CAD tools: Difference between revisions

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See [[CAD Discussion]] and [[CAD (Computer Aided Design)|CAD]]
See [[CAD Discussion]] and [[CAD (Computer Aided Design)|CAD]]


Here are some open source options for [[CAD]]. Please add others if you know of any. We are looking for a cross platform program, preferably open source. We are using Linux so anything for a PC with linux should work ok. It would also be nice if it worked with our Mac OS X 10.3.9 laptops, and be cross platform for other collaborators, but this is not necessary.
Here are some open source options for [[CAD]]. Because the open-source options for CAD are rather limited, significant closed-source programs are listed as well at the end.


===[http://sketchup.google.com/ Google SketchUp]===
==Open Source==
* Free, but not open source, works in linux under Wine.
 
 
===[http://www.artifice.com/free/dw_lite.html DesignWorkshop Lite]===
* Free, but not open source, only windows & mac versions
* For home design and visualization of architecture, landscapes, exhibits, urban design, or any kind of spatial design
 
===[http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/free-cad-software/ DraftSight]===
* Free, but not open source
* Good AutoCAD compatibility
* Focused on 2D drafting, very little 3D support


===[[Blender]]===
===[[Blender]]===
open source, 3D modeling / animation classic, but with limited/nonexistent CAD functionality for creating 2D fabrication drawings
* Mesh-based direct modelling. Not parametric.
 
* Focused on artistic 3D modelling and animation.
Works OK for basic 3d design and prototyping but only makes meshes. It is poorly suited for CAD use.
* No CAD functionality so it is not suited to CAD use, though it can be used for very basic prototyping.


===[http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/free-cad/index.php?title=Main_Page FreeCAD]===
===[http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/free-cad/index.php?title=Main_Page FreeCAD]===
*"FreeCAD is a general purpose Open Source 3D CAD/MCAD/CAx/CAE/PLM modeler, aimed directly at mechanical engineering and product design but also fits in a wider range of uses around engineering, such as architecture or other engineering specialties. It is a feature-based parametric modeler with a modular software architecture which makes it easy to provide additional functionality without modifying the core system."
* Focused on mechanical engineering and product design.
*"FreeCAD is based on OpenCasCade, a powerful geometry kernel, features an Open Inventor-compliant 3D scene representation model provided by the Coin 3D library, and a broad python API. The interface is built with Qt. FreeCAD runs exactly the same way on Windows, Mac OSX and Linux platforms."
* Feature-based, parametric, with 2D sketch input with constraint solver.
**"A complete OpenCasCade-based geometry kernel allowing complex 3D operations on complex shape types, and supports natively concepts like brep, nurbs, booleans operations or fillets."
* Based on OpenCasCade and Coin3D (and implementation of Open Inventor).
**"A modular architecture that allow plugins (modules) to add functionality to the core application. Those extensions can be as complex as whole new applications or as simple as python scripts or self-recorded macros."
* Windows, Mac OSX and Linux.
**"A full parametric model allowing any type of parameter-driven custom objects, that can even be fully programmed in python."
* Supports brep, nurbs, booleans operations or fillets.
**"Complete access from python built-in interpreter, macros or external scripts to almost any part of FreeCAD, being geometry creation and transformation, the 2D or 3D representation of that geometry (scenegraph) or even the FreeCAD interface."
* "A modular architecture that allow plugins (modules) to add functionality to the core application. Those extensions can be as complex as whole new applications or as simple as python scripts or self-recorded macros."
**"Import/export to standard formats such as STEP, IGES, OBJ, DXF, SVG, U3D or STL."
* Built-in python interpreter for macros and scripts.
 
