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3D CAD Modeling Software


Find the latest CAD modeling software for your automation project!

Last Updated: February 11, 2023

Find 3D CAD Modeling Software!

Are you looking for 3D CAD modeling software? Computer aided design (CAD) modeling software is used for business professionals in the industrial automation industry or for personal use. This software helps designers build 3-dimensional (3D) products from 2-dimensional (2D) technical drawings. These 3D models are digital representations of actual objects that can be manufactured and used in the real world.

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Best 3D CAD Modeling Software Used In Automation

Below we list our top picks for 3D modeling software used in automation.

Best Medium-Sized Business CAD Software

SolidWorks Logo

SolidWorks

 

Approximate Cost: $4,000/year

 

Platform: Windows

Market: Small and Medium Businesses

For: Engineering / Industrial / Product Design / Electrical / Manufacturing / Medical / Furniture

SolidWorks:

PROS

  • Great for mechanical design
  • Easy to use
  • Good user interface
  • Easy to learn for beginners

CONS

  • High computer processing power required
  • A lot of popups
  • Cost

For mid-level organizations looking for cloud data management with team collaboration, SolidWorks is a great choice. Companies can scale their software as the business grows. This 3D modeling software is easy to use and great for beginners to learn.

Visit SolidWorks

Best Quality Medium-Sized Business CAD Software

AutoCAD Logo

Autodesk AutoCAD

 

Approximate Cost: $1,865/year

 

Platform: Windows

Market: Small and Medium Businesses

For: Architecture / Industrial / Planning

Autodesk AutoCAD:

PROS

  • User friendly
  • Lots of integration between AutoCAD and other applications
  • Lots of ribbon tools
  • Easy to draft in 2D
  • New releases annually

CONS

  • More complex software
  • Cost
  • Limited amount of preset mechanical materials in the library

AutoCAD is an annual subscription bases 3D modeling software program with many specialized toolsets. It has industry-specific functions that help engineers and designers build their products. Users can speed up their design process with many helpful tools on the ribbon. They even have mobile apps to allow users to work from anywhere. Draft and model with the newest features constantly being updated in the software.

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Best Small-Sized Business CAD Software

Onshape Logo

Onshape

 

Approximate Cost: $1,500- $2,500/year

 

Platform: iOS, Android, Linux, macOS, Windows

Market: Small Businesses

For: Engineering / Product Design / Industrial

Onshape:

PROS

  • Browser-based
  • Every change is saved
  • Seamless integration with third-party software packages
  • Fully customizable parametric configurations
  • Training resources
  • Big platform

CONS

  • Load speed latency on larger models
  • Requires internet access

Onshape is a cloud-based design solution that integrates data management, design analytics, and CAD into a single platform. The significant benefit of Onshape is that designers can access files from any device and anywhere, as long as they have access to the internet. They allow teams to accelerate to market by removing the common data loss and version-control issues of file-based CAD. Onshape is currently the fastest-growing CAD software platform globally.

Visit Onshape

Best CAD Software For Industrial Use

Inventor Logo

Autodesk Inventor

 

Approximate Cost: $2,300/year

 

Platform: Windows

Market: Small and Medium Businesses

For: Manufacturing / Medical / Industrial

Autodesk Inventor:

PROS

  • Robust 3D modeling and assembly features
  • User friendly
  • Fairly priced
  • Ability to shrink down large stp files
  • Fast response time
  • Easy to learn

CONS

  • Lots of clicks are required to model
  • Only available for Windows
  • Additional license needed for sheet metal and plastic component generation

Autodesk Inventor gives designers and engineers great visualizations for 3D mechanical designs. Using the Inventor software, designers can integrate the 2D CAD and 3D design data into one project environment and creates a virtual 3D illustration of the final part. This allows the design engineer to confirm the product’s form, fit and function before making it. The inventor software includes a powerful 3D modeling program and the ability to translate those models into standard 2D drawing files.

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Best CAD Software For Students

Fusion 360 Logo

Fusion 360

 

Approximate Cost: $70/month

 

Platform: Windows, macOS

Market: Personal Use and Small Businesses

For: Part Design / Mechanical / Makerspace / 3D printing

Fusion 360:

PROS

  • Free for students and startups
  • Cost-effective
  • Intuitive and very versatile
  • Lots of keyboard shortcuts
  • Large component inventory
  • Great for 3D printing

CONS

  • Assemblies are challenging to make
  • Complex drawing feature
  • Not for electronic boards

Fusion 360 is another 3D design software product from Autodesk. This 3D modeling tool is extremely enticing because this cloud-based CAD software is free for startup companies and students. The 3D modeling software has a simplified version of the design history tree that the designer could disable. The program offers lots of shortcuts, and the workspace toolkits have the essential functions required. They have a large standard component inventory from various suppliers. The simulation software allows for testing parts through mechanical loads, impact, stress, vibration, or thermal properties. The software also includes a shape optimization feature where artificial intelligence will optimize the model depending on its specified load requirement.

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Best Automotive CAD Software

Creo Logo

Creo

 

Approximate Cost: $2,780/year

 

Platform: Windows, Unix

Market: Small, Medium, and Large Businesses

For: Automotive / Product Design / VR

Creo:

PROS

  • E-Learning library
  • Good tree history management
  • Efficient for small component designs
  • Easy to convert from 2D to 3D
  • Ability to manage large assemblies quickly
  • Sketch mode automatically takes up required constraints

CONS

  • Creo parametric hard to use
  • A lot of CPU space required
  • Surfacing could be improved

Creo is an entirely parametric modeling software package. The program can work with over 1,000 assembly parts, making it great for automotive design. It also has a generative design from its shape optimization feature. Its surfacing tools, like blends and sweeps, are more dependable than the other 3D modeling software packages. Customers can merge Creo with Windchill, PTC’s PLM solution, which offers the designers detailed organization of assemblies, vendors, and part lists that can give access and revision control of the documents to others.

