Engineering design is not a child’s play. That is especially true when you are still using traditional design techniques. If your designs are even minutely imprecise, you might end up losing both time and money.
The majority of companies discover design faults during the process. This may compel them to go back to the design board. That is why it is important to remove design faults in the design stage itself.
The technology that delivers an idea to a stage is CAD (computer-aided design). It is a crucial application software through which engineers and designers turn concept drawings into three-dimensional prototypes. You can subsequently view, optimise, evaluate, and print in 3D or using traditional methods.
CAD software has existed since 1959. Doug Ross, an MIT researcher, invented the word after designing a program that enabled his group to design electronic circuit schematics on the computer. That was the first time people understood its potential for rapid change and exploration.
CAD had become incorporated into the operations of automotive, aircraft, and consumer electronics businesses that could afford it by the early 1980s. Boundary depiction, a more uniform of describing virtual structures by their perimeters and linkages, was added to solid modelling tools in the 1990s. Today, manual drafting has been supplanted by computer-aided design software tools.
The CAD tools now have a substantial market share in the software sector, which is expected to grow by 6.6% between 2020 to 2030. More and more developers and engineers are resorting to 3D CAD modelling software and online CAD training to enhance their overall design quality as packaging machines become more complicated.
In this article, we will talk about the top 3D engineering design software. These software will not only reduce your workload by several folds but will also help you create error-free designs.
Top 3D Engineering Design Software
1. nToplology
nTopology is a 3D design software that offers cutting-edge topology optimization for manufacturing. It helps you considerably reduce design weight without sacrificing performance. Moreover, it also enables you to control key design factors and have the entire operation rerun automatically to create new design alternatives.
nTopology provides a one-of-a-kind set of additive manufacturing limitations, including 3D printing overhang angle, numerous support areas, and build direction freedom. Using nTopology’s built-in slicing abilities, generate your ideas in a file format or configure them for industrial 3D printing.
nTopology helps you find a genuinely optimal solution by using a methodical DoE methodology to explore a larger design space. It produces lightweight components that are well-suited to your production process. You can bypass the time-consuming rebuilding stage by using automated smoothening to obtain clean and customizable part geometry.
2. TinkerCAD
TinkerCAD is an Autodesk online 3D design tool intended for total novices. The software uses an easy-to-understand block-building idea to let you create structures from a list of fundamental forms.
This internet software has a repository of millions of files that you can utilize to identify and alter shapes that fit them best. It also interacts with third-party printing services directly. It is a very basic program due to which it has limited features. However, it is primarily geared at beginners who have no prior expertise with 3D modeling.
3. FreeCAD
As the name implies, FreeCAD is a totally free CAD program that is popular among both novices and pros. This tool is probably the best choice for you if you are familiar with the fundamentals of CAD modeling. Considering its multi-purpose nature and easy interface, FreeCAD can also benefit an educator or developer.
Although it is a free tool, FreeCAD’s user interface will impress you with its features that are nearly the same as those in a professional one. It also comes with a plethora of functions. The Parametric Model is without a doubt, among FreeCAD’s best features. It allows you to go back and change your activities to get the finest outcomes possible.
Moreover, the software is also modular, allowing you to add plug-ins for more functionality.
4. PTC Creo
Creo CAD software, introduced by Parametric Technology Corporation nearly 30 years ago, is one of the leading companies in product design. Thermal, kinematic, parametric mechanical, and impromptu surface generation, as well as direct modeling, are among the features it offers.
It is a comprehensive tool designed for additive manufacturing that lets you execute all of your dimensioning estimates while designing your final product. Creo released Creo5.0 in 2018. It includes an updated user interface that has been revamped for easier management. There is a free 30-day trial version available.
5. Solidworks
Dassault Systèmes publishes Solidworks, a computer-aided design programme. It is mostly used by professional 3D engineers and designers for its extensive set of mechanical design testing and reverse design solutions.
The NURBS system is used to generate more intricate curvature in the product design software. It employs dimensional sketching to provide more precise scaling with minimal effort.
Solidworks provides some of the most effective tools for conceptualizing and translating new ideas into industry-standard product designs. This CAD software has everything you need to produce fast and accurate designs, from 3D designs to 2D drawings of intricate pieces.
6. OpenScad
If you do not mind utilizing a textual description syntax to generate 3D CAD objects, OpenSCAD will prove to be a useful free CAD program. There are various instances in which such an interface is useful, especially if you work in a professional industry. When modeling objects, it is important to achieve design accuracy. OpenSCAD will come in handy in these situations.
The tool comes with a detailed guide that explains the parameters to consider while giving descriptions. It has a lot of documentation, which will come in handy in the long term, especially if you’re just getting started.
7. Fusion 360
Fusion 360 is a 3D CAD program that runs on the cloud. It’s one-of-a-kind in that it brings together design teams to collaborate on large-scale projects. It has the advantage of storing the model’s whole history, including all revisions.
It comes with a variety of design possibilities, such as freeform, solid, and mesh modelling. It is based on a monthly subscription payment plan. The makers also update the features on a regular basis, making it better when new instalments are released. It operates on a variety of devices and lets users view their work from anywhere.
According to a poll conducted by i.materialise in 2017, the program’s popularity has increased between 2015 to 2016. The software’s professional skills and user-friendly interface have been lauded by users.
Wrapping Up Top 3D Engineering Design Software
That’s all for this article. Hopefully, the aforementioned 3D engineering design software will help you with design precision in a significantly lesser amount of time.
Practically every industry, including automotive, machining, and others, uses 3D CAD modelling software. The modelling platform makes it possible to turn planned concepts into usable models in real-time. Other traditional methods are costly.
Moreover, it is difficult to avoid mistakes when turning designs into products. This can be exceedingly dangerous and, in the worst-case scenario, result in major accidents.
All of these modelling issues may be solved with 3D modelling, which uses CAD to increase the mechanical model’s speed, clarity, and precision. The availability of new devices and applications, as well as cloud-based Internet services, has broadened the reach of 3D CAD modelling to a considerably larger audience in recent years.
Other Resources and Guides
- For software specific to aerospace applications, check out our guide on the best CAD software for aerospace.
- If you’re in the architecture field, you might be interested in our list of the best CAD software for architectural applications.
- For those in the automotive industry, we’ve compiled a list of the best CAD software for automotive applications.
About Manufactur3D Magazine: Manufactur3D is an online magazine on 3D printing. which publishes the latest 3D printing news, insights and analysis from all around the world. Visit our 3D Printing Education page to read more such informative articles. To stay up-to-date about the latest happenings in the 3D printing world, like us on Facebook or follow us on LinkedIn.
