Parametric CAD programs keep the entire history of the model as it is being built. Version 5 will also be avialable on Mac OS X when it is released. If you happen to be a student then you can get a significant discount. It isn’t inexpensive but it does almost anything you could need. It has every kind of tool you could need and, like MoI, is equally well-suited to organic or mechanical shapes. Rhino ($995)- Rhino is one of the most powerful and flexible CAD programs anywhere. It is equally well-suited to organic or mechanical shapes. It was written by a single guy, who was one of the original developers of Rhino, so it’s powerful without being bloated. Because of this, the user interface is simple and doesn’t require a lot of typing. MoI ($295)- MoI (Moment of Inspiration) is a 3D CAD program that was designed to be usable on tablet or pen computers. It is available for Mac and PC, making it unique in this list. It isn’t as popular as some of the others here but it’s inexpensive and you can get up and running quickly. Viacad 3D ($199)- Viacad is a simple, powerful 3D CAD program. The various approaches are discussed on their halp page The free version will not export an STL file but several people have written plug-ins that allow Sketchup to export an STL without paying for the full version. In 2006 is was acquired by Google and a free version was released. It is a very simple program to use but it isn’t well-suited for organic shapes. Sketchup (Free or $500)- Sketchup is a CAD program that was originally targeted to the architectural market.

Free Form CADįree form CAD programs let you design dimensionally accurate models but don’t impose any structure or workflow on your methods. This is a great value if you’re looking to model organic shapes. It is incredibly powerful and the interface is easier to learn than Blender. Silo3D ($99-$159) - Silo3D is a subdivision modeling program that, like Blender, is not primarily targeted at users trying to design models to be machined.

Amazon stocks a ton of books about Blender so it should be easy to find some material to help you out. The interface is very non-traditional and will require some adjustment if you’ve got experience in a more traditional 3D design program. These programs will let you design complicated shapes easily but they can make it more difficult to design mechanical shapes to exact dimensions.īlender (Free) - Blender is a free, open-source 3D modeling program. Free Form 3D Modeling ProgramsģD modeling programs are used to make models for animations or video games and those models are never meant to leave the computer. One quick note, if you’re a Mac user then check out our list of 3D CAD programs for the Mac / OSX. Here is a list of the best deals in free or inexpensive CAD programs. A common question from new CNC software users is, “What CAD program do you recommend?” As you might guess, the answer is, “It depends”.

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