easy 3d drawing software for 3d printing

An Overview Of The Best 3D Printing Software Tools

Every 3D impress begins every bit a 3D model generated in a modeling program. Years agone, we had to spend lots of coin and fourth dimension to acquire and learn modeling software. At present, there are many piece of cake-to-utilize modeling software options available, many of which are free. This list includes some of the best options and is sorted past price, with the costless ones sorted alphabetically.

The list also indicates whether the software uses solid modeling, a type of 3D modeling that always generates models that are "manifold" or "water tight." A manifold model is one in which all walls of the model have some thickness, which is necessary for 3D press. Past contrast, software that uses polygon modeling can generate walls that have zero thickness; that's fine for creating computer graphics for games and movies merely not useful when 3D printing the models. Manifold models tin exist created with polygon modeling software, it just takes more than steps and experience. All the software in this list can create 3D printable models, merely every model that comes out of solid modeling software is 3D printable.

Additionally, we've noted what skill-level of user each software is designed for: beginners, amateurs, advanced users, and professionals. In general, the easiest to use options are near the pinnacle and the most powerful options tend to be nigh the lesser, though in that location are some outliers found throughout. Most of these software tin can exist tried for free and at that place are costless tutorial videos available for all of them.

Quick jump to:

3D Modeling Software

These tools are all well-nigh creating models for 3D printing. Some of them are pretty easy to employ while other programs are simply suitable for professional person users with years of feel.

Tinkercad

Cost: Free
Solid modeling: Yes
Intended for: Beginners
What makes information technology special: It's designed to allow anyone to create 3D printable models and serves as an introduction to solid modeling.

This is a browser-based 3D blueprint app geared towards beginners. The software features an intuitive block-building concept, allowing you to develop models from a set of basic shapes. Tinkercad is full of tutorials and guides to assistance whatever aspiring novices get the designs they're looking for. It fifty-fifty allows you lot to share and export files with ease.

With a library of literally millions of files, users can notice shapes that suit them best and manipulate them equally they wish. It also has a direct integration with 3rd party printing services, allowing you lot to print and have your print at your door-step at the printing of a button. Even though it can exist a bit likewise simple to the point of limitation, information technology serves as a dandy way to learn virtually 3D modeling.

Blender

Price: Gratuitous
Solid modeling: No
Intended for: Amateurs and advanced users
What makes it special: It's open up source, feature-rich, and includes tools for sculpting, animation, simulation, rendering, motion tracking, and video editing.

In essence, Blender covers many facets of 3D creation, including modeling, animation, and simulation amongst others. This open-source software has a steep learning curve and is ideal for users who feel fix to transition to designing complex 3D models. Check out our Blender tutorials for 3D Printing page.

Blender is actually a complimentary 3D modeling software which was originally for 3D animation and rendering using polygonal modeling techniques. Despite its origins as a software for artists, it is considered quite accessible. One of the software's interesting features is the photorealistic rendering pick. This gives the models an air of realism that few costless software can reach.

BRL-CAD

Toll: Free
Solid modeling: Yes
Intended for: Advanced users
What makes information technology special: Developed and used by the U.s. Army to support ballistic and electromagnetic analyses. Besides includes ray tracing and geometric analysis tools.

This open-source software is an advanced solid modeling organisation with interactive geometry editing. It is plainly used past the U.S. military to model weapons systems, showing that it is quite undecayed but too very advanced. BRL-CAD offers a loftier level of precision due to its apply of specific coordinates to arrange geometric shapes.

It offers a big library of simple and complex shapes users can implement into their own designs. They tin take multiple shapes and combine them at their leisure, as well. The software used to exist quite costly, however it was converted to open source a few years ago. Information technology includes over 400 tools in its armory. It also runs at great speeds, peculiarly because how dumbo its features are.

DesignSpark Mechanical

Cost: Free
Solid modeling: Yes
Intended for: Amateurs and advanced users
What makes information technology special: A library of 3D models from industrial suppliers and the ability to generate a bill-of-materials for designs. Electrical and PCB CAD tools are also available.

This nifty and free CAD software is ideal for professionals and advanced hobbyists alike. The user interface is relatively straightforward and the software runs quickly, meaning efficient designing. Y'all also have the capability to generate a bill-of-materials that calculates the cost of printing potential 3D design projects.

DesignSpark Mechanical allows users to utilise an in-congenital library to mix with own drawings. Another feature that new users might find useful is the pull feature that allows users to create 3D models from just a surface. It is characteristic-rich for a free software and quite beginner-friendly.

