"FreeCAD" 3D modeling software - Any users/reviews?

I use FreeCAD every day with satisfaction, on Linux

I've used it to design a few of parts, one of which went off to a 3D printer and came back as a solid printed thing in a box (along with many helpful comments on how to design things so they'll 3D print well).

It was an uphill battle all the way, but I think that at least 80% of that was my total unfamiliarity with 3D CAD. Perhaps even 100%.

There is a very active support community out there -- there's been at least one time when I posted a file along with a question about how to do something, and had my file posted back with all my desired changes made, better than I could have done.

It _is_ a bit clunky, and upgrades _are_ happening fast enough that sometimes your best solution to a problem is to download the latest build and live with (perhaps) a different set of bugs than the last time. But it definitely seems to be a usable product.

Its been a couple years since I last tried FreeCAD, but I found it was ok for geomtric stuff if a little buggy and unstable. Save often if you use it. I have heard it has made some improvments so YMMV.

If you want a true 3D CAD program take a look at Fusion360 from AutoCAD. Its cloud based, but its free to hobbyists, students, startups and small businesses with less than a a certain net profitability. I've been playing with it off and on for a little while, and I am still butting up against my own learning curve for the most part, but the problems are mostly my own style of working with solid models I learned working with ViaCAD. It deos demand a modestly current 64bit OS. I am running it on an i5 with 64bit W10 at the moment, but I'll be setting it up on my W7-64-Pro laptop soon enough.

I really haven't found any glaring bugs or had any unexpected crashes yet, but I must admit I have not really learned enough to push its limits yet either.

For me the ideal CAD tool would involve a virtual-reality setup with goggles and gloves with haptic feedback, coupled by a virtual machine shop with "magic" cutters. If I want it cylindrically symmetrical I chuck it up in the lathe (with magic chucks, of course), if I want it free-form I put it on the milling machine, if I need something more I grab the (magic) bottle of glue, etc.

Tim Wescott on Tue, 29 Mar 2016

I understand that such is actually available, but for big bucks (of course).

To view your old drawings try this

DanP

DanP on Mon, 4 Apr 2016 15:28:04 -0700 (PDT) typed in alt.machines.cnc the following:

Thanks, I may have that, or something similar. Not only can I look at the drawings, but the models as well. Cool.

-- pyotr filipivich "With Age comes Wisdom. Although more often, Age travels alone."

it has evolved since than and it will soon have its own CAM module