I’m in a need for a Linux-based 3D CAD software based on GPL or other free license to design small machine parts. I have no previous experience so I’ll have to learn something new anyway. I hope that after I’ve learned one it’ll be easier for me to learn and understand another one, if needed.
Can you recommend me any of those I list below (or any other) to start with. I’ll try to run a short test on all but it’d be nice if someone more experienced could give some advices. Animation support would be good but not a requirement. I also had a look at Blender but I feel that it’s not meant for CAD-type work and that there must be some better tools to do what I need although I must admit that I would like to master blender to be able to create some nice 3D animations.
http://gcad3d.org/
Doesn’t look too good: writing the coordinates in a text file doesn’t work..
http://www.artofillusion.org/
Actually looks pretty simple and promising.. Will check more closely..
http://autoq3d.ecuadra.com/
I tried both QT3 and QT4 versions: the toolbar buttons were not visible -> not usable..
http://www.ar-cad.com/
The UI is not the very friendly but looks like you could be able to do some nice physics simulations. Might be worth a closer look.
http://www.opencascade.org/
Weird license and if I understood correctly, is not an application but a framework/something.
http://www.salome-platform.org
Requires registration to download, 500+MB.. But I’ll give it a try..
http://brlcad.org/
Wasn’t able to install it properly.. should check what’s wrong. The documentation didn’t look very good..
Source: wikipedia
Related posts:
- First Blender render I’m learning Blender to be able to draw some machine...
- Messing with plugins.. New plugins installed I installed wp-openid plugin to enable readers...
- N900 Bought Nokia N900 phone two weeks ago from huuto.net, Finnish...
- BlackBelt Sorvi Hero for N900 Assembly 2011 winning game: Black Belt Sorvi Hero is also available...
- Social media etiquette Here are some good posts about the modern web etiquette...
One pretty decent tool missing from your list is Wings 3D.
@Sami: thanks for the tip. I gave it a try but the first impression there was not that it would be meant for precision machine desings: I wasn’t able to find out the way how to type in exact coordinates or dimensions of an object which is a requirement. I’d also need to be able to export some good formats, preferably autocad-compatible formats :/ Tell me if I’m wrong and didn’t just look it close enough.
First off, I’m a Mechanical Design Engineer. I’m struggling because I have switched to Linux at home (Ubuntu 8.1), but am forced to still use Windows at the office.
I use the industry standard parametric CAD system SolidWorks 2009. It’s the only way to go to do CAD work.
I’ve used the manual drafting table, AutoCAD, ProEngineer, and various other 3D tools.
Cons: It’s not free, and you’d have to have a windows machine to run it – or a VM like I’m doing for my home.
For SolidWorks go to http://www.SoliWorks.com
For ProEngineer go to http://www.ptc.com
Hope these help. I know it’s not open source, but as an engineer, it has been made crystal clear that engineers haven’t migrated over to Linux yet. lol At least not mechanical engineers.
Sorry, correction:
For SolidWorks go to: http://www.solidworks.com
May be varkon will fit your needs.
It was started at Örebro University Sweden.
“Varkon is a very powerful 2D/3D CAD and modeling tool used in engineering, design, architecture, etc. It allows you to do anything from traditional 2D drafting to fully parametric interactive modeling in 2D and 3D, sculptured surface modeling, and even animation. ”
Another one I would like to advise is VariCAD even if it’s not Free Software.
IMO VariCAD is the most powerfull 2D/3D CAD Tool you will find running on Linux. It’s damned fast and there is a student version for e reduced fee available.
Sorry the links dissapeared
http://www.varkon.org/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/varkon/
http://www.varicad.com/en/home/products/products/
autoq3d: got to install it to see the button-icons
I have been looking for an open source program like Autodesk Inventor or Solidworks for a while now, and have come up empty handed. Even finding a commercial program like them that runs on Linux is not easy. I was directed to Cad Schroer MEDUSA4 and it looks to me like the best option for Linux users.
I’ve used QCaD to open drawings sent to me, though I’ve never used it to generate drawings from scratch.
:-Dustin
Pingback: Quick 3D CAD test: VariCAD and Art Of Illusion | Risto H. Kurppa
Please have a look at the comparison of CAD software on Wikipedia. It can be sorted by license so you can get a list of GPL CAD, there’s an even longer list in the discussion pages. Duncan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_CAD_editors
http://caelinux.com/CMS
@All: Thanks for you suggestions, it looks like that after all there are some tools around.. Here are some replies for you:
@Zohso: Thanks for the Solidworks tip but I rather run Linux. But I’ll keep that in mind as well.
@Thomas: I tried VariCAD, see http://risto.kurppa.fi/blog/quick-3d-cad-test-varicad-and-art-of-illusion/ – so far it’s been able to do everything I need to do.
Varkon installation was not succesful so far.. I’ve extracted the .tar.gz – then what.. I copied the /sources/Makefile.linux to Makefile but.. make or configure won’t work.. I’d like a .deb, thanks :)
@Kenny: ah, thanks :) Installed AutoQ3D. It didn’t win my heart yet: I’m not into parametric CAD yet..
@Brousch: Nice to see more commercial Linux CAD software. I wasn’t able to find the price there, would like to compare it to VariCAD.
@Dustin: 2D only.. Need 3D :(
@Duncan: Thanks! I had a look at the site and I think I already had a look on all listed there that run on Linux. It’s nice to have program lists like that around.
@Peter Hopfgartner: Nice live cd, thanks for the link! Too bad it starts with ‘you can load your CAD geometry in Salomé and start partitionning and meshing’ -> I don’t have that CAD geometry yet around.. Physics simulations would be interesting but not required at the moment.
So now I’m trying to see if someone will buy me VariCAD – or do I in the end need to design anything.. I wish I should :)
Based on OpenDWG: http://www.bricscad.com/en_INTL/