The FreeCAD application is an open source 3D-Solid and general purpose design CAD/CAE.
FreeCAD is aimed directly at mechanical engineering and product design but also fits in a wider range of uses around engineering, such as architecture or other engineering specialities.
FreeCAD has tools similar to those offered by Catia, SolidWorks or Solid Edge.
The software makes extensive use of open source libraries include OpenCascade, Coin3D, Qt, and Python.
Key Features
- GUI application with 3D viewer.
- Command line version with low memory footprint usable as server.
- Macro recording.
- Workbenches.
- Modeling features:
- Offset (trivial or after Jung/Shin/Choi).
- Boolean operations (add, cut, intersect).
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- Primitive creation.
- Creation of primitives:
- Parametric creation of box, sphere and cone.
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- Topologic creation of vertex, edges, wires and planes.
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- Modeling with extrudes and fillets.
- Meshes.
- Boolean operations like:
- Union – fuse shapes together.
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- Difference – substraction of two shapes.
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- Intersection – cut out the common parts of two shapes.
- Import: ASCII or binary STL (Stereo lithography format), OBJ format, Limited NASTRAN support, Open Inventor meshes, FreeCAD mesh kernel native.
- Export: ASCII or binary STL (Stereo lithography format), OBJ format, Limited NASTRAN support, VRML meshes, FreeCAD mesh kernel native, Mesh as Python module.
- Evaluation and Repair:
- Tests solid.
- Tests non-two-manifolds.
- Tests self intersections.
- Hole filling.
- Uniform orientation.
- Raytracing.
- Run as a Python module.
- Plugin/Module framework for late loading of features/data-types.
- Built in scripting.
Website: www.freecad.org
Support: Documentation, GitHub Code Repository
Developer: Juergen Riegel, Berthold Grupp, Yorik van Havre, mohd_najib and others
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
FreeCAD is written in C++ and Python. Learn C++ with our recommended free books and free tutorials. Learn Python with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| CAD Software | |
|---|---|
| FreeCAD | 3D-Solid and general purpose design CAD/CAE |
| QCAD | Professional CAD System |
| LibreCAD | CAD in two dimensions |
| BRL-CAD | Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) solid modeling system |
| OpenCASCADE | Technology, 3D modeling & numerical simulation |
| SALOME | Platform for numerical simulation |
| OpenSCAD | Programmers solid 3D CAD modeller |
| KiCad | Integrated environment for all of the stages of the design process |
| LeoCAD | Design virtual models you can build with LEGO bricks |
| SolveSpace | Parametric 3d CAD tool |
| CadQuery | Python parametric CAD scripting framework |
| Electric | The Electric VLSI Design System |
| gCAD3D | 3D CAD-CAM application which features an integrated 3D OpenGL viewer |
| XTrackCAD | CAD program for designing model railroad layouts |
| KLayout | Viewer and editor for integrated circuit and mask design |
| Dune 3D | Parametric 3D CAD |
| CAD Sketcher | Constraint-based geometry sketcher |
| build123d | Python CAD programming library |
| Design | 2D CAD software for GNOME |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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