FreeCAD

FreeCAD 0.10
Original author(s)	Juergen Riegel, Werner Mayer
Stable release	0.11 / April 18, 2011; 7 months ago
Written in	C++, Python
Operating system	32-bit MS Windows (NT/2000/XP), All POSIX (Linux/BSD/UNIX-like OSes)
Type	3D Modeling, Scientific Engineering
License	GPL or LGPL
Website	free-cad.sourceforge.net

FreeCAD is a general purpose 3D CAD modeler. It is free software (GPL & LGPL License). FreeCAD is aimed directly at mechanical engineering and product design but also fits in a wider range of uses around engineering, such as architecture or other engineering specialties.

Bearing's 3D model running on FreeCAD 0.10.

FreeCAD features tools similar to CATIA, SolidWorks or Solid Edge, and therefore also falls into the category of MCAD, PLM, CAx and CAE. It is intended to be a feature-based parametric modeler with a modular software architecture, which makes it easy to provide additional functionality without modifying the core system.

As with many modern 3D CAD modelers it will have a 2D component in order to extract design detail from the 3D model to create 2D production drawings, but direct 2D drawing (like AutoCAD LT) is not the focus, neither are animation (like Blender) or organic shapes (like Maya, 3ds Max or Cinema 4D), although, thanks to its wide adaptability, FreeCAD might become useful in a much broader area than its current focus.

FreeCAD is intended to make use of other open-source libraries from the field of Scientific Computing. Among them are Open CASCADE (a powerful CAD kernel), Coin3D (an incarnation of Open Inventor), the Qt GUI Framework, and Python, a popular scripting language. FreeCAD itself can also be used as a library by other programs.

Dassault´s DraftSight

DraftSight.com

DraftSight is a free 2D CAD (computer-aided design or computer-aided drafting) product for engineers, architects, designers, draftspeople, students and educators. The product was developed by Dassault Systèmes and lets users create, edit and view DWG and DXF files.

DWG files contain the binary data for CAD design and it is the drawing format for many CAD programs. DWG is a long-time abbreviation for "Drawing." A DXF, or Drawing Exchange File, is used to convert CAD files into a generic format that can be read by another CAD software product.

 is a free 2D CAD (computer-aided design or computer-aided drafting) product for engineers, architects, designers, draftspeople, students and educators. The product was developed by Dassault Systèmes and lets users create, edit and view DWG and DXF files.

DWG files contain the binary data for CAD design and it is the drawing format for many CAD programs. DWG is a long-time abbreviation for "Drawing." A DXF, or Drawing Exchange File, is used to convert CAD files into a generic format that can be read by another CAD software product. 

Online user community

Dassault Systèmes hosts an open, on-line SwYm (See What You Mean) community for DraftSight users to ask questions, express opinions, collaborate, solve problems and share ideas. According to Machine Design magazine, engineers are increasingly turning to industry-specific social networking sites to collaborate on projects.^[4] The community also holds an abundance of training resources.

Tutorials/training

Dassault Systèmes offers free video DraftSight training resources. Additional training resources are available at no cost in the online DraftSight SwYm Community. 

Education

• DraftSight is free for individual students and educators
• DraftSight Premium for Education Classroom Pack and Campus Pack includes telephone and email support, access to DraftSight APIs, network licensing and curriculum and additional online training through No-Cost Community Support.

Technical support

• No-cost community support
• DraftSight Premium Pack: Fee-based telephone and email technical support with network licensing and access to DraftSight APIs

screenshot of draftsight in windows 7 

References

1. ^ List of computer-aided design editors for architecture, engineering and construction
2. ^ DraftSight Surpasses One Million Downloads
3. ^ Estimate of the number of DWG legacy files.
4. ^ Machine Design Magazine: “DraftSight has a social networking side.”

External links

• Official website
• DraftSight download
• DraftSight video tutorials
• DraftSight SwYm community
• Dassault Systèmes

CAD

Computer-aided design (CAD), also known as computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) ,^[1] is the use of computer technology for the process of design and design-documentation. Computer Aided Drafting describes the process of drafting with a computer. CADD software, or environments, provides the user with input-tools for the purpose of streamlining design processes; drafting, documentation, and manufacturing processes. CADD output is often in the form of electronic files for print or machining operations. The development of CADD-based software is in direct correlation with the processes it seeks to economize; industry-based software (construction, manufacturing, etc.) typically uses vector-based (linear) environments whereas graphic-based software utilizes raster-based (pixelated) environments.

CAD environments often involve more than just shapes. As in the manual drafting of technical and engineering drawings, the output of CAD must convey information, such as materials, processes, dimensions, and tolerances, according to application-specific conventions.

CAD may be used to design curves and figures in two-dimensional (2D) space; or curves, surfaces, and solids in three-dimensional (3D) objects.^[2]

CAD is an important industrial art extensively used in many applications, including automotive, shipbuilding, and aerospace industries, industrial and architectural design, prosthetics, and many more. CAD is also widely used to produce computer animation for special effects in movies, advertising and technical manuals. The modern ubiquity and power of computers means that even perfume bottles and shampoo dispensers are designed using techniques unheard of by engineers of the 1960s. Because of its enormous economic importance, CAD has been a major driving force for research in computational geometry, computer graphics (both hardware and software), and discrete differential geometry.^[3]

The design of geometric models for object shapes, in particular, is occasionally called computer-aided geometric design (CAGD).^[4]

• 1 Overview
• 2 Uses
• 3 Types
• 4 Technology
• 5 History
• 6 See also
• 7 References

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_CAD_software

This page compares computer-aided design (CAD) software that engineers and architects use to create drawings for the fields of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) in terms of aspects that can be directly compared. It does not judge power, ease of use, or other user-experience aspects.

CAD refers to a specific type of drawing and modeling software application that:

• Is designed for creating technical drawings for distribution electronically and on paper
• Uses the accuracy inherent in a floating point, as opposed to fixed-point drawing database

For all-purpose 3D programs, see Comparison of 3D computer graphics software.