3D CAD software

[DaveS]

Thinking about 3D printing and looking at 3D CAD software.

I'd seen Fusion 360 mentioned as a good free option, but when I checked it looks as though the free option is only for one year.

After that, what?

Buy a subscription for the thick end of £500 a year? i think not, that's the price of a Chroma filter.

Any other ideas?

[AstronomyUkraine]

There are many free CAD options on the internet. One called Meshlab is open sourced, free, and prepares models for 3D printing.

[DaveS]

Having another look at FreeCAD. I had a go once before but couldn't get started with it so uninstalled to save drive space. Got a bigger C drive so giving it another go.

[Alex]

I use Open Scad for everything I do (https://www.openscad.org/).

It requires a bit of learning but fits well with the way my brain works ;-)

[DaveS]

Going round and round in circles trying to download Fusion 360, keep ending up back at the Fusion 360 for Hobby use page, but no sign of where to download from. Tried a chat yesterday, but that bogged up, tried a call back this afternoon, but the line went dead after answering.

I dunno, maybe I'm just not supposed to get anywhere. ? 

 

[DaveS]

At the moment I'm using FreeCAD, but it's a bit limited

[Padraic M]

I've been using Eagle CAD for circuit design for free for many years and when it was acquired by Autodesk, I started using Fusion360 Personal hobbyist version. I know the website is very ambiguous, but unless it's changed in the last year or so, I think it's a yearly renewable free subscription for hobbyists. You need to create an Autodesk online account, sign in, then download and install the product. Mine hasn't expired and it's been over a year.

It's certainly very good, but there is a learning curve. The integration with Eagle is great, and it *can* automatically create 3D versions of your circuits that can then be integrated with 3D project box designs. Here's one of them:

[DaveS]

I have created an account with Autodesk, but cannot see where to actually download the software from. There *is* a "Downloads" option in the menu on the right of the screen, but it looks as though nothing is showing up there, maybe you have to have purchased commercial software for it to show up.

I have wondered if I have to download the 30 day trial and then convert to the hobby version, but think I could be left with dead software with no way forward after 30 days.

[Padraic M]

@DaveS there's a download link about half-way down this page: 

https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/personal

It's definitely not easy to find. If you're not logged in it's "Activate Fusion 360 for personal use"

Once you log in, it's "Download Fusion 360 for personal use"

[DaveS]

Thanks Padraic. It was only when I followed your link to the .com site, rather than .co.uk that I had been on, that the download link became visible.

Downloaded now, and I'm watching the videos