Originally created as a general-purpose 3D content creation tool, SketchUp has now transformed into one of the most widely used CAD software across different disciplines including architecture, engineering, construction, urban planning, and interior design. SketchUp is a polygonal surface modeling software. It is called “polygonal” because everything drawn on the software consists of multiple polygons – flat shapes bordered by straight lines; the term “surface modeling” indicates that it draws hollow 3D models. SketchUp also is a vector program because of course it creates vector files, which can be scaled up and down without sacrificing quality, as opposed to raster files consisting of individual pixels. Raster files lose quality when scaled up (enlarged). As the name implies, SketchUp allows you to “sketch” freely and loosely without inputting numbers. A great advantage of the approach is that the program helps its users think spatially. Previously owned by Google and now a product of Trimble Inc., SketchUp offers both commercial and non-commercial versions. Since November 2020, SketchUp has stopped selling lifetime licenses and turned into a subscription model instead. SketchUp is by all means a great tool. But the world of 3D modeling is broad and filled with individuals of different talents. When SketchUp is not exactly what you’re looking for, these are some alternatives.
Of all 3D modeling functions Autodesk Inventor can do, creating a digital mechanical solid prototype is what it does best. The software allows users to draw accurate 3D models for product simulation purposes before the product physically exists. Inventor is widely used in tooling creation, design communication, and 3D mechanical design. Inventor has been around since 1999, and throughout the years a persistent top contender for the most sophisticated 3D modeling software in the market. Thanks to the feature-rich system, Inventor is a great option for users to handle massive projects in an efficient manner. It also offers extensive post-modeling tools for documentation, rendering, and simulation. Inventor is aimed more toward professionals and used mostly for industrial applications.
With so many features wrapped in one package, Inventor is not the easiest 3D CAD software to master. Anybody would need a decent amount of dedicated training time in addition to a good grasp of engineering knowledge just to feel comfortable using the software. Cost Autodesk Inventor is not cheap even when compared with the most sophisticated version of SketchUp. Annual subscription fee for SketchUp Studio is $699, whereas Autodesk asks for $2,190 per year. If you are not sure about subscribing, Autodesk offers a 30-day trial version and the good thing is that it has all the features of the premium one. After the trial license expires, you have no access to the software anymore, unless you upgrade. There is also the “educational access” version of which Autodesk allows eligible students and educators to access Inventor free of charge for a one-year period. Educational access is renewable.
Unlike Inventor that is commonly associated with CAD professionals and industrial applications, Fusion 360 also from Autodesk has been known to offer a relatively friendly interface and easier learning curve for enthusiasts including hobbyists and educators alike. Despite such an outlook, it actually comes with respectable sophistications, such as generative design and topology optimization, to please the more serious users. Fusion 360 is cloud-based CAD software. All files created using the software are stored online within the Autodesk account. Any user with an approved account has access to the files – a feature that makes Fusion 360 an excellent option for collaborative purposes. Resource-heavy processing is all performed in the cloud as well, for example, generative design and rendering. Its native F3D files contain just about every bit of information related to a project including simulation, CAM-generated tool path, assembly, design, and so forth.
Fusion 360 essentially covers all the basis to create an intricate engineering design as it handles the different steps of the product development process. On the modeling front, you have the options to get the job done using freeform, sculpting, solid, and parametric options at your disposal. When it comes to the engineering part, you are welcome to take advantage of the sophisticated simulation. Fusion 360 can also help you fabricate parts using 3D printing or CNC toolpath. Cost Autodesk Fusion 360 is a premium 3D CAD software. No free version is available, with the exceptions of the trial software and education access. Autodesk does not even allow you to purchase a perpetual license. Subscription fee starts at $495 per year, although you can have a custom multi-year option.
An entirely free alternative to SketchUp, and yet another from Autodesk is Tinkercad. Users create their 3D models in this web-based platform using solid geometry made of primitive shapes such as cylinder, cube, cone, pyramid, torus and sphere. Users can create new shapes using the built-in JavaScript editor. The software also has the ability to build structures using Lego bricks. The simple drag-and-drop interface is suitable for CAD beginners and even kids. For anybody without prior experience with 3D modeling, Tinkercad offers an easy way to get into the discipline without a steep learning curve. Its colorful look may suggest that the software lacks seriousness, but in reality it offers all the basic concepts of 3D modeling and is sophisticated enough to create intricate designs. In addition to 3D modeling, another good feature is the electronic assembly simulation.
One thing that makes Tinkercad so great is simplicity. It allows you to convert ideas into digital 3D objects made of familiar shapes. You just drag and drop the shapes you need into the design plane and modify them using simple commands. It is not surprising that many professional modelers go back to Tinkercad every now and then just because the platform is so easy to understand and use. Cost Tinkercad runs in your web-browser and it doesn’t cost a penny to access and use. You need to sign-in using your Autodesk credential to access the program.
Widely popular among the RepRap (Replicating Rapid-prototyper) community, the open-source Art of Illusion is a powerful 3D modeling program with its own image rendering feature. Surface-based modeling method makes the software relatively easy to use and pretty straightforward, yet it also includes advanced capabilities such as animation and texture creation tools. Skeleton-based animation and graphical language are available out of the box, enabling users to create materials and textures using mathematical descriptions (procedural). Art of Illusion is surprisingly intuitive and sophisticated, a combination of characteristics typically found only on much more expensive software.
Cost Art of Illusion is available for free, but in terms of features the software is comparable to many of its premium counterparts. The interface is intuitive for beginners yet extensible enough for experienced modelers.
Emerged in 2016 around the same time that iPads Pro and Apple Pencil were released, Shapr3D became the first of its kind to introduce semi-professional 3D modeling capabilities to mobile platforms. It is true that beginners have plenty of options to start exploring their way into CAD, but even some of the most basic desktop software is still quite daunting to learn. Although Shapr3D is technically developed for experienced users – from the likes of industrial designers and professional engineers, its attractive user-interface has proven not to scare away first-time learners. Thanks to pressure-sensitive Apple Pencil, designing 3D models on touchscreen actually feels natural. Now that iOS apps can run natively on Mac computers, the software keeps up with the pace and has recently launched a desktop version as well. Despite its simple playful look, Shapr3D is on the inside powered by the same engine as SolidWorks.
In many ways Shapr3D is like SketchUp, but better because the latter does not come with a solid modeling method. A more equal comparison is to Onshape since both are based on the Parasolid geometry kernel, yet Shapr3D works offline just as effectively as it does online. Cost Shapr3D is available in free and premium versions. Free application comes with the same 3D modeling tools as the premium one, although users are only limited to two active designs. Standard version starts at $29 per month, while Business is $59 for it offers more file compatibility with CAD formats from other programs and 2D drawings for manufacturing; both have no limitation to the number of designs you can create.
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