Here’s a tough one for you:
An alternative to AutoDesk Fusion360 for 3D print modeling.
Ideally with native Linux support but I’m more concerned with getting out from under AutoDesk’s thumb than I am with using wine.
Blender seems like the obvious choice, but it’s not really built for 3d printing.
It’s looking like FreeCAD may be about as good as it gets unless someone here has some other suggestions.
I use FreeCAD most of the time, but occasionally I’ll also use OpenSCAD. It’s a different way to think about drawings but in certain circumstances it seems easier.
Jup, freecad sucks balls, but there is nothing better. Opescad is nice if you are used to coding.
I do use OpenSCAD a bit, when the situation warrants it.
Probably not ideal for all models though
Once freecad clicks, you’ll love it. I ditched fusion when the locked my files behind their servers and said I was using it for commercial work (I was not). FreeCAD is the way
I started with blender and I agree: It’s not made for technical modelling. There is a custom blender version with common CAD features, but I’ve been put off by the - typical for Blender - steep lerning curve.
Long story short: You can’t go wrong with FreeCAD.
Plasticity, it’s not free, but it’s opensource.
If you mean this Plasticity, it doesn’t appear to be actual Free (libre) Software, just regular old EULA proprietary software.
there’s this repo and it still seems to be maintained. I was following this project when it first started and tried it for a while it seems pretty solid.
It is in fact under LGPL
Interesting - they don’t seem to publicize this at all on their site, nor do they mention the LGPL anywhere (that I could find). Their site only seems to offer it under an EULA.
I wonder if these LGPL sources are the full source of the application, then.
edit: prior revision of the readme clarifies that, although the Plasticity source code is LGPL, it uses a proprietary library which makes the resulting product proprietary. Presumably the expensive licenses are for this proprietary library and not for Plasticity itself. This proprietary library seems to be Parasolid, the geometry kernel. I wonder if there is a fully free alternative.
