It also enables the creation of virtual models, which designers and engineers can use to validate their exact dimensions, functions, and forms before manufacturing even begins. It is considered a valuable tool in CAM/CAE/CAD applications. As Scan2CAD, we’ve discussed its usefulness in several of our blog articles, including AutoCAD vs. Inventor, CATIA vs. Inventor, and SolidWorks vs. Inventor, by pitting it against other CAD software. We have also prepared an Inventor tutorial to help you navigate the user interface as well as learn the basics.

What the comparison articles made clear is the fact that Autodesk has some worthy competitors, some of which outperform it in certain applications. For instance, while Inventor makes the path to be followed when developing a 3D model from a hand-drawn concept slow and a tad difficult, SolidWorks makes it easy and fast. The same can be said about several other features, and that is why this article focuses on the top 5 inventor alternatives, which include:

• SolidWorks
• Siemens NX
• CATIA
•  Rhino3D
• Creo Design (formerly Pro-E)

Before We Start

Before we discuss the various features that make the Investor alternatives above appear on the list, let’s first briefly provide more details about Autodesk Inventor, which is easily among the most popular 3D CAD software in the market today. And that is not by accident. With a ton of features that appeal to mechanical engineers and product designers, it is easy to see the origin of the popularity. Add to this the fact that its developer, Autodesk, is a force in the CAD industry, offers more credence to Inventor’s reputation.

In terms of cost, Inventor is available in multiple packages:

•  Monthly: $260
• Annual: $2,085
• 3 Years: $5,630
• Collection: $2,720 (bundles several Autodesk products together, including AutoCAD, Inventor, Fusion 360, and more professional-grade tools)

As stated earlier, you can use Inventor for simulation and analysis. The software facilitates different types of simulations, e.g., manufacturing process (casting die press forming and molding); mechanical event and continuous event simulations; and finite element analysis (FEA), fluid analysis, and kinematic/dynamic analysis.

Nonetheless, the CAD market is competitive, and other software developers offer products with similar, if not better, features. If you are looking for such products, perhaps because the prices of the packages mentioned are too high, features aren’t appealing enough, or you simply want a non-Autodesk product, read on.

Inventor Alternatives

SolidWorks

Design Space on SolidWorks (source)

Price: Standard (with one-year subscription service): $5,290.00

Professional (with one-year subscription service): $6,985.00

Premium (with one-year subscription service): $9,990.00

The annual cost of the subscription service, which covers upgrades, technical support, and more, costs $1,295, effectively meaning that SolidWorks licenses are lower than the amounts provided for each package by $1,295.

Supported OS: Windows, Mac OS

Suitable for: Designing and modeling electrical and mechanical elements, simulation (finite element analysis), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), visualization and visual ideation, prototyping, and feasibility assessment

Features: 3D solid modeling; assembly design; surfacing; welded structures design; mold design; 2D drawings; automation of repetitive tasks; ability to check for clearances, collisions, and interferences between components; collaboration; bill of materials (BOM)

Head-to-Head

SolidWorks (SW) stands out from Inventor because of its advanced assembly function – SW’s is more intuitive. The intuitiveness extends to other areas as well, including the workflow it offers uses and the menu design. It also supports many file formats, meaning that it supports the import or export of files from other CAD software.

Furthermore, SolidWorks is better for large and small assemblies than Inventor, a fact that holds for even older versions of the former when compared to later versions of the latter.

Siemens NX

User Interface and Parts Assembly on Siemens NX (source)

Price: NX is available in multiple packages, with the entry-level being about $7,000 per year. The most expensive package (Mach 3 Industrial design) is over $20,000 per year.

Supported OS: Mac OS, Unix, and Windows

Suitable for: modeling (parametric, solid, sheet, surface, and aerodynamic modeling); simulation (thermal, dynamic/vibration, static, and electromagnetic); analysis (finite element analysis and flow analysis); creating 2D drawings (drafting) and 3D designs of complex systems and parts; assembling parts/systems; machining

Features: Integrated CAD, CAE, and CAM functionalities; cost estimation, rendering, and animation; assembly and modeling; documentation and reporting; analysis and simulation

Because it combines CAD, CAM, and CAE functionalities, NX is ideal for mechanical, electrical, and design applications

Head-to-Head

Comparatively, NX is more expensive than Inventor and is mainly used by organizations that can afford the hefty price tag. Nonetheless, it offers plenty of functionalities for users at this price, some of which are better than Inventor’s. For instance, NX’s user experience and user interface are better than Inventor’s. It also provides a better overall experience for organizations and their employees.

It also handles massive assemblies easily, making it extremely useful in the automotive and aerospace industries. It is miles ahead of Inventor for complex applications as it is faster. In fact, users have observed that using NX makes other CAD software in the market seem too simplistic. Nonetheless, for personal projects, Inventor is better because it is cheaper.

