[TriLUG] FOSS CAD software

[Scott G. Hall]

You might consider posting this question on the TriLUG discussion list....

On 06/25/2014 10:35 PM, Jeffrey Wubbenhorst wrote:
> While we're on the subject of CAD, does anyone know of a FOSS alternative to
> professional CAD products (such as SolidWorks or Autodesk)? 
>
> I'm fine with Blender, but if there is something better out there, I'd love to
> learn more about it. 
>
> On Wednesday, June 25, 2014 9:18:53 PM UTC-4, bill wrote:
>
>     I print stuff from Sketchup all the time. It is great for quick
>     simple things like electronics enclosures.
>
>     If you learn what to look for, producing solid models isn't hard at
>     all.
>
>     I also use Blender a good bit. I'd say if you are having trouble getting
>     solid models from Sketchup, Blender will be as bad or worse for you.
>     Again, it can make solid models. You just need to know what to look for
>     when building something so you don't make non-manifold geometry.
>     It won't prevent you from making a bad mesh like a solid modeler will.
>
>     I found Tinkercad to be a bit limiting in some respects but I'd like to 
>     see more of that shape generator language that they were pushing a 
>     while back. never got into it as at the time is was a for-pay feature.
>
>     Tinkercad is now run by Autodesk and they have incorporated many of
>     tinker's features into 123D Design which is also a free online or offline
>     tool.
>
>
>
>     On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 9:02 PM, Jeffrey Crews <cruz... at gmail.com
>     <javascript:>> wrote:
>
>         Might as well ask this here: I switch back and forth between freecad
>         and tinkercad mostly when trying to extrude svg's. For some reason
>         either freecad or tinkercad will refuse to recognize some svgs or some
>         part of some svgs. When that happens in one, usually the other one
>         will work instead. I don't have any idea what causes it, though.
>
>         jsc
>
>
>         On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 8:59 PM, Jeffrey Crews <cruz... at gmail.com
>         <javascript:>> wrote:
>
>             For mechanical stuff I use FreeCAD, for some other things I use
>             Tinkercad. If I had for some reason I needed to make more organic
>             shapes I think I'd rather work on learning Blender than continue
>             trying to wrestle with Sketchup. The problem I had with it is that
>             it's really not designed for printing, as you might have noticed.
>
>             jsc
>
>
>             On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 8:16 PM, Steven Hausman
>             <hausman... at gmail.com <javascript:>> wrote:
>
>                 Is there an alternative you would recommend?
>


-- 
Scott G. Hall
Owner & Chief Engineer
Hall Communications
Raleigh, NC, USA
Scott at HallComm-Inc.Com