FreeCAD

Toll: Complimentary
Solid modeling: Yes
Intended for: Amateurs and advanced users
What makes information technology special: Models are fully parametric and recalculated on demand with an undo/redo stack. Other features include robotic simulation, architectural tools, and a path module for CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing).

A parametric 3D modeling tool that is open-source and enables you to design real-life objects of any size. The parametric component makes editing your pattern a easy. Simply get to your model history and modify the parameters, and you'll accept a different model. As the proper noun advise, information technology is in fact totally free. The upside of this is that none of the tools are blocked behind a pay wall, and then you can tweak your models to your heart's desire.

Information technology's not the best for professional person purposes, but it's a great training tool. Despite information technology's basic options and design elements it'due south worth a effort if you're new and don't desire to have to invest in something earlier y'all dip your toe in the water.

OpenSCAD

Price: Free
Solid modeling: Yes
Intended for: Amateurs and avant-garde users
What makes information technology special: Designed for programmers, models are generated through typing scripts.

OpenSCAD is a free software with a ton of features and a unique manner of creating models. This software takes a programming approach to 3D modeling, making it a unique addition to this listing of 3d press software tools. Instead of the traditional interactive modeling interface, users write lawmaking in a script file that describes the parameters of the 3D object. One time you've entered your code, you can view the shapes you've created by clicking a "compile" button.

Another corking feature that OpenSCAD has is the ability to import second drawings and extrude them as 3-dimensional. It uses a part profile from drawings made in a standard sketching software and apply the SXF file to practice this. With its stronger focus on programming, OpenSCAD may appeal to some while alienating others. Regardless, it is notwithstanding a powerful tool.

Wings3D

Price: Free
Solid modeling: No
Intended for: Amateurs and advanced users
What makes it special: Polygon modeling enables the creation of more than organic shapes. Standard tools tin can be accessed through a right-click carte du jour.

Wings3D is another open up-source polygon model tool. Despite beingness freeware, it comes with a broad range of mesh and selection tools. Tools like mirror make symmetrical modeling a breeze. Seeing as it is a plan for beginners, it is very user-friendly and the learning curve is quite steady. Features like the customisable hotkeys and piece of cake to use interface are indicative of its status as an platonic tool for starters.

Despite the ease of use, information technology has no shortage of useful features such as plane cut, intersect, inset, bend, sweep, circularize, and sheer, making it capable of some very impressive models. It likewise supports a very wide range of file formats for both import and export. Despite its simple and plain looks, information technology is definitely worth checking out if y'all're merely starting out.

3D Slash

Price: Complimentary spider web version; Premium license is $24/year and a Commercial license is $240/year
Solid modeling: Yes
Intended for: Beginners and amateurs
What makes it special: Models are created through "slashing" 3D blocks away to shape them as desired.

3D Slash focuses on providing pattern software with a uniquely fun user interface and plenty advanced features to piece of work with a high level of precision. You tin also make logos and 3D text with this software. 3D Slash is gratis to use and ideal for beginners, yet there a range of price packages that add in features for cooperative utilise or commercial use depending on the needs of the consumer. Additionally, the complimentary versions has limitations in terms of functions, higher resolutions and colours you lot can apply. It'southward intuitive interface with a block cut style to create shapes makes it simple enough for anyone to use.

Fifty-fifty if you can't observe the creative spark to offset a pattern from scratch, there are a multitude of files available for download that you can import and and so cut apart into something new. Novel features like the cursor mode that makes interior designing much easier are bang-up additions. Aside from its power to run on standard mode, it an tin also exist used with VR caput sets. While the blockish style tin be limiting in terms of range of shapes one can brand and less pleasing to the optics, it is nonetheless efficient and practical. There are few software that are every bit quick from concept to terminate as 3D slash.

SketchUp

Toll: Free spider web version; Pro version is $299/yr
Solid modeling: No
Intended for: Beginners to advanced users
What makes it special: Intuitive and powerful, with a library of user-generated and manufacturer-produced models.

SketchUp is some other skillful modeling software because it maintains that balance between usability and functionality, making it platonic for most skill levels. The software has an easy learning curve and there are advanced features available for professionals at an actress cost. It is especially good for designing interior and exterior architectural projects but also has tools for a diverse range of other purposes.

Anything circuitous can take quite a while, but simpler designs aren't as well time-consuming. A freeware version, SketchUp Make, and a paid version with additional functionality, SketchUp Pro, are also available.

Fusion 360

Price: Free for personal employ and startups, $595/year for commercial license
Solid modeling: Yes
Intended for: Amateurs to professionals
What makes it special: Lots of features, such every bit tools modeling and sculpting, generative blueprint, simulation, assemblies, collaboration, 3D printing, and CAM.

