SolveSpace – parametric 3d CAD tool

SolveSpace is a parametric 3d CAD tool.

The software runs under Linux, macOS, and Windows.

This is free and open source software.

Key Features

• Sketch sections using:
  • lines, rectangles, datum lines and points.
  • circles, arcs of a circle, datum circles.
  • cubic Bezier segments, C2 interpolating splines.
  • text in a TrueType font, exportable as vectors.
  • trims to split lines and curves where they intersect.
  • tangent arcs, to fillet lines and curves.
  • line styles for stroke color, stroke width, fill color.
  • adjustable snap grid, for entities and text.
  • menu item, keyboard shortcut, or toolbar.
  • cut and paste, in plane and from workplane to workplane.
  • background image with specified scale, for ease of tracing.
  • 3Dconnexion six degree of freedom controllers.
• Constraints and dimensions on:
  • distance (or line length), point-line distance, diameter.
  • projected distance, along a line or vector.
  • angle, curve-to-curve tangency, parallel, perpendicular.
  • horizontal, vertical.
  • equal length, equal angle, equal radius, length ratio.
  • line length equals arc length.
  • point on line, point on circle, point on point, point on face.
  • point at midpoint of line, line’s midpoint on plane.
  • points (or line) symmetric about line or plane.
  • 2d (projected into specified plane) and 3d geometry.
  • lengths in metric or inch units.
  • lengths entered as arithmetic expressions (32.6 + 5/25.4).
• Build solid model with:
  • an extrude, lathe (solid of revolution) or helix from a sketch.
  • Boolean operations: union (add material), difference (remove material), intersection (leave only common material).
  • parametric step and repeat (pattern), rotating or translating.
  • operations performed on either meshes or NURBS surfaces.
• Parametric and associative assembly:
  • link parts and drag them with six degrees of freedom.
  • link mirrored or with arbitrary scale.
  • place parts in assembly using constraints.
  • link surfaces, and merge them using Boolean operations.
  • link lines and curves, for 2d work or solid operations later.
  • changes in parts propagate automatically into assembly.
• Analyze with:
  • measurements on a part or assembly (of point coordinates, line length, point-point distance, point-face distance, projected distance, face-face angle, point-line distance).
  • path traced by mechanism, exportable into a spreadsheet.
  • area of a plane sketch, volume of a solid shell.
  • degrees-of-freedom check to show unconstrained points in sketch.
  • interference check for assemblies.
  • “STL check” (vertex-to-vertex and not self-intersecting) for mesh.
• Export:
  • 2d vector drawing as DXF, EPS, PDF, SVG, HPGL, STEP.
  • toolpath as G code.
  • as either piecewise linear segments or exact curves.
  • wireframe model, hidden-line removed model, vector shaded surfaces.
  • isometric view, orthogonal view, user-specified other view.
  • section of solid model.
  • with cutter radius compensation.
  • with adjustable canvas size.
  • 3d wireframe as DXF, STEP.
  • triangle mesh as STL, Wavefront OBJ.
  • NURBS surfaces as STEP.
  • shaded view as bitmap.

Website: solvespace.com
Support: GitHub Code Repository
Developer: SolveSpace contributors
License: GNU General Public License v3.0

SolveSpace is written in C++. Learn C++ with our recommended free books and free tutorials.

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