LibreCAD is a perfect free CAD software if you are a beginner looking for a program to start creating your 2D project and CAD drafting. It is an open-source CAD software available with Mac Windows and Linux. It is an easy program to get started with 2D design as it doesn’t require any subscriptions or license costs. OpenSCAD: 3D CAD Modeller. OpenSCAD is another free CAD software that is worth to mention and available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows and Mac OS X. OpenSCAD provides two main modelling techniques: First there is constructive solid geometry (aka CSG) and second there is an extrusion of 2D outlines.
Whilst it is possible to run CAD software on Linux through an emulator like Wine, this article will specifically point out the top CAD software available for Linux. So let’s dive in!
The FreeCAD is an open source, free software and the best option for 3D solid and general purpose design. The software makes comprehensive use of open source libraries like OpenCascade, Qt, Python, and Coin3D. You can use FreeCAD on Mac OS X+, Linux and Windows. FreeCAD is favored by many users for small tasks. However, it cannot be deployed on large scale because it is still running on version 0.17. The good news is that the development has recently picked up the pace.
One of the few shortcomings of FreeCAD is that it is not suitable for organic shape animations and 2D drawings. However, you can easily benefit from its mechanical engineering designing abilities. You can find FreeCAD version 0.15 from Ubuntu repositories. Following are the commands that can help you install it.
The current version is 0.17. The software offers newer builds on daily basis which can be obtained by performing following commands:
OpenSCAD is a free 3D CAD Software that is light weighed and flexible. It is one of the most complicated tools since it is limited interactivity. It requires you to ‘program’ the model and then it renders a visual model corresponding to your code. If you think of it, it works like a compiler, taking commands from you, interpreting them and providing you the results. You cannot actually draw the model in this software, you can only describe it. It is however complicated to use but once you get hold of it, you’ll really love using it.
Install OpenSCAD on your system by performing these commands:
BRL-CAD is a complete package with powerful Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG). It is one of the oldest CAD tools with over 20 years of development and production us by U.S military and is still being developed actively. It comes with interactive 3D solid geometry editor, image and signal processing tools, a network-distributed symmetric, multiprocessing and high-performance ray-tracer, a network-distributed frame buffer support, animation capabilities, ray-tracing and numerical processing libraries and much more. Now it is not AutoCAD but is still used widely for transport studies such as ballistic penetration. This software finds numerous other uses in tasks like system benchmarking, medical visualization of objects, planning of radiation doses, education and training of computer graphics. You might keep all this in mind before installing it.
QCad is an application designed specifically for 2D computer-aided drafting with an intuitive user interface. If you are looking for software which can help you in designing your home interior, this software is best. It features technical drawings and diagrams related to building plans and mechanical parts as well. It is available in two editions: the commercial one and the free one called Community Edition. The difference between the two editions is mostly regarding the number of features they have to offer and the date of availability. It uses DXF and DWG as its standard input and output format, 35 CAD fonts, part library with over 4800 CAD parts, multi-document interface and object snaps.
The two highlighting properties of LibreCAD are that it is open source software which allows 2D Computer Aided designing. CAD is usually a resource-intensive task which requires a rather modest hardware. The free LibreCAD tool is lightweight and does not put much strain on resource usage. This makes it a good choice for CAD. As a 2D tool, we cannot expect it to render 3D models and renderings. You get the backup of an autosave option if you ever have struggle with large files whilst using this software. Libre CAD wins the contest for being the best software for creating geometric sketches.
LibreCAD can be installed on Linux by running the following command
All the tools mentioned above are currently under constant development and we can expect great things for them in the future. What kind of software you should go with certainly depends on what you’re looking for. Although, Linux is now catching up with Windows, in our opinion you should stick with what your college prescribes (if you’re a student) which will most probably run on Windows only. Speaking of industry standards and advanced requirements, these software might fail to meet professional expectations. But we highly respect the work that is being put forward by the developers of the above-mentioned software.
