SketchUp offers imports in SKP, JPG, PNG file formats, while it can export to SKP, PNG, and STL. SketchUp comes sided by 3D Warehouse, a catalog of user-generated designs that you can use as a launch pad for your own designs. It marries a sleek user interface with a solid set of tools that you can use to create everything from basic shapes to complex parts for 3D printing. Source: SketchUp 3D WarehouseĪ step up in complexity compared to Tinkercad, SketchUp Free is still one of the most user-friendly free CAD programs available. Sketchup Free Loft bed designed in SketchUp. These can then be exported to STL then loaded into a slicer to prep for 3D printing.Īlongside, Tinkercad comes with a comprehensive library of tutorials, lessons, and learner projects perfect for those dabbling in modeling for the first time. The modeling process is based on shaping and modeling basic shapes using a range of simple tools to create models. It’s developed by the folks at Autodesk, the same company behind Fusion 360, AutoCAD, and Maya. Tinkercad is a free browser-based CAD program that offers one of the most straightforward and intuitive interfaces available that’s chiefly geared towards beginners and kids wanting to learn the basics of 3D modeling. Best Free CAD Software For 3D Printing Easiest CAD Software for 3D Printing (For Beginners) Tinkercad Hospital building designed in Tinkercad.
For general use, especially modeling for 3D printing, the best free CAD software will more than suffice, but if you’re looking to power more specialized applications, this is where spending money on a premium program bears fruits. What this means is that choosing free CAD software for you is about selecting a program that has the features you need, but also whether you can live without what it doesn’t offer. Then there’s also the murky middle ground of free versions of paid CAD software where you’ll find many of the more sophisticated features like CNC milling, extensive export file formats, advanced simulations, and cloud functionality removed. Paid software is geared towards professional applications such as design and engineering that need a comprehensive suite of features, while free programs tend to focus on a specific element of 3D modeling with little in the way of extras.
Suitable applications, and the features that enable this, are also a major difference between free CAD programs for 3D printing and paid CAD programs.
Paid programs tend to offer a more intuitive and fleshed out interface than their free counterparts, which can often be fairly barebones, leaning more on functionality than delivering a flowing user experience. One of the main differences is user interface and overall polish.
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