Best free Solidworks alternative Software

SOLIDWORKS is the most popular and flexible software present in the field of CAD modelling. It enables a designer to conveniently design 3D models using a number of features and commands. The software is quite feasible in terms of learning and designing. The only problem that the majority of its users face is its price!

Dassault Systemes provides 1 month of free trial for SOLIDWORKS. After this trial period, the user needs to buy one of the three packages – Standard, Professional, and Premium. This creates a problem. Since SOLIDWORKS, when bought, an expensive software, it becomes impossible for some people to afford it. Even the lowest package i.e., the Standard Package costs nearly 4k dollars. This is not a small price and many designers and students face a problem due to the high rates of SOLIDWORKS. The only good thing about purchasing a Solidworks package is that then it goes on for a lifetime. and for updates, you’ll again have to pay a maintenance fee.

But as every dark cloud has a silver lining, here we are with an escape from this problem. There are many potential software that is present in the market with very similar tools as Solidworks. Some of these are FreeCAD, Onshape, QCAD, Shapr3D, and One CASCADE. These tools are very similar to Solidworks and perfect for users. Especially for those who are not looking into investing a huge amount of money in their software.

Free Solidworks Alternative Software

1.FreeCAD

As the name itself suggests, FreeCAD is an open-source 3D modelling CAD software. This software is widely in use among architects. It is a very useful software to design, create, and model, production-ready products. As we said, it is an open-source software which means that the user can easily customize it. In addition to this, FreeCAD helps in modifying and adjusting the dimensions of a design or a product. An excel sheet helps in these adjustments which also includes 2D geometries with constraints and driving models whose basis are formulas. It is best for designers who work with parametric 3D modelling. This tool also hell’s programmer’s architects teachers etc to construct machine tools or architectural designs in 3D and 2D which ultimately become a production-ready drawings. The best thing about FreeCAD is that you can even include tools that are not a part of the soft using very simple and basic coding.

 

2.Shapr3D

This software also stands by its name. It helps in creating 3D models with intersecting services using very difficult and complex calculations. Shapr3D is a very useful tool for mechanical engineers and architects as requires such complex designs for products of different products. Apart from this, if we talk about its compatibility. It is also compatible with apple pencil and iPad. If we move on to talk about the pricing it is not a completely free tool but has a very low price of the standard package is around 230 dollars. However, it is a very useful product and makes a lot of designs that can be difficult on Solidworks a lot easier.

 

3. QCAD

QCAD is a very well computer-related design software that is widely in use for creating 2D designs as well as drafting. Its compatibility among various kinds of devices and operating systems just surprise a lot. It is compatible with Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS, Linux as well as Unix. It has a normal library of templates which makes it easier for the user to work on the software. The format that QCAD uses to save files internally is DXF. Also, this is the same format in which QCAD imports and saves files internally.

 

4. Open CASCADE

Open cascade or open cascade Technology represents the nature of its software and its name itself. Basically, it is an open sour software development flat form for CAM, 3D CAD, and CAE. Its initial release dates back to 1999 making it one of the oldest 3D software available on the market. It can help in creating all sorts of 2D and 3D geometry which include circles, hyperbola, lines, planes, cones, parabola, cylinders, B-spline, exclusion, offset, and many more. Apart from creating designs it also helps in modeling algorithms, drawing test hardness, data exchange, and Application framework.

 

5. Design spark Mechanical

This software stands on the list of free 3D card modeling software. Designs for mechanical is solid modeling software that helps in creating the models which require very minute details. It is a very useful software for designers who are aiming to develop their designs using 3D printers. It enables the user to make frequent and unlimited alterations in the design as it uses a direct modeling approach. The software supports rapid prototyping. Also, the 3D CAD library of designs parks mechanical contains over 75000 products which are available for download but only inside the software. Even though the software is completely free of cost it requires a one-time registration at designs for a mechanical website for the latest updates. Along with this, the user can add additional modules that are wide and the functionality of this 3D CAD software. However, it is to be kept in mind that these advances or not free of cost and the user has to pay for them. There are some features like s t e p and I g e s file type which might not work without purchasing these add-on modules. It might create barriers or restrictions while working on the software.

Conclusion

Design spark Mechanical, QCAD, Open CASCADE, Shapr3D, and FreeCAD. These were some of the free or cheaper alternatives that a user can switch to if they are not able to access Solidworks. These might have a different interface and tools or commands but on the basic level, they are just as similar to Solidworks. There is much more software that might provide a free license for students or work at a lower price when and if the user is purchasing it through their school or company respectively.