Easy music editing software. AutoCAD is the most used computer program for people who need to create 2D and 3D drawings and diagrams, especially in industries such as architecture, interior design, and engineering. Since AutoCAD is the industry standard, it is also quite an expensive program to own. If you are looking to get into AutoCAD and this type of design work, but you are not yet certain if it is for you, there are some free AutoCAD alternatives that you can try.
Also, if you need some 2D and 3D design work done and don’t have the money to spring for AutoCAD, here are some great, completely free AutoCAD alternatives to check out.
1. QCAD
This is an application that will allow you to draft two-dimension objects. It’s a great tool for all types of technical drawings. It works on Windows, macOS, and many Linux and Unix Systems, and of course, it is completely free. QCad is very convenient for beginners due to its easy to use interface. It offers over 40 construction and 20 modification tools as well as entity selection tools and 35 CAD fonts.
2. Creo Elements/Direct
One of the more popular choices for 3D work. It allows shifting from 2D to 3D with ease. It is a very fast and flexible alternative to AutoCAD with many options included that AutoCAD is known for having. With Creo Elements you can create and edit your designs in real-time. It is a great product for the ones using the ‘direct modeling’ approach to 3D CAD. The program is available in free and paid versions.
3. NanoCAD
NanoCAD is claimed to be a reliable free drafting software that supports AutoCAD 2013/14 DWG files and all AutoCAD versions starting from version 11. The program also has DirectX support and works great without any additional tweaking. Some of its features are enhanced 3D Orbit, auto-correct options, LineWeight settings dialog, and much more.
4. PadCAD
This is a free CAD mobile application that serves for small projects to medium size projects. It is convenient even for the ones with less experience. The only sidekick is the fact that you need to pay in order to save or export the file, but it is a one-time payment that doesn’t expire. A similar mobile app that works as a CAD editor and viewer is CAD Pockets that also works on iOS and has both free and paid versions.
5. OpenSCAD
This is a free architecture software for making solid 3D CAD objects. It is more a 3D compiler than an interactive modeler. OpenSCAD gives its users two different modeling techniques: extrusion of 2D outlines and solid geometry.
6. BRL-CAD
A cross-platform and open source solid modeling system that has a bunch of different features to offer, including interactive geometry editing, image and signal-processing tools, and large libraries for making tons of different types of geometric representations. On top of that, it also has a system performance analysis benchmark suite.
7. gCAD3D
This free software offers many features, including an integrated 3D-OpenGL viewer, a program interpreter for geometry and NC commands in 3D, an integrated NC processor, and a programming interface for RemoteControl. gCAD3D is compatible with Windows (32-bit) and Linux (64 and 32-bit) devices. The website is a little sparse and confusing, but the freeware is not.
8. Archimedes
A 3D modeling application that allows you to create complex compound 3D shapes. It is touted for being one of the most functional free AutoCAD alternatives out there when it comes to 3D modeling. The main features are Boolean and MeshGroup. The Boolean feature serves for cutting and intersecting shapes, whereas MeshGroup is a module for grouping elements.
9. PythonCAD
This one is for the Linux users. PythonCAD is a CAD package that was written in the Python programming language, hence the name. Good music recording software. One of the best open-source CAD packages for Linux which is also extremely easy to use if you have any kind of prior experience with two and three-dimensional modeling.
10. LibreCAD
It is a free open source CAD software that can be used on Linux, Windows, and macOS devices. It is available in more than 30 languages. LibreCAD has free support and everyone is welcome to contribute its advancement with their development skills. This tool is perfect for designing CAD drawings and it writes DXF files but other file types can be exported as well.
Now that you know the best free alternatives to AutoCAD comes the hardest part– making the right decision. And believe us, it’s not an easy one. Factors such as the learning curve of each program, the compatibility with your operating system, or the particular needs that you have come into play. Make sure you know and study all these factors well for each case and choose wisely.
We hope you have found this post useful. If you know of any other AutoCAD alternative that we have not included in this article, you can leave us a comment below. Thanks for reading and check out our blog if you want to learn more about AutoCAD.
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