
FreeCAD is best for freelance engineers seeking to create new products or architecture. It is also open-source, making it a software program at the forefront of development and technology. This program is free to use under their Lesser General Public License (LGPL). For cash-strapped students in need of a program to help them learn the ropes, here are ten free alternatives to AutoCAD.

Without a kind of software, learning how to create 3D objects is impossible. Its open-source software must be downloaded to a local machine for direct access.With the price of AutoCAD ranging from $400 to over $4,000, learning this extremely popular software can be too expensive for beginners. FreeCAD is based on a 'workbench' concept which separates a collection of tools needed for a specific task, such as 2D drawings, meshes, or constrained sketching.įreeCAD is open-source software available free for download.įreeCAD is used by a diverse community of users from developers, product designers, and mechanical engineers.įreeCAD does not have a standalone app. The software extends support through documentation and tutorials.Īfter downloading, users operate the software within the 'Main Area View', which enables the design of 2D or 3D geometrical objects in a variety of different views.

The software provides GUI based on the Qt framework along with the inventor 3D viewer enabling users to manage rendering and scene graph representation.įreeCAD also portrays native support of STEP and IGES formats, Boolean operations, fillets and geometric entities. Additionally, the solution has an integrated Python interpreter and API to handle geometry representation, interface and applications. Primary features of FreeCAD include geometry kernels, rendering, a sketcher, modular architecture, a robot simulation, standard formats and path mode. Designed as a scriptable CAD solution, the software allows users to manage architectural and electrical design functions. FreeCAD is an open-source, customizable 3D modeler that helps users in mechanical engineering and product design.