This is a unique addition to the listing of 3d printing software tools. Fusion 360 is a deject-based 3D CAD program that utilizes the power of the deject to bring blueprint teams together and interact on circuitous projects. Another advantage of the cloud platform is that Fusion stores the entire history of the model including the changes to it. Numerous pattern options are available, including freeform, solid, and mesh modeling.

Fusion 360 operates on a monthly payment subscription basis. The developers also regularly update the features, making it better as new instalments come forth. It runs on multiple platforms and allows users to access their information wherever they want.

MoI 3D

Toll: $295
Solid modeling: Yes
Intended for: Amateurs to advanced users
What makes it special: Can create smooth meshes from CAD models and is pen-tablet friendly.

Brusque for Moment of Inspiration, MoI offers a sleek UI and powerful range of CAD tools for users specializing in polygonal modeling. The program comes with avant-garde boolean functions that enable quick blueprint of "hard surface" models. It is a user-friendly software that uses the NURBS modeling system.

While information technology isn't gratis, information technology is cheaper than some of its competitors. It has a good amount of functions in it, even so avoids beingness too cluttered with pointless features. The system which uses curves and booleans makes workflow quicker as well.

Rhino3D

Price: $995
Solid modeling: No
Intended for: Avant-garde users and professionals
What makes it special: Very powerful and full of features for modeling, analysis, rendering, 3D capture, CAM, and 3D press.

The visitor behind this software markets it as the world's most versatile 3D-modeler. The software is available for download in a diversity of bundles on their website at diverse prices. The plan uses a precise and mathematical model known as NURB, allowing you to manipulate points, curves, meshes, surfaces, solids, and more in all sorts of ways. Ultimately, given the range of design features available with Rhino3D, it's difficult to argue against its claims about unrivaled versatility in creating circuitous 3D models.

Users have commented on how the software can be very hard to learn. This is a natural merchandise-off between capabilities and user friendly many designers take to make when creating a detailed software. While it is not the most accurate software at capturing user intent, information technology is one of the all-time on the market.

Modo

Price: $599/yr or $ane,799 for Perpetual license
Solid modeling: No
Intended for: Amateurs to professionals
What makes information technology special: Procedural modeling and artist-friendly tools for modeling, animation, texturing, and rendering.

Modo provides creative 3D polygon and subdivision surface modeling tools with a lot of flexibility, allowing y'all to create both freeform organic models and precision meshes using the aforementioned software. This is a professional-grade programme with a range of features designed for avant-garde 3D designers, and the cost reflects this.

Even though it isn't the nearly user-friendly software, it hosts a big set of features while running smoothly. The speed of the software is particularly evident in terms of blistering textures. It besides works with partner software and extensions equally additional customisations.

Picture palace 4D

Toll: $720/twelvemonth or $3,945 for Perpetual license
Solid modeling: No
Intended for: Amateurs to professionals
What makes it special: An intuitive interface, parametric modeling, and procedural workflow.

This is an extremely powerful 3D modeling tool that lets y'all create circuitous 3D designs. Movie house 4D's quite flat learning curve makes it approachable for beginners intimidated by software with advanced features. The programme is regularly updated with gratis service packs, which help to optimize how information technology runs on various operating systems.

The user friendly options present the prints in very attainable ways. Scaling and shading options make modeling far easier. It's sculpting tool is a great instance of why this software is ideal for editing models and pre-existing files.

SolidWorks

Price: $1,295/yr or $three,995 for Perpetual license
Solid modeling: Yes
Intended for: Amateurs to professionals
What makes it special: Powerful editing tree and tools for manufacturing, assemblies, simulation, toll estimates, CAM, and 3D printing.

Now we move on to SolidWorks. This is a CAD program often used by professional person 3D designers. At that place are a plethora of advanced features included, such as design validation tools and reverse engineering. Solidworks comes in three distinct packages, depending on the exact features you demand.

Solidworks tends towards the industrial side of things. It is applied and detailed. While well-nigh software, mimic curves through gently inclining flat structures, Solidworks uses a system of nurbs that create averages of the edges to produce fantastically detailed curvatures. It only does away with polygonal modeling, opting instead for dimensional sketching. Every bit a upshot, resizing becomes far less of a hassle.

Maya

Cost: $one,545/year
Solid modeling: No
Intended for: Advanced users and professionals
What makes information technology special: Procedural effects and powerful earth and character creation tools.