* Import/export to standard formats such as STEP, IGES, OBJ, DXF, SVG, U3D or STL.
===[http://CAELinux.org/ CAELinux]===
* "Based on the open-source CAE softwares Salomé, Code_Aster, Code_Saturne and OpenFOAM , you can load your CAD geometry in Salomé and start partitionning and meshing your problem in just 5 minutes. Then you can simulate incredibly complex physics with the open-source FE & CFD solvers Code_Aster, Code-Saturne, OpenFOAM & Elmer: non-linear thermo-mechanics, coupled fluid-structure dynamics, seismic / non-linear explicit dynamics, contacts, visco-plasticity, fluid dynamics, heat exchange, convection heat transfer and radiation, electro-magnetcis in other words nearly all physics problem can be addressed with the integrated solvers!! Then reload your results files in post-processing applications like Salomé, GMSH, Visit, or Paraview to visualize your data in 3D."
** It can do CAD (Salome) but could be a little easier to use with more mouse control with widgets and hotkeys.
** Good candidate for CAD-CAE if nothing else is found.
 
===[http://avocado-cad.sourceforge.net/ avoCADo]===
* Evaluation pending.


===[http://www.salome-platform.org/ Salomé]===
* Focused on numerical simulation, but can apparently also edit CAD data.


===[http://brlcad.org/ BRL-CAD]===
===[http://brlcad.org/ BRL-CAD]===
* BRL-CAD is a powerful cross-platform open source solid modeling system that includes interactive geometry editing, high-performance ray-tracing for rendering and geometric analysis, image and signal-processing tools, a system performance analysis benchmark suite, libraries for robust geometric representation, with more than 20 years of active development. Operating Systems: All major platforms.
* BRL-CAD is a powerful cross-platform open source solid modeling system that includes interactive geometry editing, high-performance ray-tracing for rendering and geometric analysis, image and signal-processing tools, a system performance analysis benchmark suite, libraries for robust geometric representation, with more than 20 years of active development. Operating Systems: All major platforms.
* Evaluation pending.
* Focused on analysis, rather than modelling (specifically ballistics research).
* CSG-based - models are built via combinations of basic shapes like spheres and cones, rather than extruded from arbitrary sketches.
* Very old code base.
* Actively developed.


===[http://avocado-cad.sourceforge.net/ avoCADo]===
* Abandoned since 2008.


===[[QCad]] Community Edition===
===[[QCad]] Community Edition===
* Available only as [ftp://anonymous:anonymous@ribbonsoft.com/archives/qcad/qcad-2.0.5.0-1-community.src.tar.gz source code]
* Available only as [ftp://anonymous:anonymous@ribbonsoft.com/archives/qcad/qcad-2.0.5.0-1-community.src.tar.gz source code]
* [http://www.ribbonsoft.com/rsforum/viewtopic.php?t=237 How to get support for the QCad Community Edtion?]
* [http://www.ribbonsoft.com/rsforum/viewtopic.php?t=237 How to get support for the QCad Community Edtion?]
* Seems to be the closest to AutoCad
* 2D only.
* Frustrating UI.


===[http://librecad.org/cms/home.html LibreCAD]===
===[http://librecad.org/cms/home.html LibreCAD]===
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* The forthcoming 2.0.0 series is based on QT4
* The forthcoming 2.0.0 series is based on QT4


===[http://collabcad.gov.in/ CollabCAD]===
===[http://www.collabcad.com/ CollabCAD]===
'''CollabCAD''' is a 3D CAD/CAM Software system for the collaborative design & development of Industrial Designs. CollabCAD is an initiative of National Informatics Centre (NIC, Department of Information Technology), Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC, Department of Atomic Energy) and Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (Department of Space, VSSC).
'''CollabCAD''' is a 3D CAD/CAM Software system for the collaborative design & development of Industrial Designs. CollabCAD is an initiative of National Informatics Centre (NIC, Department of Information Technology), Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC, Department of Atomic Energy) and Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (Department of Space, VSSC).
* Collaborative & Comprehensive
* Based on OpenCascade.
* Economical CAD Solutions
* Based on sketch-and-extrude paradigm.
* Flexible & Easy to Use Database Connectivity
* Windows and Linux
* Programmable Scripting Interface
* Powerful Reverse Engineering
* Slicing/Cross sectioning, Generating Cross section points
* Customizable User Interface
* Standard Data Exchange Formats
* VRML Preview
* BAR Code for ERP Solution
* Plot Configurator and BOM
* XML based geometry data storage and Database connectivity
* Multiple language (English, French, German, Spanish, Norwegian and Italian) support
* Content Management System and Work Flow
* Interface to Enterprise Automation Application
 


