Free CAD software for 3D printing

[Dr.Al]

Many thanks for that Dr AI, I appreciate the heads up. Is QCAD easy to find?

QCAD - QCAD: 2D CAD

QCAD is a free, open source 2D CAD system for Windows, Linux and Mac.

www.qcad.org

 

[indy4x]

Just my 10p worth, I did a couple of short courses in night classes which were focused on Inventor.

Not sure how useful they were as COVID cut them short. While the tutor knew his stuff, he spent most of his time with the folks that couldn't turn a computer on let alone get their head around 3D modelling

So most of my Inventor learning was via YouTube and yes I got a refund from both courses I signed up for


I kept looking at Fusion but avoided diving in cos I could quickly draw whatever I wanted quickly using Inventor

Once the Inventor education licence ran out earlier this year I had no choice but to adapt to Fusion 360, don't know why I waited so long, was in there and doing stuff in next to no time

Yes they have trimmed features in the hobbyist version, but thats been happening for years, I'll just make the most of it for as long as possible

 

[DSR]

I use OpenSCAD, none of this pointy clicky mouse rubbish needed

 

[clift_d]

I am cautious of using a CAD system that may become chargeable as these companies have a habit of trying to squeeze whatever they feel they can get from you. As we do this for a hobby there are periods of time where I may not use this for months - I can't afford to pay £90 for something I may use for 2 weeks in a year. I also don't want to save something in a file format I can't open with something else.

My primary uses will be 3D printing (considering a Prusa) but also items fabricated using laser cut steel plate (anything up to 12mm).

That would be two different software packages for me... Fusion for 3D object modelling, and I have access to AutoCAD at work for 2D cutting files.

Just to reiterate what someone else has mentioned in this thread, don't underestimate the value of parametric modelling. In Fusion I can sketch a profile for extrusion, add fillets to it, cut another volume out of it, punch some holes, chuck some thread in the holes, etc, etc. If I want to I can still go back to the first sketch to edit it, and Fusion will automatically update all the follow on actions based upon the revised profile. Fab!

I also have a Prusa printer... it's been great. Nearest thing to plug and play, it pretty much worked straight out of the box.

 

[mtt.tr]

That would be two different software packages for me... Fusion for 3D object modelling, and I have access to AutoCAD at work for 2D cutting files.

Just to reiterate what someone else has mentioned in this thread, don't underestimate the value of parametric modelling. In Fusion I can sketch a profile for extrusion, add fillets to it, cut another volume out of it, punch some holes, chuck some thread in the holes, etc, etc. If I want to I can still go back to the first sketch to edit it, and Fusion will automatically update all the follow on actions based upon the revised profile. Fab!

I also have a Prusa printer... it's been great. Nearest thing to plug and play, it pretty much worked straight out of the box.

Any parametric cad worth it's salt will.

It's also worth learning to draw with a spreadsheet to link holes and locations, change the inputs the whole lot updates.

This is how I make various size tooth pullys in fusion and freecad

 

[clift_d]

It's also worth learning to draw with a spreadsheet to link holes and locations, change the inputs the whole lot updates.

I can understand the appeal of that efficiency, but the thought of 'drawing' in something like Excel frankly fills me with horror.

 

[mtt.tr]

I can understand the appeal of that efficiency, but the thought of 'drawing' in something like Excel frankly fills me with horror.

You draw your item the assign measurements to calc in a spreadsheet

 

[Dr.Al]

I can understand the appeal of that efficiency, but the thought of 'drawing' in something like Excel frankly fills me with horror.

It doesn't have to be excel - it's just a source of a list of different numbers that are used in place of measurements. You can also do this sort of thing with variables: define a variable called (say) HolePitch and set it to 6 mm. Then when you draw your sketch, you set the dimension to "HolePitch" instead of "6 mm". You can then quickly double-click on the variable, change it to 8 mm and the model will update accordingly.

Spreadsheets etc come into their own when you want to make multiple parts of similar shape but different sizes. This is an interesting (and fairly short) video showing an example:

https://www.onshape.com/en/resource-center/videos/introducing-onshape-configurations

 

[Bladevane]

@fractured - you have probably realised there are as many answers as there are respondents. The choice of a CAD package, whether free or otherwise, is very much a personal choice. My mate used Openscad, I prefer FreeCAD. We're both very pleased with our results, we just approach design in a different way. As you are looking for a free package I suggest looking at a couple of tutorials for your shortlist then deciding what appeals to you the most. There is no "correct" answer to your question, only an opinion based on personal experiences.

 

[daedalusminos]

Wise words from @Bladevane also consider how much help you'll get from forum members on particular problems. It can be a pain searching tutorial videos for a solution to your problem when someone on here could show you how to do it.

 

[Onoff]

I remember going to night school, 2 evenings a week for 2 years to do C&G on AutoCAD 2000/2000i. Lecturer would draw in CAD on his pc, projected onto the wall. We'd then copy him. Copious dictated notes were taken that I still have.

Stood me in good stead. "11 ways to draw an arc" said the lecturer, behave I thought. He was right.

 

[Mart63]

I'd have to say Fusion 360, as I teach an introduction class on it for 6th form students. It works really well for 3d printing. We tried Sketchup but found it confused most slicers.

 

[mike os]

id say fusion or onshape... onshape is very well featured and free as long as you can leave it online and accessible for diy i doubt thats a deal breaker?

 

[indy4x]

Any parametric cad worth it's salt will.

It's also worth learning to draw with a spreadsheet to link holes and locations, change the inputs the whole lot updates.

This is how I make various size tooth pullys in fusion and freecad

One of my assignments at college was to model a combination spanner, it was all driven by a table of dimensions so if you wanted a 10mm combi spanner you just told it you wanted a 10mm AF spanner and it would draw it. If you wanted 19mm AF, just input the 19mm and it would redraw the spanner to suit

Loved the challenge, took a little head scratching for some of the dimensions but it all worked, including the embossed text telling you the spanner size

 

[fractured]

Fantastic feedback folks, I really appreciate your time. I will start listing the pros and cons. One thing I have not mentioned is the online tutorials which would be a great benefit to help me learn to use it, so good backup that way will be a great advantage.

 

[Dr.Al]

Fantastic feedback folks, I really appreciate your time. I will start listing the pros and cons. One thing I have not mentioned is the online tutorials which would be a great benefit to help me learn to use it, so good backup that way will be a great advantage.

Both OnShape & Fusion have lots of online tutorials. FreeCAD does too, but some of them are for older versions of the software and can hinder rather than help.

 

[Agroshield]

Just to reiterate what someone else has mentioned in this thread, don't underestimate the value of parametric modelling... ... If I want to I can still go back to the first sketch to edit it, and Fusion will automatically update all the follow on actions based upon the revised profile.

In a way, that is not parametric modelling. The faff with that way is you have to remember where a particular feature of the finished model is first defined, go back into that sketch, rejig the dimension and more importantly rejig any features that depend on that dimension.

With parametric, you name your features in an intuitive way (box length, hole size, etc.) gather together these named definitions in one place, so you can edit everything very easily and build the dependencies into the model.

A good one to see the power of parametric is a tab and slot welding table top. Parameters are length, width, hole size and hole spacing. You need to model it in a way that you can choose any length and width* and it will model the correct hole grid, correctly and equally spaced from the edges when one of the parameters changes.

* bonus points if your model warns you if you choose a length or width greater than a standard 2500 x 1250 sheet.

 

[ukracer]

Both OnShape & Fusion have lots of online tutorials. FreeCAD does too, but some of them are for older versions of the software and can hinder rather than help.

I was just going to say the same.
I found myself going round in circles watching tutorials.
One thing that would make a good youtube channel is a fusion expert being asked to create "something" and whilst they create "it" , actually recording the screen.
Then audio dubbing/commentating with a voice Overlay explaining what's going on.

I often find a tutorial that seems to explain what I need to do. But then going into doing something 1. I don't need but 2.confuses me. Then I find out its because the tutorial is an old version.

 

[Dr.Al]

I was just going to say the same.
I found myself going round in circles watching tutorials.
One thing that would make a good youtube channel is a fusion expert being asked to create "something" and whilst they create "it" , actually recording the screen.
Then audio dubbing/commentating with a voice Overlay explaining what's going on.

I often find a tutorial that seems to explain what I need to do. But then going into doing something 1. I don't need but 2.confuses me. Then I find out its because the tutorial is an old version.

What would also be good is more in the way of written descriptions (with lots of screenshots) of how to do stuff. I get very annoyed when I have to watch a 20 minute video when the content I'm actually interested in is only about 30 seconds in the middle of the tutorial and it then turns out that it doesn't apply to my situation anyway. If it was written with screenshots then I could scan down the page and find the bit that's relevant.

 

[Bladevane]

I find the FreeCAD tutorials on YouTube useful but you have to be aware some are of older versions, which makes life interesting, some focus on using Part Workbench and some on Part Design Workbench. I generally want to make something to 3D print so use the tutorial which best meets that demand rather than one which goes into glorious detail about a feature just for the sake of demonstrating that feature.