Best Free CAD software 3

[rickfischer51]

Im a recently retired engineer with an occasional need to draw stuff. Im on a fixed income (actually not fixed, it's broken, as in no income, just out go) so I need to control my costs. Im looking for a free cad package. Any recommendations?

Rick Fischer
Retired Principal Engineer
Argonne National Laboratory

 

[FEA way]

There’s only one 100% free CAD software that makes sense. It’s called FreeCAD, give it a try. It can be a bit difficult to learn initially but it’s worth spending some time.

 

[SWComposites]

Drafting board, Tee square and pencil.

 

[robyengIT]

FreeCAD as told above (mainly 3D) and furthermore "Double cad XT5" (2D & 3D)

 

[rb1957]

I wonder how much time you'll need to invest in the s/ware to get the drawings you want ? Free CAD is typically not the highest functioning nor the easiest to learn.

I wonder if you don't know a full-time pal who'd prepare the drawings for you ? (cost passed on to customer)

BTW, you're still on the Argonne employee listing ...

"Hoffen wir mal, dass alles gut geht !"
General Paulus, Nov 1942, outside Stalingrad after the launch of Operation Uranus.

 

[rickfischer51]

I searched free CAD here and saw several mentions for FreeCAD. Lots of how-to stuff on U2B.

Rick Fischer
Retired Principal Engineer
Argonne National Laboratory

 

[FEA way]

FreeCAD evolves really quickly and it's not the same software that some of you may have seen a few years ago. It's really powerful and there's even an additional enhanced version developed by Realthunder (so-called Link Branch). It's definitely worth testing.

 

[JohnRBaker]

I tried installing 'FreeCAD' on my MacBook Pro and it wouldn't allow it to run because the system claimed that it could not verify that it didn't contain malware.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[moon161]

OP's problem is his $ Argonne.

I'll see myself out.

 

[mfgenggear]

LibreCad

https://github.com/LibreCAD/LibreCAD/releases/tag/2.1.3and

free cad works very well for free, 3 D modeling

 

[drawoh]

rickfischer51,

OnShape is 3D parametric CAD that runs in your browser. This is free to use a long as you don't mind everybody scanning through your files. I have no problems running it from my GNU/Linux box at home.

--
JHG

 

[mfgenggear]

Johnbaker

I have been running on windows platform , as well with auto cad, and inventor with no issues

 

[FEA way]

@JohnRBaker, I suggest asking on their forum, you should get a reply really fast. Or try a weekly build that doesn't require installation.

@mfgenggear, LibreCAD is for 2D, not 3D modeling. Its development is quite slow and it's far from the complexity of FreeCAD (which is meant primarily for 3D modeling). However, there's no better 100% free AutoCAD equivalent since DraftSight became paid software.

@drawoh, the free version of OnShape can't be used for commercial purposes and has some missing functionalities. That's why FreeCAD remains the only truly free 3D CAD software with so much potential. Pretty much only fillets/chamfers and thickness tool are its serious weaknesses currently. There are quite easy workarounds for the other limitations.

 

[JohnRBaker]

FEA, thanks for the suggestion. On their forum I was able to find a way of making FreeCAD run without any issues.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[IRstuff]

Haven't used it, but lots of YouTube designers use Sketchup

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[mfgenggear]

feaway
yes I understand it's 2 d , and is good for straight forward easy home projects, why I said freecad for 3d, it's what I use

 

[JR97]

Rick,

here is another one. Solidedge. The 2D version is free to download.

https://solidedge.siemens.com/en/free-software/overview/

I personally don't like it, but it meets your "free" criteria

JR97

 

[Helepolis]

The intended use of the CAD software is a bit vague, but I wonder why nobody suggested Fusion 360.

In case you need the CAD software for personal use, or you wont get a certain amount (I think about 1000USD/year) income directly related to generated CAD models from Fusion 360, this is the perfect CAD software for you.

As a CAD power user for the past 10 years, I can say that for non-professional work you wont know the difference between it and, lets say, Solidworks.

There some planned changes regarding the "free"nes of the software but currently it is still free to use.

 

[Andrew ONeill]

QCad is what I use, they have a free version, it's all 2D, but perfect for general drawings. In my opinion a lot better than LibreCad.


Andrew O'Neill
Specialist Mechanical Engineer
Australia

 

[btrueblood]

I too am planning retirement, and have looked for a decent 3d CAD package to use at home for several years now. Fusion 360 is only "free" for a year, and may eventually not even be that. FreeCad is cool, but tricky to learn, and somewhat buggy. I finally decided to purchase a seat of Alibre. Not free, but a decent 3d solid modelling program that is stable, straightforward to learn, and has most of the bells and whistles - and you can have a permanent license for about $150.