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Last Update: Mon, 09/07/2009 - 19:17 — D4RK_4NG3L
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This software category is maintained by volunteer editor D4RK_4NG3L Currently evaluating a slew of CAD programs, stay tuned for my upcomming Review. |
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Never tried Sweet Home 3D, but looks interesting:
http://sourceforge.net/community/potm-200910/
Blender 3d is the best allround 3D software.
It can do animation and games as well.
I've been using it for some time now and have created some good renders as a beginner.
http://www.freecad.com/ (nobody mentioned this so far, what a surprise) lists no less than 49 free CAD programs for Windows. Not all of them are genuine CAD though - trueSpace, for example, is a 3D modelling and animation studio.
lloonn
Do not know if this is usefull :
http://www.blender.org/
http://download.cnet.com/3D-Canvas/3000-6677_4-10042921.html?tag=mncol%3...
http://www.freeserifsoftware.com/software/3DPlus/key_features.asp
http://www.cnet.com.au/downloads/0,239030384,10529019s,00.htm
http://www.freewarefiles.com/Alibre-Design-Xpress_program_15117.html
http://www.cnet.com.au/downloads/0,239030384,10615850s,00.htm
:o)
Hi Gizmo !
One of our readers just posted a short review on DoubleCAD XT .
for-free-on-internet.com/2009/04/doublecad-xt-the-free-alternative-to-autocad-lt-2009-worth-1200/
Hope it helps!
Marc - Free Team
to view DWg, DXF and solidworks files eDrawings
http://www.edrawingsviewer.com/
or...
trueview
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?id=6703438%26siteID=123112
Siemens is offering their Solid Edge 2D drafting for free at:
http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/products/velocity/solidedge/.... I have used it quite a bit, & it is very full-featured.
'requires too much personal information submitted by a form in order to download the software'
same with this.....
It is Solid Edge (2d only) though.
This CAD proggy might be interesting as well:
http://www.emachineshop.com/
DoubleCADXT web site requires too much personal information submitted by a form in order to download the software.
Personally, I thinks they are asking too much and it sucks.
I am not going to provide them with my name, phone, postal address and all that stuff to download a crippled program and then, they will spam me for life.
Too bad!
There is nothing crippled about Doublecad XT. If you had bothered to read the reviews of the program, you would know this. I'm an architectural cad technician and have worked in the industry for over ten years. I have tried virtually every free cad program out there. I respect anybody that writes and releases an app for free but when it comes to CAD, most of the free stuff is just not good enough. Doublecad is the only fully featured free program out there (Progecad Smart is a also close second but it is for non-commercial use only) that is an equivalent to AutoCAD.
If you want to mess about at the shallow end with an almost useless program, there are plenty to choose from that don't ask for anything in return. If you don't mind being on a mailing list to get a decent tool, give DoubleCad a chance. I have had Doublecad since it's release, I have received no spam yet.
(Progecad Smart is a also close second but it is for non-commercial use only) that is an equivalent to AutoCAD.
Thanks for this suggestion. Its just what I needed at home. It behaves very much like AutoCAD and it is relatively small and hassle free (only forced to exit through a couple of nags at start up). Even downloading the program required no registration whatsoever.
I am an architect as well and need something for home use. I was using Autocad 2007 at the office. Does Doublecad handle xrefs?
Thanks
It can import xrefs. See the description at: http://doublecad.com/Products/DoubleCADXT/tabid/1100/Default.aspx
I know this one, free and compatible with Autodesk Autocad DWG files. A few limitations compared to the Pro version but for free 2D drawing, it is good.
A9CAD free
http://www.a9tech.com/
user tip re. A9CAD.
One annoyance with A9CAD is that as you draw a polyline, you cannot switch between straight lines and arcs - although the command line says that ctrl + A toggles between arc and line. Fortunately there is a way to build polylines containing arcs - build in pieces, and then use the "join" tool, "explode" breaks the pieces apart.
CoCreate Modeling personal addition. 3D CAD.
Don't see any down loadable/personal version???
How about this fossil?
http://www.le-boite.com/minos.htm
Minos 3d is a POS but it is a free 3d modeler!
how about google sketchup?
I haven't tried sketchup in a few years. I found it difficult to control with any precision and a bit buggy too. There have been plenty of updates since so my comments could be quite unjustified. I do think it lacked the precision required in a CAD programme rather than a rough sketch programme. Gut feeling was that google were trying too hard to be everything for everybody and what lost out was the user interface.
Also, can it export to industry standard formats?
HYCAD
Abbreviation: here, CAD = computer aided design (not control+alt+delete, or a nasty heart disease)
Good point, I'm still boggled by the title of this page:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/last-good-gpl-modeling-tool-er-a...
wtf???
ha ha!! lol
In a related field are Cad viewers, for those who only need to view professional cad drawings and models.
Bentley provide a viewer which allows comments to be added and there are many such viewers for AutoCad. For professional steelwork design, AceCad provide a viewer for drawings and 3-d models of the steelwork.
All this is getting a little too technical for general usefulness, but suppose you are building your own house and want to coordinate with your architect, or have a steel framed penthouse etc. These packages will be of great use for the grand-scale DIY enthusiast!
They usually require registration though.
http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/Bentley+View/
http://www.acecadsoftware.com/form_download.php
PS also found this free ingenious little shell extension for adding Cad file previews to explorer
http://jmsware.com/
G
My three CAD favorites:
FreeCAD (opensource): http://sourceforge.net/projects/free-cad/
BRL-CAD (opensource): http://brlcad.org/
Archimedes (opensource): http://www.codeplex.com/archimedes
Hope it helps
ekadim
I had this one in mind...
DESI-III
http://users.telenet.be/desi-iii/MainFrmE.html
as well as these 2......
TigerCad
http://peterhoward42.blogspot.com/2008/07/tigercad.html
and
Cadstd Lite
http://www.cadstd.com/lite.php
Any free NURBs or solid modelers out there?
Thanks for the links.
ekadim
The software needs criteria to be rated on and will depend on it’s use.
All CAD software should allow accurate drawing of lines, shapes, hatching etc. but optionally can provide libraries of special functions and settings to suit advanced and specialist use. All serious software should also support layers i.e. each type of element and material can have a different named layer.
More specialist uses include architecture, structural design, mechanical components (really big and really small), electronic circuit diagrams etc. etc.
To be really useful they should be able to import and export to recognised industry formats such as dwg for AutoCAD and dgn files for Bentley Microstation.
Optionally, there is 3-d drawing and rendering. There are many ways of progressing in this field, like exporting your drawing file for use in another specialist rendering package etc. I’m not too familiar with this myself.
However I have found an online 3-d floor plan editor which allows drawings and images to be imported as a base-plan to build your model but really it’s like playing with a doll’s house unless you go pro.
http://floorplanner.com/
There are others in this vane too but the limitations seem to be the same to me.
G
A site visitor "nateperk" suggested this program:
http://doublecad.com/Products/DoubleCADXT/tabid/1100/Default.aspx
I got to say that doubleCad is the best by fair no limits or restriction on anything and dose what it says,
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