===[http://openscad.org/ OpenSCAD]===
===[http://openscad.org/ OpenSCAD]===
For 3D modelling you may want to look into openscad (at openscad.org)
* Procedural script-based CAD (there is no editor GUI).
written by Clifford Wold (you met him @metalab, he fixed your power cord). This uses CSG ([[wikipedia:constructive solid geometry|constructive solid geometry]]) internally and can generate STL but also *import* STL (and use CSG on the resulting model). It also can read 2D designs in DXF and extrude parts of it into the 3rd dimension ([[wikipedia:extrusion|extrusion]] can be linear or on different paths, so you can make, e.g., a torus by extruding a circle on a circular path).
* Uses CSG ([[wikipedia:constructive solid geometry|constructive solid geometry]]) internally and can generate STL but also *import* STL (and use CSG on the resulting model). It also can read 2D designs in DXF and extrude parts of it into the 3rd dimension ([[wikipedia:extrusion|extrusion]] can be linear or on different paths, so you can make, e.g., a torus by extruding a circle on a circular path).
* [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/OpenSCAD_User_Manual OpenSCAD User Manual]
* Suitable for very simple shapes which benefit from being parametrically defined, e.g. gears, fasteners, wheels, etc.
* [http://rocklinux.net/pipermail/openscad/ Mailing list]
* Unsuitable for complex models.
"<nowiki>[OpenSCAD] </nowiki>does not focus on the artistic aspects of 3D modelling but instead on the CAD aspects. Thus it might be the application you are looking for when you are planning to '''create 3D models of machine parts''' but pretty sure is not what you are looking for when you are more interested in creating computer-animated movies."-openscad.org


===[http://code.google.com/p/heekscad/ HeeksCAD]===
===[http://code.google.com/p/heekscad/ HeeksCAD]===
* Development halted.
* Use the geometric constraints solver to create accurate drawings from rough sketches
* Use the geometric constraints solver to create accurate drawings from rough sketches
* Solid modeling is provided by Open CASCADE
* Solid modeling is provided by Open CASCADE
* [http://code.google.com/p/heekscad/wiki/UsingHeeksCAD Manual]


===[http://heeks.net/ HeeksCNC]===
===[http://heeks.net/ HeeksCNC]===
* CAD/CAM application written in Python that can help you produce the NC code for your [[milling machine]].
* CAD/CAM application written in Python that can help you produce the NC code for your [[milling machine]].


===[http://www.opencascade.org OpenCASCADE]===
===[http://www.opencascade.org OpenCASCADE]===
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* Seems too ''clunky'' without a better GUI.
* Seems too ''clunky'' without a better GUI.


