# 3D Design / 3D Scanning / 3D Modeling > 3D Modeling, Design, Scanners >  looking for a good 3d design software.

## kondocher

New and eager into the 3D pritning world. Bought Da Vinci 1.0 pro 3 in 1 earlier in the week and I've been messing with it for a few days and I've finally discovered how to do ABS prints that stick,have no seperation, and are smooth for the most part. I have the XYZmaker software that came with the printer and i have a few hours on it but I cant seem to find how to make anything apart from basic shapes, numbers, letters, and modifying said shapes. I'd love to sit down and make my own design and I see a lot of inspiration on thingiverse. My question is what software is good for making completely original designs? What software are people using to make human like figures, animals, gun stocks, vases, etc? I may be missing something in XYZmaker but it doesn't seem possible in that software. The printer has a 3D scanner build in but it doesnt pick up anything that has details,pits,or holes... Thanks ahead of time, looking to learn

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## awerby

For organic kinds of models - figures, animals, etc. - there's nothing better than the Geomagic line of haptic-enabled sculpting tools: Sculpt, Freeform, and Freeform Modeling Plus. It's a hardware/software system that gives you touch feedback, so you can actually feel what you're doing, as you're doing it. There's really nothing else like it, and we sell it all at a substantial discount. Gun stocks and vases range between the organic and semi-organic; these tools will work for making this sort of thing, but other modeling software, like Rhino for example, may also perform well. 

3D scanners are a good way to get existing physical objects into a virtual modeling environment, but all scanners, as you've learned, are not created equal. You'll still have to pay a considerable amount to get highly detailed and accurate scans. 

Andrew Werby
computersculpture.com

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## curious aardvark

blender is a popular free one. 
As is tinkercad.

I like openscad, but then I can't draw freehand :-)

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## Roxy

I agree on the OpenScad.   I use that for almost everything.   But when I have something super hard to do...  Or something that needs to modify an existing .STL file....  I use Blender.   Blender can do anything.  But the learning curve is very steep and very long.

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## fragar

Fusion 360
Free for personal use and a lot of tutorials on Youtube

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## Trakyan

Solvespace (for gui based cad) or openscad (for script based cad). Both are free, open source and quite simple and straightforward (at least to me) with their interface and how they work. I personally use openscad for most of my modeling, unless it is something more 'artsy' and is easier to draw as a vector graphic than plot as a series of coordinates (a 'low poly' carabiner is as close to 'artsy' as i get). That and for testing constraints/linkages and double checking if i've implemented the constraints right in ope scad.

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## juankroi

I would give a try to freeCAD (open source parametric CAD)

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## Wekster

I would definitely suggest Fusion 360. As someone who is using 3dsmax and modo I would say that F360 was one of the best learning experiances ever. I've modeled my first NERF blaster prototype on the same day I've installed software and watched only one basic tutorial.

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## kunykiller

I work in a 3ds max! That's what I advise

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## LynnScott

I am also agree on the OpenScad

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## JenniferT

List of some of the most popular D3 modeling software are Sketchup, LibreCAD, SelfCAD,  AutoCAD

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## curious aardvark

the old cura was quite good. But then they completely redesigned it and since then it's been really horrible. 

The last user friendly version was: 15.04.6
here's a list of al releases:  https://ultimaker.com/en/products/ul...-software/list

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## NEROKART

I'm using Solidworks. That's what I advise..

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## NEROKART

You can look my 3d print model the website below.

https://www.3d2v.com/n.design

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## Susanne

I will suggest you some of these best 3D modeling softwares - LibreCAD, TinkerCAD, Blender and SketchUp etc.

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## ralphzoontjens

If you can afford a license, Solidworks. The next best thing is Rhinoceros, it is great with meshes as well.
For a nice free and quick solution use Sculptris.
I use Blender to boolean away shapes, say create a flat bottom. That is about what I know in Blender, steep learning curve indeed.

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## Susanne

@Ralphzoontjens, I agree with you, Sculptris is also a good option and the best thing is that it is free. Most of the educational institutes use Sculptris for educational and enrichment purposes.

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## space67

You should have a  look at  www.rocket3f.com/ (just add dotts)

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## curious aardvark

Added the dots :-) 

Looks interesting, and the basic version is Free !
Which as everyone knows, is my favourite cost of anything :-)

I need to make 3d faces on spheres, and doing it on openscad is a real pita. So let's see if i can use this rocket thing instead :-)

***

well first snag - it doesn't save or export as .stl

About the only thing I can see that openscad will import is .dxf
have to try that instead.

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## space67

> Added the dots :-) 
> 
> Looks interesting, and the basic version is Free !
> Which as everyone knows, is my favourite cost of anything :-)
> 
> I need to make 3d faces on spheres, and doing it on openscad is a real pita. So let's see if i can use this rocket thing instead :-)
> 
> ***
> 
> ...



You could export it to obj and then open it in 3D Builder 
www(DOT)microsoft(DOT)com/en-us/p/3d-builder/9wzdncrfj3t6?activetab=pivotverviewtab

Her is a little about it: www(DOT)windowscentral(DOT)com/how-use-3d-builder-windows-10

Its easy to use and you can export to stl from there, and its free.

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## curious aardvark

don't use windows 10. so that's out :-) 

Installing windows 10 to get 3d builder is like cutting your own leg off because you fancy making prosthetics. 
I'll see if tinkercad will import an obj file.

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## space67

> don't use windows 10. so that's out :-) 
> 
> Installing windows 10 to get 3d builder is like cutting your own leg off because you fancy making prosthetics. 
> I'll see if tinkercad will import an obj file.


Oh, I didn't realize you didn't use Windows.
Mabe some of these wil do the trick?  :Smile: 

https://www.meshconvert.com/
https://www.greentoken.de/onlineconv/
https://www.makexyz.com/convert/obj-to-stl

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## curious aardvark

lol - I use windows 7. 
The best version. Most people don't realise that you don't need to have windows 10 :-)

loading an obj into tinkercad and exporting to an stl works fine. Plus I'd need to do it anyway to make it work properly in openscad. 

Now I just need a couple days and a decent tutorial for rocketcad-thing.

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## Igor

What about Cinema4D? Anyone been using it?

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## cacb

Another alternative is AngelCAD 

AngelCAD is a powerful open source 3D solid modeller based on the Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) modelling technique, expressed in the AngelScript language. The software creates 3D models in STL or other file formats. Binaries are available for windows and linux ubuntu.

For documentation and downloads visit: arnholm dot github dot io slash angelcad-docs

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## monk3947

If you want to create 3D models for inventing, mechanical engineering,  or high-accuracy simulations, you can try to learn Solidworks, Autocad, Inventor,Creo,UG or Catia.
If you want to make models for video games, movies, and special effects, you can choose Maya, 3DS Max, Cinema 4D, Modo, Lightwave, DAZ 3D, Rhino,Carrara or Blender.These are complete packages that can do many things.

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