[Solved] Does anybody use FreeCAD?

Never mind. I can't see half the colours FreeCAD uses. 
Problem solved. 

@sandbender 

Fusion is a popular 3D drawing package that a lot of makers and hobbyists use. They have a free version. 

I would recommend trying that out when you have some time. Also a lot of youtube vids to get you started.

@sandbender 

You may want to take a look at an ultrasimple tool called OpenSCAD.

It's a scripting language that uses additive and subtractive geometry to create the part that you need. It's very, very basic and doesn't include any polishing effects like fillets or rounded edges or fillings but if you just want basic parts it may be of use to you.

@noweare 
Thank you.
I'll go take a look at it. I've heard the name thrown around but the "Autodesk" kind of scared me off until now.

@will 
Oh a scripted CAD. That sounds interesting. I'm going to try that out. 
The fancy stuff is nice but not necessary for my prototype-level things. 
I'll go dust off VIm 😉

Does it have more features than TinkerCAD?

Hi @aliarifat,

  Re: Does it have more features than TinkerCAD?

Sorry, as a few different options have been mentioned, I am not clear which one ''it" refers to.

So I humbly present my very limited experience so far. I have no aptitude for 3D design of any type, and avoided it for decades, knowing others were much better suited, until a year or two ago, when I bought a cheap 3D printer, initially just thinking of simple boxes for electronics, but since then:

• Fusion 360 : available as a free to use for amateur use 'professional' package, albeit with some limitations, but probably none that are more than a slight inconvenience for an amateur with a basic 3D printer, like me. I used TopTechBoy Paul McWhorter's free YouTube course "Learn Fusion 360 or Die Trying" at //www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5tp4QXciK4 . I don't claim any great competence, but I haven't died yet, and I have achieved quite a few handy prints for odd tasks. A very useful part of its workflow is the manner in which it allows you to temporarily revert the design to an earlier 'time', make changes that are appropriate, and then continue with the present state of the design, with the changes automatically incorporated. In addition, named dimensions such as lengths, angles, etc. can be defined in a table, such as VaseBaseDiameter of 20 mm. and then use 'VaseBaseDiameter' on the drawing. Changing the value in the table will then automatically change the whole design. Note, it likes to have a fairly capable PC, especially as the design becomes more complex, as it literally 're-runs' the entire design cycle to achieve even the simple changes of view, etc.
• TinkerCad: I haven't used, but comes from the same company as Fusion 360, and is also free. I note "Chep"'s Filament Friday (//www.youtube.com/channel/UCsdc_0ZTXikARFEn2dRDJhg) set of YouTube videos often include a short example tutorial, and in general I have found several of his Youtube videos have provided other useful 3D printer info. His videos assume the viewer is already using a 3D printer, whilst Paul's was a complete start from nothing. However, if you reached the 'Hello World' level or above, in using a 3D printer, then I think you might find something of interest. TinkerCad is clearly aimed at the pre-teen and teenage age groups, presumably hoping some converts will later progress into a business that would buy their commercial products. Chep shows it is actually a 'proper', if limited, design package for simple but useful designs.
• OpenSCAD is an open source (and free) (text) programme driven system, that is used to design objects constructed from simple primitives like boxes, tubes and so on. I have limited experience, but like Fusion 360, this provides a design that is readily scalable, and the 'programming' approach implies much more sophisticated options can be built in, to produce 'families' of a design. NB it is available for Linux as well as Windows.
• FreeCad, which is also open source and free. It is aimed at competing with a traditional 3D design suite. Usability seems to be making good progress, and maybe someone with CAD background would find it easier to use. For me, achieving a useful design, is still on my to-do list, but it looks promising.

There are several other commercial systems, some cloud based, which offer a 'free' level, that look very smart, but I haven't any experience to offer.

I hope this is of interest to someone. (I have no connections with any of the products mentioned, and the views are purely subjective views of my own very limited experience and capability.)

Perhaps others would like to offer their experience. Best wishes, Dave

Posted by: @davee

↑

Hi @aliarifat,

  Re: Does it have more features than TinkerCAD?

Sorry, as a few different options have been mentioned, I am not clear which one ''it" refers to.

So I humbly present my very limited experience so far. I have no aptitude for 3D design of any type, and avoided it for decades, knowing others were much better suited, until a year or two ago, when I bought a cheap 3D printer, initially just thinking of simple boxes for electronics, but since then:

• Fusion 360 : available as a free to use for amateur use 'professional' package, albeit with some limitations, but probably none that are more than a slight inconvenience for an amateur with a basic 3D printer, like me. I used TopTechBoy Paul McWhorter's free YouTube course "Learn Fusion 360 or Die Trying" at //www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5tp4QXciK4 . I don't claim any great competence, but I haven't died yet, and I have achieved quite a few handy prints for odd tasks. A very useful part of its workflow is the manner in which it allows you to temporarily revert the design to an earlier 'time', make changes that are appropriate, and then continue with the present state of the design, with the changes automatically incorporated. In addition, named dimensions such as lengths, angles, etc. can be defined in a table, such as VaseBaseDiameter of 20 mm. and then use 'VaseBaseDiameter' on the drawing. Changing the value in the table will then automatically change the whole design. Note, it likes to have a fairly capable PC, especially as the design becomes more complex, as it literally 're-runs' the entire design cycle to achieve even the simple changes of view, etc.
• TinkerCad: I haven't used, but comes from the same company as Fusion 360, and is also free. I note "Chep"'s Filament Friday (//www.youtube.com/channel/UCsdc_0ZTXikARFEn2dRDJhg) set of YouTube videos often include a short example tutorial, and in general I have found several of his Youtube videos have provided other useful 3D printer info. His videos assume the viewer is already using a 3D printer, whilst Paul's was a complete start from nothing. However, if you reached the 'Hello World' level or above, in using a 3D printer, then I think you might find something of interest. TinkerCad is clearly aimed at the pre-teen and teenage age groups, presumably hoping some converts will later progress into a business that would buy their commercial products. Chep shows it is actually a 'proper', if limited, design package for simple but useful designs.
• OpenSCAD is an open source (and free) (text) programme driven system, that is used to design objects constructed from simple primitives like boxes, tubes and so on. I have limited experience, but like Fusion 360, this provides a design that is readily scalable, and the 'programming' approach implies much more sophisticated options can be built in, to produce 'families' of a design. NB it is available for Linux as well as Windows.
• FreeCad, which is also open source and free. It is aimed at competing with a traditional 3D design suite. Usability seems to be making good progress, and maybe someone with CAD background would find it easier to use. For me, achieving a useful design, is still on my to-do list, but it looks promising.

There are several other commercial systems, some cloud based, which offer a 'free' level, that look very smart, but I haven't any experience to offer.

I hope this is of interest to someone. (I have no connections with any of the products mentioned, and the views are purely subjective views of my own very limited experience and capability.)

Perhaps others would like to offer their experience. Best wishes, Dave

Thanks a lot for such an elaborate response. 

I have been using FreeCAD to design basic 3D printed PLA boxes for organizers. It has a create pocket feature that makes creating boxes easy. I have not done anything complicated. My associate uses Fusion 360 for complicated objects. That's all I can say for now. I'll keep working with FreeCAD to see how far I can go. There are plenty of tutorials online and they seem to be able to create fairly complicated items.

I just finished working with this FreeCAD tutorial, which I found quite satisfying.

It walks you through designing a bike pedal.  You can see it here. 

It is pretty amazing that you can design these types of objects and just print them out.