The DraftSight source code will not be distributed but it will be updated and enhanced based on user feedback. This feedback will be collected and voted on by the user community in much the same was as SolidWorks Brainstorm works. This allows you, the user input on the software’s future without actually having to know how to write code.Īfter using DraftSight for a few hours, trying to dig in and find out what’s under the hood I’ve learned that its really not that much different than other 2D packages. The software downloaded and installed in about 5 minutes (it’s only a 47 meg package). All the features and functions are there, the UI is very familiar, its very stable and it’s performance is good. I’ve had no issues opening dwg files created in AutoCAD 2004 and they write fine as well. It’s really a very functional, feature rich 2D product and best of all it’s free. Overall in my short usage time I like DraftSight. It’s UI is much better than the SolidWorks 2D Editor mainly because the tool icons are much more readable and understandable. It also feels like a more modern interface than the 2D Editor and it has a good amount of customizability. If you prefer to enter commands on the command line you can do that and you’ll find the commands you know from your previous 2D software work in DraftSight. A powerful and useful software that any CAD artist worth his name will at least know about.Layers, line styles, hatching, blocks, references, grips, object snaps, patterns, tables, model space, paper space, full help files, etc. This software is much more than just drafting and 3D models, it can do almost anything. It is a whole suite filled with things such as simulation, meshing and rendering. Being open source has its perks, it is 100% free and always will be.įreeCAD is an amazing free alternative to SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor, it might not be as polished but for the price you are paying ($0) it has a high standard. If you are used to 3D modelling it can be a bit difficult getting into, don’t let this stop you from trying out this amazing piece of software! FreeCAD If you’re into schematics and don’t need or want 3D then Draftsight is one of the best free alternatives to AutoCAD. Second up is Dassault (creators of both CATIA and SolidWorks) and their free 2D CAD software. These tools might be available in other free CAD alternatives but if you decide to pay for their professional version you will have a ton of plugins available which will fix this issue. Not only that but Google (Yeah… SketchUp is Google product) keeps an insane library with literally thousands upon thousands of designs that you can download and modify. There are a few issues with SketchUp which are based on the fact that a lot of tools are missing. This is because they’ve managed to emulate the feeling of working with a pen and paper. SketchUp is based around the idea that you can get good at it in a matter of days. It does have some lack in usability but if you’re starting out then I would highly recommend this piece of software. It’s simple and has a fun vibe, you can make anything you envision and you can make it fast. These 3 choices have been made from my point of view (a mechanical engineer), they’re applicable for other areas too! SketchUp Keep in mind that for every enthusiast, hobbyist, professional engineer, architect and programmer there is a software that fits them. Intuitive user interface, portable, customizableĮasily extensible, lightweight, its purpose is for architectural use ![]() Programmable, extremely powerful, parametric modeling Powerful 2d drawing tool, useful for professionals, loads of tools available ![]() SOFTWAREįast and easy to learn, fun to use, perfect for hobbyists. It can be very expensive though, especially for someone that is starting out. I have compiled a list of the best free CAD alternatives in 2016. 2016 is here and CAD is becoming more and more useful both as a job and a hobby.
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