Open Source CAD alt...
 

MegaSack DRAW - 6pm Christmas Eve - LIVE on our YouTube Channel

[Closed] Open Source CAD alternatives (3d)

17 Posts
11 Users
0 Reactions
97 Views
Posts: 17
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Have some CAD stuff to mess with (mainly reducing polygons and prepping for import to somewhere else) AutoCAD is a little outside of the budget and Source Forge isn't really coming up with a good alternative.

Any suggestions? or any converters to reduce the level of detail? Trying to get down from 100mb to about 20...


 
Posted : 14/02/2013 11:18 pm
Posts: 33530
Full Member
 

I'm not sure if its of help, but AutoCAD is available for the iPad, which is pretty cheap, and surprisingly flexible, so I understand.

Not something I'd use, but it might help you out, if you can run it.


 
Posted : 14/02/2013 11:28 pm
Posts: 17
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Cheers

Turns out it's on all formats
https://www.autocadws.com/
Be interesting to see if it can do anything though


 
Posted : 14/02/2013 11:31 pm
Posts: 6009
Free Member
 

Autocadws isn't too bad. I've not tried doing anything other than viewing on my android tablet though, but use it on a PC at work when we run out of licenses.

Freecad has been mentioned recently. No idea if its any good.

If you're of questionable ethics, then I understand the Inventor/Autocad license is incredibly easy to hack. Apparently.


 
Posted : 14/02/2013 11:37 pm
 dti
Posts: 532
Full Member
 

draft sight


 
Posted : 14/02/2013 11:41 pm
Posts: 17
Free Member
Topic starter
 

If you're of questionable ethics, then I understand the Inventor/Autocad license is incredibly easy to hack. Apparently.

It's for work so not doing that.

Will have a look at Freecad & draft sight


 
Posted : 14/02/2013 11:42 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Google Sketchup is also surprisingly good for basic stuff. There's also Blender.


 
Posted : 14/02/2013 11:45 pm
Posts: 33530
Full Member
 

Didn't know about the other formats, I'd only seen an iOS feature about it. Makes perfect sense. I did see something today on Flipboard about a 3d modelling package that allows you to create 3d figures, then have them printed up on a 3d printer. I don't know how sophisticated it is, I only skimmed the feature. I'll see if I can find it, it might have something useful you can use.


 
Posted : 14/02/2013 11:48 pm
Posts: 17
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Sketchup lost it's AutoCAD import in V8 without going pro and it karked it trying to open the file, Ac3d is also struggling, hence AutoCAD to reduce triangles at source then try and work with it. Will see how these go and what the 30day autodesk trial does.


 
Posted : 14/02/2013 11:57 pm
Posts: 33530
Full Member
 

Knew I'd seen it, but it needed a bit of digging to find it on Engadget. It's actually a specific monster/creature design and create app. Looks fun, though;
Autodesk 123D Creatures lets you create monsters on your iPad
http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/14/autodesk-123d-creatures-lets-you-create-monsters-on-your-ipad/


 
Posted : 15/02/2013 12:07 am
Posts: 17773
Full Member
 

+1 Draft Sight...


 
Posted : 15/02/2013 12:19 am
 cp
Posts: 8945
Full Member
 

Can draftsight or autocadws model 3D? thought they were 2d only.


 
Posted : 15/02/2013 7:11 am
Posts: 17773
Full Member
 

Sorry, should have read the question properly...

Draftsight is 2D, not 3D...


 
Posted : 15/02/2013 7:18 am
Posts: 16363
Free Member
 

They can both open 3d models. Not sure what edit capability they have.


 
Posted : 15/02/2013 7:18 am
Posts: 7995
Free Member
 

Rhino
[url=rhino3d.com]linky[/url]
you can save 25 times


 
Posted : 15/02/2013 7:53 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

They can both open 3d models. Not sure what edit capability they have.

DraftSight cannot open 3D models - it's Dassault's 2D drawing editor which replaced Solidworks DWGedit.

I could tell you all about the gash copy of (cough)Solidworks 2012(cough) which somehow fell into my lap a few weeks ago, but weeeelll....


 
Posted : 15/02/2013 8:27 am
Posts: 16363
Free Member
 

DraftSight cannot open 3D models - it's Dassault's 2D drawing editor which replaced Solidworks DWGedit.
Well don't tell my copy because it opens them quite happily 🙂 Even works with my 3D spacemouse.

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 15/02/2013 9:38 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

This gash copy of Solidworks you have Johnellison, You might want to keep that to yourself instead of advertising the fact.


 
Posted : 15/02/2013 10:03 am