Hi there! I just bought a 3D printer and want to design my own chastity devices and kinky toys. I used to learn basic construction and CAD about 14 years ago in technology class, but I have rarely touched the subject since then. So i'm a bit out of the loop in regards to CAD Software. I'm looking for a good CAD Tool, which doesn't cost an arm and a leg... Most software i found require monthly payment. At the moment i'm trying to work with OpenSCAD and FreeCAD, but like with many open source software, the interface and handling are a bit clunky and in case of FreeCAD very unintuitive to use. Do you know of any good CAD software, that doesn't ruin me financially and is somewhat intuitively useable? ^^ I know those specialised software always has a learing curve. I use different IDEs and DAWs for coding and making music regularly. Thanks in advance for your answers and have a nice day!
For your purposes, Fusion 360 is the highly featured free option I would recommend and what I use. For a bit simpler of work, TinkerCAD seems to be a popular choice.
Never mind - the free and cheap TurnboCad products are 2D only. However, you might want to check this link: https://all3dp.com/1/best-free-online-cad-software/ There are lots of new products out there, especially since 3D printing is coming down in price.
It's also free to makers and businesses making under $100,000 USD per year. I use it for profit (now), and have a "startup" license, which has no cost.
The free 3D modelling SW I'm used to is Sketchup. It is not a CAD software, but it can sure be used to design all kinds for models for 3D printing. The learning curve is a bit steeper than for say TinkerCAD but I still find it easier to use than say FreeCAD.
I would have recommended Sketchup as well, but it is not as well suited to 3D printing as some of the other options. I started using Sketchup almost ten years ago, and it is great for 3D drawing and models, and it is by far the easiest "draw in 3D" program I've used, but ensuring that the items you create are "manifold" and suitable for 3D printing is a lot harder than software geared for that.
Ah! Tanks for that info! I didn't know that and it doesn't say anything about that on their website. At least i couldn't find it. ^^
https://www.autodesk.com/campaigns/fusion-360-for-hobbyists First image on the left under "Activate your fusion 360 license" STEP 1: CHECK IF YOU QUALIFY Fusion 360 is free for startups generating less than $100k/year in total revenue or wholly non-commercial hobbyist users. Review our legal terms of service page to make sure you qualify for free use.
That's true, but all you need is a few free-to-download extensions and most of these problems become much easier to solve. And while you probably know this, I feel I better mention the extensibility out loud, in case CD_Erika decides to give it a try. As you mentioned yourself, learning Sketchup lets one do other things than design 3D printed gadgets, which is one of the reasons I suggested it as an option.
I used to do a lot of 3D but I bought 3D Studio Max which isn't cheap at all. But if you are a student you can get that or Maya. For free software most people I knew in the 3D modelling scene used Blender. https://www.blender.org/
Lol... I must be blind as a mole... xD Thanks again! Yep. I tried Blender, but i figured, for technical construction it's better to use a dedicated CAD software.
I downloaded freecad when I got my 3D printer. It is the only 3D CAD software I have ever used, so if the user interface is "clunky", I don't know any better. Yes, it has a few bugs and rough edges, but it's doing everything I want it to do. And it is free/open source.