A 3D CAD software tool for creating solid 3D CAD models, OpenSCAD is free and available for Linux/UNIX, Windows, and Mac OS X users. OpenSCAD focuses on CAD for creating 3D models and gives product engineers control over the modeling process because the tool is similar to a 3D compiler that reads script files and renders 3D models from files rather than being an interactive modeler.
Key Features:
· Gives engineers full control over the modeling process and allows for easily changing any step in the modeling process or making designs defined by configurable parameters
· Delivers two modeling techniques: constructive solid geometry (CSG) and extrusion of 2D outlines
· Read and create 3D motels in the STL and OFF file formats in addition to DXF files
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
Key Features:
· Sketch sections using lines, circles, line styles, 3Dconnexion six degree of freedom controllers, and more
· Constraints and dimensions on distance, projected distance, lengths in metric or inch units, and others
· Build solid models with extruded or lathed sketch, Boolean operations, parametric step and repeat, etc.
· Export 3D wireframe as DXF or STEP
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
A free, open source 3D modeling tool, Blender is a complete 3D creation suite that supports the entire 3D pipeline from modeling and rigging to simulation and rendering to production. Product engineers choose Blender when they are looking for a tool for visualization and quick ideation and rendering.
Key Features:
· Includes Cycles, the built-in, powerful, unbiased path-tracer engine for ultra-realistic rendering
· Comprehensive array of modeling tools for creating, transforming, and editing models quickly and easily
· Advanced sculpting tools and brushes
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
Key Features:
· Combinatorial constructive solid geometry (CSG) solid modeling system
· Network-distributed framebuffer support
· Image and signal-processing tools
· Path-tracing and photon mapping support for realistic image synthesis
· The primary tri-service solid modeling AD system used by the U.S. military to model weapons systems for vulnerability and lethality analyses
· Supports a variety of geometric representations including an extensive set of traditional CSG primitive implicit solids such as boxes, ellipsoids, cones, and tori
· A collection of more than 400 tools, utilities, and applications
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
Meshmixer is Autodesk’s state-of-the-art 3D software tool for working with triangle meshes. Product engineers choose Meshmixer when they want to design an object that fits something else or when they need a solution that offers precise 3D positioning with pivots.
Key Features:
· Drag-and-drop mesh mixing
· 3D sculpting and surface stamping
· Robust convert-to-solid for 3D printing
· 3D patterns and lattices
· Branching support structures for 3 D printing
· For Windows, OS X, and Linux
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
DesignSpark is an engineer and maker community offering free software, online resources, and design support. DesignSpark Mechanical is their 3D CAD modeling software that enables product engineers to design and make in 3D in innovative ways and to rapidly prototype and reverse engineer objects quickly and easily.
Key Features:
· Seamlessly integrates into your existing design workflow
· Import or save 3D models from a variety of suppliers in the RSDOC format for use i your existing DesignSpark Mechanical design projects
· Create a Bill-of-Materials and get instant online quotes
· Import and export in a variety of industry standard file formats including STL, SKP, OBJ, AutoCAD, and DXF
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
A 3D CAD modeling software powered by Lumiscaphe, Patchwork 3D transforms CAD data into photorealistic 3D models for industrial use. Product engineers use Patchwork 3D to use real-time rendering to shorten design cycles.
Key Features:
· Fully configurable, sun-type light for real-time illumination without or in addition to lightmaps
· Up to three animatable clipping pains to reveal layers of products, clipping through just the surfaces you want
· Real-time material editor
· Best-in-class surface unfolding algorithms are unique for industry applications
· Native CAD support provides interactive NURBS tessellation
Cost: FREE trial available; Contact for a quote
↚
↚
The first and only full-cloud 3D CAD system that allows for collaboration with team members using any web browser, phone, or tablet, Onshape for Professional Design Teams makes it possible to use a 3D CAD modeling software tool anywhere, any time. Onshape is designed specifically for today’s agile design teams.
Key Features:
· Enterprise-grade CAD
· Real-time deployment and access
· Real-time data management
· Real-time analytics and controls
Cost: FREE trial available for 21 days; Contact for a quote
↚
↚
AutoCAD Mechanical is a product engineering design software that incorporates the functionality of AutoCAD with libraries of standards-based parts and tools to drive mechanical CAD. With more than 700,00 standard parts and international drafting standards support, AutoCAD Mechanical is a comprehensive 3D CAD modeling software tool.
Key Features:
· Isolate and restore layer groups and specify linetypes
· Create rectangles from the ribbon
· Produce accurate drawings with standard components using more than 700,000 standard parts and features
· Document 3D CAD models
· Reusable mechanical drawing detailing tools
· Create and save custom content with the custom content library
Cost: FREE trial available for 30 days
↚
↚
Billed as “the world’s fastest and most innovative 3D modeling software,” SpaceClaim helps product engineers design in the way that they think. SpaceClaim is a fast, flexible 3D tool that makes it easier for users to get to market faster.
Key Features:
· Full part and assembly modeling
· Detailed drawings include full 2D/3D GD&T
· Photorealistic rendering capabilities with Keyshot
· Open and edit files from neutral and native CAD systems
Cost: FREE trial available; Contact for a quote
↚
↚
DesignCAD 3D Max is a versatile 3D CAD modeling software tool that is ideal for beginners to professionals. An award-winning software, DesignCAD 3D Max also is a 2D CAD solution that has the power needed for creating high-quality designs, simple renders, and animations.