Primarily marketed at blitheness professionals, Maya is useful for many aspects of 3D modeling, particularly in terms of mathematically smooth surfaces and shapes. Maya was originally slated as a 3D animation software, but is very useful in 3D printing every bit well. Thus, a lot of the interface options are more reminiscent of sculpting and animation.

Maya is more applicative to artistic printing requirements. It has a fast rendering engine and is all-time for highly detailed models with many intricacies. The downside is that it is very expensive (it is, later all, the same software used for loftier-budget picture show CGI|). Notwithstanding, it allows for realistic representations of reflection and colour on a software with shine operation.

3DS Max

Price: $1,545/year
Solid modeling: No
Intended for: Advanced users and professionals
What makes it special: Avant-garde users and professionals

Another plan that focuses on animation, 3DS Max offers some great 3D modeling features such as shading tools, parametric mesh modeling, and polygon modeling. This Windows only software is a favourite among video game developers, many TV commercial studios and architectural visualization studios.

Inventor

Price: $1985/yr
Solid modeling: Yes
Intended for: Avant-garde users and professionals
What makes it special: Tailored specifically for product design and engineering applications and loaded with tools for simulation and manufacturing.

Inventor 3D CAD software offers professional-level 3D mechanical design. The program comes with freeform, straight, and parametric modeling choices. Furthermore, you also get automation and simulation tools.

Developed past Autodesk, Inventor comes in different packages depending on level of proficiency (student, professional etc.). One of the slap-up things about Inventor is how they improve the software with user feedback. New versions include improvements to visual data representation and the power to easily reference third party designs without the need to convert file formats.

Slicers & 3D Printer Hosts

The 2d department of this list of the best 3D printing software tools focuses on programs that assistance you to execute a 3D print. Slicers are the easiest manner to go from a 3D model to a printed part considering they take a CAD model, slice it into layers and plow the model into Chiliad-code. The slicer software too includes 3D printer settings like temperature, layer superlative, impress speed, etc. to the 1000-code. The 3D printer can read this G-code and make the model layer by layer post-obit the instructions ready in the G-code.

Ultimaker Cura

Despite its name, Cura can be used with about any 3D printer because it is an open-source slicer. The plan is platonic for beginners because it is intuitive and fast. Most of all, it's easy to employ. More advanced users can access a further 200 settings to refine their prints.

Simplify3D

Simplify3D is an extremely powerful premium slicing tool that helps yous drastically better the quality of 3D prints. Non but does Simplify3D slice your CAD into layers, information technology also corrects whatever bug with your models and allows you to preview the end consequence, helping to further identify whatsoever other issues. Advanced users will demand to decide if the premium features are worth paying for compared to open-source slicers.

Slic3r

This open-source software includes existent-time incremental slicing, 3D preview, and more. Information technology is one of the well-nigh widely used 3D printing software tools. The incremental real-time slicing ensures that when you alter a setting, the slicing doesn't demand to get-go from scratch. Just the G-lawmaking for affected parts is recalculated. The end issue is a fast, flexible, and precise slicing program.

Repetier

This open-source slicer software supports three dissimilar slicing engines; Slic3r, CuraEngine, and Skeinforge. Repetier can likewise handle up to 16 extruders with dissimilar filament types and colors simultaneously, and you can visualize your end outcome before printing. In that location is a lot of customization and a lot of tinkering involved, making Repetier ideal for more advanced users. You besides get remote access to your printers with Repetier host.

KISSlicer

This slicing software does its job well, although the user interface is somewhat basic. All the same, if you just need a slicer that delivers neat results, use KISSlicer. Note that the basic version is for unmarried-head machines only. You'll need a PRO version for multi-head machines.

ideaMaker

This free slicer is distributed by Raise3D and provides fast, simple slicing for most 3D printers. Team members tin can share print profiles and supports tin can be automatically or manually placed. The adaptive layer elevation tool allows the software to adapt layer peak depending on the level of detail in the model, maximizing impress quality while minimizing print fourth dimension. Remote monitoring and control is as well available.

OctoPrint

A complimentary open-source web-interface that allows for remote command and monitoring of 3D printers. It's compatible with most 3D printers and allows users to lookout their prints with an embedded webcam feed. Prints tin be started, paused, and stopped remotely, and plugins are bachelor to track print statistics and send push notifications on job progress.

3DPrinterOS

This nifty cloud 3D printer direction software comes at a cost. The essential idea is the direction of the entire 3D printing process with one platform. Users can edit and repair designs, piece STL files from the cloud, and even transport files for printing from anywhere in the globe. The software also features the capability to share CAD files.

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Source: https://3dprinting.com/software/