As a consultant, I am always looking for the best CAD software to meet the needs of large clients. But I know not everyone is looking for a Rolls-Royce-style sheet metal design solution. Sometimes you just want something simple, and preferably free.
For example, if you are designing a simple folding sheet metal part, you would just design some flanges with a fillet radius: a simple sheet metal module.
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First, you can draw the old-fashioned way and do everything in 2D. Many traditional manufacturers still use 2D DWG and DXF drawings. So you'll most likely just be able to quickly draft some 2D designs. As the saying goes: If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?
Another reason for this is that most metalworking schools still teach students how to design their own flat patterns and calculate bend shortening based on material thickness and k-factor. So if you're lucky enough to know how to solve this problem, you should be able to use a free 2D CAD system.
But if you're looking for a modern, faster approach, then a 3D CAD solution may be better.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important factors you should consider when making the right 3D sheet metal CAD software decision:
- Design in the X, Y and Z planes
- Ability to fold and unfold flange
- Ability to configure flange radius (tip: radius cannot be 0)
- Ideally: k-factor configuration
We can generally summarize this as a dedicated sheet metal module or workbench.
Now that we know what software needs to do, let's look at the different versions of free software, since not all versions are truly free or created equal. In addition, no matter what software you choose, you can use the NSDT 3DConvert tool to view 3D design results or DXF drawings in STEP or STL format online, and supports conversion to other popular formats such as GLTF and GLB, which is very suitable for sharing with your business partners. 3D models and 2D drawings:
1、FreeCAD
- Operating systems: macOS, Linux, Unix, and Windows.
- License: Free, Open Source
- Sheet Metal Module: Yes, Workbench
FreeCAD is an open source 3D modeling software that has become increasingly popular over the years. It is a completely free software alternative to expensive CAD programs and best of all: it can be used for commercial purposes.
Since FreeCAD offers a wide range of tools, it is preferred and recommended for 3D and parametric design. FreeCAD is one of the most popular alternatives to SolidWorks. Its open source parametric nature makes it a good choice.
In our experience, the software can be learned fairly quickly with features and design methods common in the industry. It provides you with the most popular 3D modeling tools including Boolean, Extrude, etc.
FreeCAD is the only truly open source software that also comes with a sheet metal workbench for designing sheet metal parts. This library is still being developed by enthusiasts around the world, so it's an excellent starting solution.
People who want to become CAD designers can use FreeCAD as a stepping stone before moving on to expensive 3D modeling software. It is the perfect CAD software for those looking for powerful features without the expense of a CAD program.
File types supported by FreeCAD: SVG, DXF, STEP, STL, IFC, SCAD, OBJ, IV, DAE and IGES.
FreeCAD's native format is .FCStd.
2、Onshape
- Operating System: Cloud-based, any device with a web browser
- License: Free for personal use, annual subscription for professional use
- Sheet Metal Module: Yes, dedicated functionality.
The biggest revolution in CAD software right now is Onshape: a completely cloud-based software with excellent collaboration capabilities.
The modeling environment is very familiar from CAD software such as SolidWorks. This is not surprising since the founders themselves come from SolidWorks.
Onshape saves you time with Parametric Modeling 2.0, a fundamentally better way to model using multi-part design, configuration, synchronized sheet metal tools, standard content, and managed context design.
Since all your CAD documents are publicly visible and copyable, it's easier than ever to share designs while collaborating with a community of contributors.
Your design data lives anywhere – accessible through a web browser from any computer or any mobile device running iOS or Android.
Onshape's rich self-paced training content and active community make learning Onshape's modern CAD system practical and fun.
We highly recommend this solution to hobbyists and students, as it's great to try out and completely free.
As of this writing, subscriptions for professional users start at about $1,500/year. This may sound expensive, but note that it's cloud-based, so you don't have to worry about additional IT and network issues.
In addition to these applications, Onshape can also load functional scripts from the community.
3、Fusion360
- Operating system: Mac OS, Windows
- License: Free for personal use, annual subscription for professional use
- Sheet Metal Module: Yes, dedicated functionality.
Fusion 360 is a cloud-based 3D CAD/CAM/CAE software first released by Autodesk in 2013.
It is considered by many engineers as the best CAD software due to its advanced features. In our opinion, this is true in many ways, but it does have a lot of competition from Onshape, and the free version has some limitations.
Fusion 360 is more advanced than FreeCAD in many ways, and it's no surprise that it has such a large company behind it. The user interface looks a lot like the popular Inventor CAD software.
It is generally easier to learn and use than other systems. While Fusion 360 can do almost everything SolidWorks and Onshape can do, at the end of the day, it all comes down to what the software is used for.
On the other hand, the software is ideal for mechanical or technical design, and the sheet metal functionality is also well-established. It works on the cloud and on devices. Therefore, it is possible to work on your project even without an internet connection.
Fusion 360 is free for personal use. The free option right now is a bit limited in our opinion, but if you just want to design parts in it, it might suit your needs. However, access to file output types and processing strategies is limited on the free tier.
One tip from us: After installing the software, be sure to check the software's privacy settings, as it sends a large amount of diagnostic data to Autodesk's servers. You can uncheck these from the settings menu.
4. FreeCAD
- Operating systems: Windows, Apple and Linux.
- License: Free, Open Source
LibreCAD is a free, open source CAD application for Windows, Apple, and Linux. Support and documentation are provided free of charge by our large and dedicated community of users, contributors, and developers.
It has partial support for the Autodesk DWG format (import only), but full support for the Autodesk DXF open format (import and export). LibreCAD uses it as its primary format.
You can easily use it for the most common 2D operations: lines, circles, arcs, polylines, splines. In addition, entity modification: move/copy, mirror, scale, offset, trim, fillet, etc.
Plug-ins have also been developed to simplify certain tasks. The user interface is available in multiple languages.
The best thing is that it has a great community and you can rely on regular support. As mentioned before, it's 2D, so you have to know some details about designing sheet metal parts.
5、QCAD
- Operating systems: Windows, Apple and Linux.
- License: Free, Open Source
QCAD is a free, open source application for two-dimensional (2D) computer-aided drafting (CAD). Using QCAD, you can create technical drawings such as architectural plans, interior design drawings, mechanical parts drawings or schematics and diagrams.
It's available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. QCAD's source code is released under the popular open source license GPLv3.
The software is designed with modularity, scalability and portability in mind. But what people most notice about QCAD is its intuitive user interface.
QCAD is an easy-to-use yet powerful 2D CAD system suitable for everyone. You don't need any CAD experience to start using QCAD immediately. Download QCAD for free today!
Original link: 5 free 3D sheet metal CAD software—BimAnt