CAD tools

Intro

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.

Blender

open source, 3D modeling / animation classic, but with limited/nonexistent CAD functionality for creating 2D fabrication drawings

Works OK for basic 3d design and prototyping but only makes meshes. It is poorly suited for CAD use.

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.

avoCADo

• Evaluation pending.

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.

• Evaluation pending.

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.

Landscaping CAD

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

See Also

• CAD by Mariano Alvira
• http://p2pdocs.p2pfoundation.net/SKDB
• 3D file viewer
• FreeCAD, a directory of free CAD, CAM and CAE programs
• p2pf: Open Source CAD Applications
• Rendercity, an online Radiance rendering service. One rendering job at a time, for free, at resolutions up to 768 x 768 pixels