Free CAD/CAM Options
There was a time when CAD and CAM software was simply not available for anyone without paying a substantial sum of money. The version of AutoCAD 10 (which came on 10 floppies) that I used for a year at MFJ Enterprises to do product documentation cost almost $1000.
Even low quality programs cost upwards of $99 or more. However, in the past few years there have been many new free versions of software available that are high and even professional quality.
Sketchup
Arguably the first really free CAD software that was good quality was Sketchup. Sketchup was written by a company called @Last Software which sold the software for $495. The company wrote a plug-in for Google Earth and soon afterward Google bought the company. In 2006 at Google Developer Day the developers of Sketchup were there presenting the software and giving away free Sketchup socks.
An important feature of Sketchup is that users can write short snippets of code in Ruby to configure or extend the application. This helps get by limitations of the free version of Sketchup like not being able to export to DXF. There are plenty of plug-ins but the quality and features may vary.
AutoCAD WS
Recently AutoDesk came out with a free version of AutoCAD called AutoCAD WS that exists as a web application or browser app in Google Chrome. It is just like AutoCAD (yech!) However by using the download menu files can be saved as DWG or DXF without added plug-ins.
DraftSight
The last newest free 2D CAD package to arrive is called DraftSight from Daussault Systemes (the company that makes Solidworks). This is a stand alone application that has a small footprint and can be downloaded quickly. Unfortunately this software is much like AutoCAD and not like Solidworks. However it is just as capable as AutoCAD WS and does not exist in the cloud. It also allows loading and saving to MANY different versions of AutoCAD file types. Again, unfortunately it is just like AutoCAD. I wish it more like Solidworks. Hopefully sometime soon there will be a parametric CAD package offered for free.
Note on AutoCAD and Daussault Systemes: AutoDesk has a policy of changing the native file type that AutoCAD uses ever few versions to make users upgrade to the newest version. Daussault Systemes has helped AutoCAD users by releasing software that allows conversion of files from one file type to the other. They also released the Solidworks part modeler as a free plug in for AutoCAD. This software makes AutoCAD work like Solidworks except for creation of assemblies. Let me tell you it is hard to go back to AutoCAD after using the Solidworks part modeler.
InkScape
I have to add Inkscape in here even though it is not really a CAD package. There are now good plug-ins for writing DXF files from Inkscape. The added features inherent to a vector graphics program make InkScape valuable even beyond traditional CAD software.
However work needs to be done on the program to make accurate sizing of objects. Presently the size of an object includes the outline.
Even low quality programs cost upwards of $99 or more. However, in the past few years there have been many new free versions of software available that are high and even professional quality.
Sketchup
Arguably the first really free CAD software that was good quality was Sketchup. Sketchup was written by a company called @Last Software which sold the software for $495. The company wrote a plug-in for Google Earth and soon afterward Google bought the company. In 2006 at Google Developer Day the developers of Sketchup were there presenting the software and giving away free Sketchup socks.
An important feature of Sketchup is that users can write short snippets of code in Ruby to configure or extend the application. This helps get by limitations of the free version of Sketchup like not being able to export to DXF. There are plenty of plug-ins but the quality and features may vary.
AutoCAD WS
Recently AutoDesk came out with a free version of AutoCAD called AutoCAD WS that exists as a web application or browser app in Google Chrome. It is just like AutoCAD (yech!) However by using the download menu files can be saved as DWG or DXF without added plug-ins.
DraftSight
The last newest free 2D CAD package to arrive is called DraftSight from Daussault Systemes (the company that makes Solidworks). This is a stand alone application that has a small footprint and can be downloaded quickly. Unfortunately this software is much like AutoCAD and not like Solidworks. However it is just as capable as AutoCAD WS and does not exist in the cloud. It also allows loading and saving to MANY different versions of AutoCAD file types. Again, unfortunately it is just like AutoCAD. I wish it more like Solidworks. Hopefully sometime soon there will be a parametric CAD package offered for free.
Note on AutoCAD and Daussault Systemes: AutoDesk has a policy of changing the native file type that AutoCAD uses ever few versions to make users upgrade to the newest version. Daussault Systemes has helped AutoCAD users by releasing software that allows conversion of files from one file type to the other. They also released the Solidworks part modeler as a free plug in for AutoCAD. This software makes AutoCAD work like Solidworks except for creation of assemblies. Let me tell you it is hard to go back to AutoCAD after using the Solidworks part modeler.
InkScape
I have to add Inkscape in here even though it is not really a CAD package. There are now good plug-ins for writing DXF files from Inkscape. The added features inherent to a vector graphics program make InkScape valuable even beyond traditional CAD software.
However work needs to be done on the program to make accurate sizing of objects. Presently the size of an object includes the outline.
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