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best free cad software for home?

megaladon

New member
I have a couple of inventions I would like to have 3D printed and do not want to model anything at work for the sole purpose of the legal issues it would cause if it turns out to be something worth manufacturing someday.

does anyone here have any recommendations of 3D mechanical software? something similar to Pro/E?

I plan to give this a whirl but would love to hear anyone elses input
PTC Creo Elements/Direct Modeling Express 6.0 | PTC


thank you
 
I've not used Creo Elements Direct, but I think you'll find it's a quite different from Proe. It's a direct modeler, no parent child feature reletionships (no history tree, I think), you just push & pull geometry.

I used Sketchup when I laid out my basement remodel about 5-6 years ago. It's a direct modeler too and it took some time to get used to it. Once I did, it worked pretty well. It's no longer a Google product, but there's still a free version.

There is a $200 version of Creo Parametric 2.0, but it's only available for students & educators. Got a student in your family?

EDIT: It looks like JourneyEd still offers WF5 student edition for $150 too.
 
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I have a couple of inventions I would like to have 3D printed and do not want to model anything at work for the sole purpose of the legal issues it would cause if it turns out to be something worth manufacturing someday.

does anyone here have any recommendations of 3D mechanical software? something similar to Pro/E?

I plan to give this a whirl but would love to hear anyone elses input
PTC Creo Elements/Direct Modeling Express 6.0 | PTC


thank you

Good Morning

I've been using Alibre, Personal Version, for about a year now at home. It's a 3D pack similar to Pro-E that works quite well for my applications.
RW2027
 
I do have a student in the family. Is it possible to export STEP or STL files from the student version with the intent of creating a product?
 
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Hello Everybody

I would just dig deep and get Alibre (looks like its going for $1000 now).
It's the closest thing to Pro/E you're going to find. There's some free parametric modelers out there, but they all look like they're for junior high school projects.

EDIT:

Just looked and they have different prices listed

thousand dollar-ish range
Geomagic - Geomagic Design product comparison

Couple hundred dollar-ish range
Alibre - Alibre Design product comparison

I've been using Alibre for about a year or so now and it works very similar to Pro-E. I have the Personal Version (to test) and moving into one of the higher versions soon.
I like the way it works and how easy it was to learn. Your projects will work out fine with this system.
 
Not sure what your company policy is but Creo does allow fro License borrowing. Creo Elements Direct is an entirely different animal and a totally new learning curve when compared to Creo Parametric.
 
I've been using Alibre for about a year or so now and it works very similar to Pro-E. I have the Personal Version (to test) and moving into one of the higher versions soon.
I like the way it works and how easy it was to learn. Your projects will work out fine with this system.

Have you used the surfacing module? Their price list is so confusing I can't tell if how or which plan it's part of.
 

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