Key Features:
· New file interoperability
· Better management of blocks, symbols, and image files
· General purpose 3D CAD tool for creating precise, high-quality 2D designs, 3D models, renders, and animations
· Full range of powerful 3D modeling primitives such as box, sphere, hemisphere, pyramid, cylinder, cone, and torus
· Utilize Boolean operations including solid add, solid subtract, and slice to shape 3D parts
· 3D view settings, 3D primitives, 3D (solid) editing operations, and 3D visualization
Cost: FREE trial available
·
↚
An open source, extensible system for processing and editing unstructured 3D triangular meshes, MeshLab is a 3D modeling tool that aids in the processing of typical, unstructured models in 3D scanning and in providing a set of tools for editing, cleaning, healing, inspecting, rendering, and converting these sorts of meshes.
Key Features:
· Features for processing raw data produced by 3D digitization tools and devices and for preparing models for 3D printing
· Supports large meshes
· Vastly improved rendering speed
· New transformation filters and ways of getting metric information out of models
· Direct upload of models on SketchFab
· Transformation matrices used more uniformly among filters
· 3D acquisition: aligning, reconstruction, and color mapping and texturing
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
AC3D is a 3D modeling software tool for rapid prototypes of 3D designs, 3D printing, and more. Powerful and easy to use, AC3D is available for WINDOWS, MAC, and Linux.
Key Features:
· Simple click and drag user interface
· Powerful UV-mapping with the integrated texture coordinate editor
· Support for a range of 3D file formats including 3DS, OBJ, and Collada
· Create smooth and organic shapes from simple underlying models
· Boolean operations to cut, intersect, and join shapes as if they were solid
· No polygon limits
Cost: FREE trial available
↚
A 3D CAD software tool, K-3D is appropriate for 3D modeling and animation. Product engineers choose K-3D when they need a tool that allows for more artistic work because it combines flexible plugins with a visualization pipeline architecture.
Key Features:
· Familiar interface consistent with many applications you already know and use
· Intuitive, consistent, and discoverable
· Procedural and parametric workflows
· Advanced undo/redo system enables you to go back; the pioneering undo tree allows you to go forward, even where other programs lose redo capabilities
· Powerful node-based visualization pipeline gives you the freedom to create combinations previously unseen
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
A leading provider of 3D software for creating digital models of physical objects for reverse engineering, product design, inspection, and analysis, Geomagic offers their 3D CAD software tool, Geomagic Design. Geomagic Design enables users to rapidly and accurately move through the product development process with its easy to use environment.
Key Features:
· Affordable – delivers top-end tools at lower cost
· Comprehensive assembly, parametric and direct editing tools, 2D documentation, sheet metal design, motion analysis, and integrated CAD data sharing tools
· Ideal for automotive design and production, aerospace, industrial equipment manufacturing, and consumer product manufacturing
Cost: FREE trial available; Contact for a quote
↚
↚
Foundry develops innovative software solutions for the design, visualization, and entertainment industries. Modo contains a 3D modeling, texturing, and rendering tool set for product engineers to explore and develop ideas quickly, easily, and creatively. Modo especially is a useful 3D modeling tool for visualization and quick ideation and rendering.
Key Features:
· Fast direct modeling, flexible procedural modeling, award-winning MeshFusion Boolean toolset, and built-in sculpting tools
· Focus on creation rather than construction
· Advanced photorealistic and progressive renderer so you can visualize your designs as you develop them
· Modeling, sculpting, texturing, painting, and photorealistic rendering in one complete, easy-tl-use package with unlimited network rendering capabilities included
Cost: FREE trial available for 30 days; Contact for a quote
↚
↚
Key Features:
· Support for OpenSCAD source-code
· Use JavaScript programming concepts and libraries
· Create and manipulate 3D shapes in addition to 2D shapes
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
A powerful, open-source, programmatic CAD, ImplicitCAD enables engineers to use programming language to create objects. For some complex objects and products, using programming is the most efficient way to avoid design mistakes by using math and computer science to create better products with 3D printers.
Key Features:
· Design classes of objects parameterized by variables and in collaboration with others
· Design in your web browser
· Free and open source 3D modeling tool
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
With his hands in hardware, firmware, software, and design, Matt Keeter has a special interest in making interactive things and rapid prototyping and fabrication. That’s why he built Antimony as a 3D CAD modeling tool that “evolved from Lisp machines rather than drafting tables.”
Key Features:
· Built on three axes: a framework for tracking information flow through directed acyclic graphs, a geometry engine for doing CSG, and a standard library of shapes and transforms
· Solid modeling is done by connecting nodes in a graph
· Graph engine scales up to complex multi-part assemblies
· Geometry engine uses functional representations for solid modeling, which is ideal for modeling with boolean operations
· Geometry engine renders shapes as shaded bitmaps and then bits them to a 3D viewpoint
· Define custom shapes
Cost: FREE
↚
↚
Morphi is a 3D design app for 3D printing, augmented reality, virtual reality, stop-motion animation, visualization, and more for crating inventions, prototypes, and products. Morphi gives product engineers and their teams the ability to create 3D models from anywhere using touch and 3D shapes, text, hand drawing, images, and streamlined 3D modeling tools.
Key Features:
· Simple, powerful 3D design tool
· Use touch to crate 3D models from anywhere, any time using a mobile device
· Design both online and offline
· For iPad, Mac desktops, and Mac laptops
Cost:
