Computer-aided design is also known as CAD. It has become an integral factor in the world of industrial art. Using CAD you can design from a tiny electronic device to gigantic water dams. These 3D programs could help you in visualization, simulation to 3D printing, and much more. Using CAD software can be expensive, but there is a way you can use CAD software without spending a fortune. There are a lot of free CADs available, they may not be as good as the paid ones but if you’re a student or beginner you should start with them. Here’s the list of 10 best free CAD software.
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List 10 Free CAD Softwares to Download:
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FreeCAD:
FreeCAD is free and open-source software. It’s popular among both beginners and professionals. It’s an accessible and flexible parametric 3D modeler. Apart from that, it’s a handy software program for educators and programmers because of its multi-purpose behavior and easier interface. It also has tons of useful features. You can make a rendering module for exporting your project into external renderers, and you can also add a bunch of other modules. Probably the best feature is that you can go back and edit your actions.
Features:
- This program can read and write every kind of file.
- Great modeling tools.
- Finite element analysis.
- It has robot simulation models.
- Available for Windows/ Linux/Mac.
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Tinkercad:
Tinkercad is an easily accessible web-based free CAD software. You do your work from anywhere using this program. It’s very easy to use for beginners. It is a platform for designing simple models for 3D printing. There are free lectures to learn how to use this software. It’s a great free online platform to learn CAD. Using this software you have to place blocks one by one to create objects you want.
Features:
- Users can create a 3D design, electronics design, code blocks.
- Free tutorials available on the website to learn.
- Supports HTML5 and a powerful geometry library.
- Also, you can have all kinds of integration and file format support.
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Sketchup:
Sketchup is used for 3D modeling in fields such as interior design, architecture, engineering, development and designing of video games, etc. You can design your models, render them, and save in DWG format. There is a feature called the extension warehouse of Sketchup for enhanced productivity.
It’s popular among professionals. It’s free but there is a premium tier available for interested designers. Its free version is a web-based program and easy for beginners to understand.
Features:
- Open-source library of model assemblies and 3D Warehouse
- Web-based software
- Offers 30 days trial offer for the premium tier
- You can create a model for various industries
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Fusion 360:
If you don’t have any experience in using CAD and looking for free software then fusion 360 is the best option for you. This program is powered by Autodesk. Using Fusion 360 you can create 3D designs, render complicated mechanical structures, design custom toolpath, run simulations, collaborate through the cloud, and more just in one place. You can also expand your project and move it to CAM or CAE software easily.
Features:
- Users can unify your design from others
- You can create a prototype and manufacture on a single platform
- Easy to use for beginners
- All the tools are free
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nanoCAD:
NanoCAD is a free drafting software that provides high performance and advanced CAD tools. You can make models for architecture, manufacturing, and mechanical engineering. It offers all the drafting and drawing tools. As it’s offline software you don’t need high-speed internet to work and you can work from anywhere. If you want advanced features you can get its nanoCAD pro or nanoCAD plus version. This software is only available for Windows.
Features:
- It has a powerful table editor
- It’s compatible with DWG file format
- It has end-user APIs to automate complex CAD designs
- It is an offline application
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Sculptris:
Sculptris is a free 3D sculpting software. It’s a digital program to work on graphics design. This tool has a professional user interface and you can learn how to use, in no time. There are a lot of sculpting and design-oriented features. Using the go button you can transfer mesh to ZBrush, Dynamic Tessellation, Immersive Interface, Projection Painting. It only requires space of 1 GB RAM. It’s available for both macOS and windows.
Features:
- Supports several plug-ins
- It supports both ZBrush navigation & standard-level navigation
- Easy to use for beginners
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OpenSCAD:
OpenSCAD is a 3D modeling program used for elaborated projects. It offers an impressive level of documentation to help the beginners in their projects. It’s very helpful for designing as it doesn’t contain any menu or shortcuts but only pure code that’s why it’s very popular among professionals. It offers Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) and the Extrusion of 2D outlines which makes it intuitive.
Features:
- It offers textual description language to create 3D CAD Objects
- It’s available for Mac, Windows, and Linux
- Offers documents for the beginners
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LibreCAD:
LibreCAD is a free software to develop 2D designs. It’s an open-source program. You can create elaborated drawings, 2D drafting, or 2D projects for laser cutting purposes, geometric 2D designs, circuit boards, mathematical figures, etc. It offers interactive geometry design, ray-tracing for rendering and analysis, and a benchmark suite. You can export your 2D design in DXF, SVG, and PDF formats. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Features:
- It supports DWG and DWF file formats
- It supports additional plug-ins so that you can add advanced tools
- All the features are available for free
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Onshape:
Onshape is a free 3D software used to design repository and assemblies. Onshape is a cloud-based platform. You can create complex solid and surface models by just using a browser. You can also save your progress. It has 3 primary tools: parts, assemblies, and drawings. You can create highly structured and detailed architecture designs. It’s free for students and educators.
Features:
- You can use this on a browser
- You can save your progress
- You can import DWG, DWT, and DXF files
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AutoCAD:
AutoCAD is premium software but if you’re a student you can get this software for free. You can create complex assemblies and metal designs. You can stimulate your design in the program. It’s available for Windows and macOS.
Features:
- A wide range of documentation is available
- It has advanced tools and pallets
- Free for students
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Do refer to these for a detailed description of the free CAD selection to make your choice. You can download this software for free. But also there is other professional software with some extra pro tools available with free trials. If you are a student, a lot of CAD software is available for you free.
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