Visit Creo

Best CAD Software For Large Companies

CATIA Logo

CATIA

 

Approximate Cost: $4,500/year

 

Platform: Windows, Unix

Market: Large Businesses

For: Aerospace / Industrial / Engineering / Assembly Design / 3D Printing

CATIA:

PROS

  • High capability for surface modeling
  • Extensive library
  • Works well with assemblies
  • Integrates well with PLMs
  • Good measurement tools
  • Special modules for aerospace and automotive industries

CONS

  • Expensive
  • Retro interface
  • Long startup times
  • Challenging interface
  • Long assembly wait times

CATIA is the most advanced 3D modeling software in the world. It is more than just CAD software. It is an integrated digital infrastructure geared toward manufacturing some of the world’s most challenging parts. The program has phenomenal surface features in FreeStyle and generative shape design modules, while the Shape Sculptor allows users to freeform sculpt in virtual clay. This design tool has many modules for users to choose like; sheet metal design, tooling assembly design, reverse engineering from scan data, structural analysis, generative design, aerodynamic design weldments, tolerancing, ergonomic evaluations, part repair, and composite parts, amongst many more features.

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Best CAD Software For Complex Parts

NX Logo

Siemens NX

 

Approximate Cost: $8,000/year

 

Platform: Windows

Market: Large Businesses

For: Design / Industrial Manufacturing / Automotive / PLM / Engineering

Siemens NX:

PROS

  • Simple user interface
  • High level of control and organization
  • Excellent user history
  • Detailed drawings
  • Great for complex or large parts
  • Predictive UI 

CONS

  • Expensive
  • Processing speed of large parts
  • Not suited for small or quick projects

NX is a powerful state-of-the-art design software system for larger enterprises that build complex parts. The program offers advanced assembly, drafting, and part design functions with high-level solutions for PLM, CAM, and CAE. NXs hybrid 3D modeling tool methods set it apart from its competitors with its class-A surfacing and freeform mesh capabilities. The program uses Synchronous Technology to adjust certain model features for intelligent, direct editing. NX is user-friendly with its adaptive user interface that predicts the designer’s commands. 

Visit NX

LEARN MORE ABOUT CAD MODELING SOFTWARE

  • What is CAD software?

    CAD (computer aided design) software creates 3D models or 2D technical prints of objects. CAD modeling can be used across various industries to design parts and products.


    Benefits of Using CAD Modeling Software:

    • Increase design productivity
    • Ease of designs changes
    • Increase design efficiency
    • Improve design accuracy
    • Collaboration with designers or clients
    • Maintain design databases

  • Why use CAD software?

    Improve Design Quality – CAD software allows for creation of highly accurate prints. These models are more accurate than the human hand sketching designs on paper.


     Reduction Of Errors – CAD software allows engineers and designers to see the end product development before it is manufactured. That means you can fix unseen issues before the object is built.


    Time Savings – Before designers had CAD software, they had to sketch things by hand. Drawing the most straightforward design by hand can be extremely time-consuming, but now with a CAD software tool, builders can create objects in minutes. CAD is a time saver and allows designers to see their final designed products in 3D CAD model form, which wasn’t possible with hand drawings.


    Increase Collaboration – Most manufactured products need a lot of cross-collaboration between departments. CAD software can be shared with colleagues during the design phase, helping identify potential manufacturing or part fit issues. With the ability to save files in different formats, designers can easily share models with anyone inside the organization.

  • Who uses CAD software?

    There are millions of applications where users can use CAD software, but most commonly, CAD software is used by manufacturing engineers. Being able to 3D model products was revolutionary in the engineering industry. Software designers use CAD tools to create precise 2D prints and 3D models of physical objects. Engineers and designers rely on this software tool to digitally draft their concepts and make them a manufacturing reality. 

  • CAD Software Features.

    Drawing – The most common function is drawing. It allows users to sketch out the initial design. CAD software offers digital tools to create a precise illustration of a part.


    3D modeling – Professional CAD tools can modify 3D objects in real time. Each design software brand offers different 3D animation tools, each with its unique benefit, as listed below. 


    • Wireframe 3D modeling – is helpful for initial concept design iterations, like reference geometry. 
    • Solid 3D modeling – this type offers sectioning capabilities and mass properties. 
    • Surface 3D modeling – gives designers control over curved surfaces for precise part manipulation and modeling. 
    • Mesh 3D modeling – is ideal for ceasing, freeform sculpting, and smoothing.

    Rendering – Rendering generates a raster image created from the 3D object that someone designed. This feature can be very beneficial because it shows the part as it was originally intended, not just a technical print. Rendering a 3D part allows people to see certain features, like the influence of shadows and lighting.


    Editing – This function allows the designer to change the product shape within a CAD program because, ultimately, it will be built in reality. Designers can perform actions like undo, trim and erase with the model drawings.


    File Options – CAD tools allow designers to share their work with colleagues via file export features in several formats. Many of these tools allow for large file sizes, so 3D design project sizes aren’t limited. The file format for CAD software is compatible with numerous advanced imaging and 3D design applications.

  • The trends related to CAD software.

    Virtual Reality – Virtual Reality (VR) technology is slowly creeping into the workplace environment. Virtual reality breaks barriers with its 3D display, allowing designers to model independently with their hands. VR empowers CAD designers to visualize how the object they are designing will appear at scale against other virtual things.


    Cloud-Based Software – Many CAD software tool vendors are considering moving their products to cloud-based. Some CAD design engineers are worried that moving to cloud-based tools could leave their CAD design data unprotected. This change could improve collaboration between departments which benefits the businesses.


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