Structure Synth — The Complete Guide: 3D Structures From Recursive Rules
Structure Synth builds 3D geometry from a short script of recursive rules — useful for lattices, patterns and facade studies. No longer developed.
Guides and Articles
Wings 3D — The Complete Guide: Polygon and Subdivision Modelling With a Simple Interface
Wings 3D is an open-source polygon and subdivision modeller with context menus that keep the interface clean. Good for organic and product shapes.
Lima VVA — The Complete Guide: Road Design and Earthwork Quantities for Small Projects
Lima VVA is a light Windows program for road design and earthworks: alignment, cross-sections and cut-and-fill volumes for small and medium projects.
Deepnest — The Complete Guide: Nesting Parts on a Sheet With Minimum Waste
Deepnest arranges parts on a sheet of steel, wood or acrylic with as little waste as possible, for laser, plasma and CNC cutting. How to use it and why.
DXF2GCODE — The Complete Guide: From a DXF Drawing to G-code for Milling, Plasma and Laser
DXF2GCODE takes 2D contours from a DXF or PDF drawing, lets you set tool, feed and cut order, and writes machine-ready G-code for milling, plasma or laser.
CAMotics — The Complete Guide: Simulate G-code Before the Machine Starts Cutting
CAMotics runs a G-code file and shows in 3D what the tool will remove from the stock, before the machine starts. Catch collisions and wrong depths early.
JSCAD — The Complete Guide: 3D Models Written in JavaScript
JSCAD builds 3D solids from JavaScript, in the browser or from the command line. Every dimension is a parameter, so families of part sizes are easy to make.
JS.Sketcher — The Complete Guide: Parametric CAD in the Browser With Nothing to Install
JS.Sketcher offers constrained sketching and simple 3D modelling in a web page, with nothing to install. What it is good for, and how to keep your work.
Dune 3D — The Complete Guide: A New Parametric Modeller Built on Constrained Sketching
Dune 3D is a young open-source parametric CAD tool built on a strong constraint solver and OpenCASCADE. What it does well, what is missing, when to use it.
IQcad — The Complete Guide: CAD for Civil Engineering, Surveying and Tunnelling
IQcad combines CAD drafting with TIN surfaces, point clouds, alignments and tunnel deviation analysis. What it does, and why to check its licence first.
QCAD — The Complete Guide: Mature, Free 2D Drafting With the Community Edition
QCAD Community Edition is mature open-source 2D drafting for Windows, macOS and Linux. What the free edition includes, and why DWG needs the paid version.
Autodesk Fusion Personal Use — The Complete Guide: Cloud CAD/CAM for Home Projects
Fusion for personal use gives free parametric modelling, assemblies and CAM — only for non-commercial home projects, in a reduced edition. Who qualifies.