Looking for a recommendation for further design software.

[Sebastian Finke]

I'd stay away from Cubify Design. You're locked into their file format when saving except for outputting STL files or dwg. I find either DesignSpark or ViaCad Pro the two best options for either free or low cost CAD software.

But that goes for most software as export modules need to be licensed. And while it can only save as native and export stl it import step, iges and sat (and solidworks files, if I'm not mistaken).

Plus it is fully parametric... for $50. That alone puts it heads and shoulders above the 'free brigade'.

[Sebastian Finke]

There is BRL-CAD which is used by the US military so one assumes it has some depth to it. We haven't tried to use it ourselves so we can't comment on usability or functionality but it is free.

Don't waste your time with this. Tried it once. Didn't find it very productive. I doubt the military actually uses this.

[iDig3Dprinting]

Don't waste your time with this. Tried it once. Didn't find it very productive. I doubt the military actually uses this.

Yes, we were not convinced it would be worth are while investing time in learning it we are just aware that it exists and is free. But you never know, our experience of freeware is that sometimes you can find some real gems if you are prepared to get past, what usually appears to be, a poor interface.

[Sebastian Finke]

But you never know, our experience of freeware is that sometimes you can find some real gems if you are prepared to get past, what usually appears to be, a poor interface.

Absolutely. Unfortunately not in this case though. Firstly there is no UI, everything had to be typed in by hand. and the more complex your part got the longer each command got. For jollies I tried to design a little kids' rake for the beach. Took three days; with todays software this shouldn't take more than an hour. I also couldn't save to stp or iges (also done through a command line style editor.) No... not worth it.

[curious aardvark]

Firstly there is no UI, everything had to be typed in by hand. and the more complex your part got the longer each command got.

I like the sound of that :-) I'll give it a go.

And I tried sketchup - absolutely bloody useless. None of the tutorials I followed worked. Couldn't even find the centre of a cube to push in to make a box. It just wouldn't do it. At which point, after a few hours I gave up, tried openscad and had made abox inside a minute.
Horrible software. And not exactly 3d print friendly.

brl cad is weird. Currently looking at tinkercad.

Ah - web app.

lol what i actually want is someone to fix openscad so it uses multile cpu cores and doesn't have a facet limit. lol
Haven't found anything I can't make with it yet - the scripts for the pinboards and golfball style glandes work great, till openscad dies on me.
OH well.

[Sebastian Finke]

Seriously, give the free ones I mentioned in my first post a look. They are the closest you'll get to professional CAD without paying.

[curious aardvark]

Good free programs are Designspark, 123D and Creo Elements... or so I've heard. I don't use them personally (I do use Creo 2.0 Parametric at work, along with Geomagic and Catia, but apparently it is very different from Creo Elements). I don't that they can only save as native format and stl, you won't be able to export as stp, igs, x_t, etc.

Good luck and would love to hear feedback on which you chose, why and how it works for you!

I only want stl files :-)

DesignSpark PCB is a free-of-charge schematic capture and PCB layout tool for electronics design automation (EDA), for use by professional electronics design engineers, hobbyists, educators and students.[

well that's out.

creo elements:

Download this free 3D CAD software and create assemblies with up to 60 unique parts.

Hmm, I want something that'll handle hundreds of unique parts.
Might be useful for other things though - I'll look at it :-)

the autodesk stuff is all online and facebook linked. That just makes me shudder.

I know, I know, I'm a fussy bastard.

[Wolfie]

Or to put it another way: I don't need a 10 ton steam hammer to crack a hazelnut.

Maybe not but I suspect the 10 ton steam hammer would be a lot more fun than a pair of pliers.

[Sebastian Finke]

See here:

DesignSpark Mechanical. This is a free MCAD package, exactly what you want.

Autodesk 123D. This version is downloadable, not online. And is very popular.

Creo Elements. I use Creo Parametric 2.0 at work along with Catia and Geomagic Design. While Elements is quite different from its big brother I can assure you that PTC make very powerful software.

All of the above save in native format and export stl's too, again exactly what you want.

[curious aardvark]

cheers mate - hadn't seen the standalone 123d before :-)

The designspark is $800 - lol no chance. I grumbled enough when I bought simplify3d.

The creo thing just doesn't do enough parts.

I'll sit down at the weekend and have a solid look through the ones I've now got.

Thanks guys :-)