===[http://www.cademia.org/frontend/index.php?folder_id=251 CADEMIA ]===
===[http://www.cademia.org/frontend/index.php?folder_id=251 CADEMIA]===
* [http://www.cademia.org/frontend/index.php?folder_id=251 CADEMIA] is a modern CAD system with a full functionality for civil engineering and architecture
* [http://www.cademia.org/frontend/index.php?folder_id=251 CADEMIA] is a modern CAD system with a full functionality for civil engineering and architecture.
* 2D only, focused on architecture.
* It is written in Java and is available for Windows, Mac and Linux
* It is written in Java and is available for Windows, Mac and Linux
* Open source
* It is available in English and German
* It is available in English and German
==Closed Source, Free==
===[http://www.ptc.com/products/creo-elements-direct/modeling-express/ PTC Creo Elements Direct Modelling Express 4.0]===
* Ridiculous name.
* Limited to something like 50 parts per assembly. I believe that is the only limitation of the free version.
* Direct extrusion-based modelling, similar to Sketchup but much more powerful.
* Probably the best free CAD on Windows.
* Windows only. Sort of runs in wine, but not usably (crashes often, UI flickers).
===[http://sketchup.google.com/ Google SketchUp]===
* Focused on architectural sketching.
* Free, but not open source, works in linux under Wine.
* Direct modelling. Not parametric, and does not allow changing dimensions to exact values.
* Better than Blender, but still not really suitable for CAD.
===[http://www.artifice.com/free/dw_lite.html DesignWorkshop Lite]===
* Only Windows & Mac versions
* For home design and visualization of architecture, landscapes, exhibits, urban design, or any kind of spatial design
===[http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/free-cad-software/ DraftSight]===
* Good AutoCAD compatibility.
* Focused on 2D drafting, very little 3D support.
==Closed Source, Expensive==
===[http://www.solidworks.com/ Solidworks]===
* Extremely popular and powerful history-based parametric 3D CAD.
* Modern usable UI.
* Price in the £1000-range.
* Windows only. Can be started in wine, but not usable.
* Focused on mechanical engineering and product design. Not suited to architecture.
===[http://www.ptc.com/ Pro Engineer]===
* Main competitor to Solidworks.
* Used to run on Linux natively, new versions are Windows-only. The last Linux version was Pro/E Wildfire 4
* Archaic Motif GUI.
* Modelling paradigm essentially identical to Solidworks.
* Now known as "Creo Elements/Pro" (I'm unsure if it is based on the same code as Pro/E was).
===[SolidEdge]===
* Solidworks competitor from Seimens.
* Parametric feature-based modelling.
* Windows only.
===[Autodesk Intentor]===
* Another solidworks competitor.
* Windows only.
===[AutoCAD]===
* Originally 2D-only and it shows.
* More architecturally-focused than Solidworks and Pro/E.
* Originator of the DXF format.
* Used to be the industry standard. Much less so today.
===[http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/products/nx/ NX]===
* Super high-end CAD from Seimens.
* Price is "it doesn't matter if you ask or not - you can't afford it". This is what they use to design nuclear submarines.
* Runs on Linux natively.


==Landscaping CAD==
==Landscaping CAD==

Revision as of 15:27, 9 February 2013

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Overview

See CAD Discussion and CAD

Here are some open source options for CAD. Because the open-source options for CAD are rather limited, significant closed-source programs are listed as well at the end.

Open Source

Blender

  • Mesh-based direct modelling. Not parametric.
  • Focused on artistic 3D modelling and animation.
  • No CAD functionality so it is not suited to CAD use, though it can be used for very basic prototyping.

FreeCAD

  • Focused on mechanical engineering and product design.
  • Feature-based, parametric, with 2D sketch input with constraint solver.
  • Based on OpenCasCade and Coin3D (and implementation of Open Inventor).
  • Windows, Mac OSX and Linux.
  • Supports brep, nurbs, booleans operations or fillets.
  • "A modular architecture that allow plugins (modules) to add functionality to the core application. Those extensions can be as complex as whole new applications or as simple as python scripts or self-recorded macros."
  • Built-in python interpreter for macros and scripts.
  • Import/export to standard formats such as STEP, IGES, OBJ, DXF, SVG, U3D or STL.

Salomé

  • Focused on numerical simulation, but can apparently also edit CAD data.

BRL-CAD

  • BRL-CAD is a powerful cross-platform open source solid modeling system that includes interactive geometry editing, high-performance ray-tracing for rendering and geometric analysis, image and signal-processing tools, a system performance analysis benchmark suite, libraries for robust geometric representation, with more than 20 years of active development. Operating Systems: All major platforms.
  • Focused on analysis, rather than modelling (specifically ballistics research).
  • CSG-based - models are built via combinations of basic shapes like spheres and cones, rather than extruded from arbitrary sketches.
  • Very old code base.
  • Actively developed.

avoCADo

  • Abandoned since 2008.

QCad Community Edition

LibreCAD

  • LibreCAD is a fork of the QCad Community Edition
  • Available for Linux, OSX and Windows
  • The 1.0.0 series is still based on QT3
  • The forthcoming 2.0.0 series is based on QT4

CollabCAD

CollabCAD is a 3D CAD/CAM Software system for the collaborative design & development of Industrial Designs. CollabCAD is an initiative of National Informatics Centre (NIC, Department of Information Technology), Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC, Department of Atomic Energy) and Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (Department of Space, VSSC).

  • Based on OpenCascade.
  • Based on sketch-and-extrude paradigm.
  • Windows and Linux

OpenSCAD

  • Procedural script-based CAD (there is no editor GUI).
  • Uses CSG (constructive solid geometry) internally and can generate STL but also *import* STL (and use CSG on the resulting model). It also can read 2D designs in DXF and extrude parts of it into the 3rd dimension (extrusion can be linear or on different paths, so you can make, e.g., a torus by extruding a circle on a circular path).
  • Suitable for very simple shapes which benefit from being parametrically defined, e.g. gears, fasteners, wheels, etc.
  • Unsuitable for complex models.

HeeksCAD

  • Development halted.
  • Use the geometric constraints solver to create accurate drawings from rough sketches
  • Solid modeling is provided by Open CASCADE

HeeksCNC

  • CAD/CAM application written in Python that can help you produce the NC code for your milling machine.

OpenCASCADE

  • Open CASCADE Technology is software development platform freely available in open source. It includes components for 3D surface and solid modeling, visualization, data exchange and rapid application development. Operating Systems: Linux, Sun Sparc, or Windows.
  • Seems too clunky without a better GUI.

CADEMIA

  • CADEMIA is a modern CAD system with a full functionality for civil engineering and architecture.
  • 2D only, focused on architecture.
  • It is written in Java and is available for Windows, Mac and Linux
  • Open source
  • It is available in English and German

Closed Source, Free

PTC Creo Elements Direct Modelling Express 4.0

  • Ridiculous name.
  • Limited to something like 50 parts per assembly. I believe that is the only limitation of the free version.
  • Direct extrusion-based modelling, similar to Sketchup but much more powerful.
  • Probably the best free CAD on Windows.
  • Windows only. Sort of runs in wine, but not usably (crashes often, UI flickers).

Google SketchUp

  • Focused on architectural sketching.
  • Free, but not open source, works in linux under Wine.
  • Direct modelling. Not parametric, and does not allow changing dimensions to exact values.
  • Better than Blender, but still not really suitable for CAD.

DesignWorkshop Lite

  • Only Windows & Mac versions
  • For home design and visualization of architecture, landscapes, exhibits, urban design, or any kind of spatial design

DraftSight

  • Good AutoCAD compatibility.
  • Focused on 2D drafting, very little 3D support.

Closed Source, Expensive

Solidworks

  • Extremely popular and powerful history-based parametric 3D CAD.
  • Modern usable UI.
  • Price in the £1000-range.
  • Windows only. Can be started in wine, but not usable.
  • Focused on mechanical engineering and product design. Not suited to architecture.

Pro Engineer

  • Main competitor to Solidworks.
  • Used to run on Linux natively, new versions are Windows-only. The last Linux version was Pro/E Wildfire 4
  • Archaic Motif GUI.
  • Modelling paradigm essentially identical to Solidworks.
  • Now known as "Creo Elements/Pro" (I'm unsure if it is based on the same code as Pro/E was).

[SolidEdge]

  • Solidworks competitor from Seimens.
  • Parametric feature-based modelling.
  • Windows only.

[Autodesk Intentor]

  • Another solidworks competitor.
  • Windows only.

[AutoCAD]

  • Originally 2D-only and it shows.
  • More architecturally-focused than Solidworks and Pro/E.
  • Originator of the DXF format.
  • Used to be the industry standard. Much less so today.

NX

  • Super high-end CAD from Seimens.
  • Price is "it doesn't matter if you ask or not - you can't afford it". This is what they use to design nuclear submarines.
  • Runs on Linux natively.

Landscaping CAD

We are looking for an open source landscaping CAD program to help with collaborative permaculture design.

CADEMIA may be a possiblity here

Electronics CAD

2D CAD

See Also

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