CATIA

User Interface and Surface Modeling on CATIA (source)

Price:  One-time purchase charge of $11,200 plus annual maintenance charge of $2,000

         Quarterly lease at $1,700

         Yearly lease at $4,500

On pricing, Dassault Systèmes, CATIA’s developer, sells role-based modules at a one-time charge that ranges between $2,700 and $19,000. These modules are geared towards providing additional features to users, depending on the specific function for which they intend to use CATIA.

Supported OS: Windows and some UNIX-based Oss

Suitable for: Design (part design, sheet metal design, mold design, wiring harness design, and more); modeling (surface, solid, and sheet modeling); creating 2D drawings (drafting); billing of materials; analysis (stress analysis, influence of centrifugal forces); assembly and disassembly of parts; simulation (multiple excitations and measures); rendering

Features: Good user interface; advanced Boolean operation; collaboration via the cloud; ability to create custom menus; product modeling and advanced surface modeling

These features and functionalities make CATIA ideal for CAE, CAD, CAM, and systems engineering applications.

Head-to-Head

CATIA’s good user interface makes it user-friendly without compromising on its functionalities. Further, it facilitates surface, solid, and sheet modeling, as well as the assembly and disassembly capabilities, making it perfect for companies in the aerospace and automobile industries. On these points, CATIA is superior to Inventor.

Additionally, CATIA is designed to handle large files. It even promotes global collaboration as it is connected to the cloud. However, it requires a computer with good processing power (CPU and graphics card) and plenty of RAM. Anything other than this makes the software slow. It is worth pointing out that Inventor also has similar system requirements.

If you are in the automotive or aerospace industry, CATIA would be a better option than Inventor.

Rhino3D

User Interface and Rendering Functionality on Rhino3D (source)

Price: $995 or €995 (This is a one-time price, with no maintenance fees)

Supported OS: Windows and Mac OS

Suitable for: 2D drawing (drafting); analysis; digitizing hardware and scanned objects in 3D; digital fabrication and mold design; rendering and visualization; surface and solid modeling; creating meshes

Features: Command-line-based user experience (but it makes for the need to issue command-line instructions by autocompleting the commands); support for multiple file formats; analysis tools; rendering and presentation tools; unlimited viewports and viewing modes; Boolean operations; modeling tools

Head-to-Head

Rhino3D is comparatively cheaper than Inventor and virtually all the Inventor alternatives discussed above. But at its price point, it still packs a punch. It is ideal for creating 2D drawings as well as 3D models. Further, it offers freedom as users can install various third-party plug-ins to help improve the available functions.

The commands, which are abundant, are simple, making learning and typing them easy. In fact, the software auto-completes the commands. This, coupled with the various features it offers, makes it suitable for beginners intending to get into the 3D modeling software. Nonetheless, it offers fewer features compared to Inventor.

Verdict: Rhino3D is well-suited for personal use, an area in which Inventor also thrives. But because it is cheaper, it is appropriate for beginners looking for affordable software that still offers powerful modeling tools.

Creo Parametric

Creo Parametric User Interface (Source)

Price:  Essentials: $2,200 – $2,700

         Advanced: $3,980 – $4,900

         Advanced Plus: $10,300

         Premium: $14,375

         Premium Plus: $20,000

Supported OS: Windows only

Suitable for: Machining (prismatic production machining, mold machining, production machining) and metal printing; Simulation (liquid and gas flow) and analysis (fatigue, tolerance); creating optimized parametric geometry; surfacing; augmented reality design visualization; assembly design and management; 3D design and 2D drawing; sheet metal design

Features: Augmented reality; additive manufacturing; numerical control (NC) programming capabilities; compatibility with Inventor, SolidWorks, CATIA, and NX native files; tools for surfacing, machining, 3D design, 2D drawing, simulation and analysis, and assembly design

Head-to-Head

Creo is user-friendly as it has a simple user interface as well as commands that are easy to learn. So much so that beginner-level classes are not needed. The fact that it is compatible with a lot of file formats means the importation of drawings is seamless. However, if these files imported contain large assemblies, Creo will struggle to open them.

All in all, Creo can be used to draw any object in 2D and design 3D parts. That said, it is not ideal for recreational 3D modeling as it is primarily designed for professional use – the pricing also points to this fact.

Verdict: Creo is cheaper than Inventor in the long-run because the packages mentioned earlier require one-off payments. If you are looking for recreational 3D software, Inventor would be a better option. However, if you want an easy-to-use CAD software that still offers many of the benefits of conventional CAD software, Creo would be an excellent place to start. Even so, bear in mind that it is not as widely adopted as other software.

Conclusion

The various alternatives differ from each other in many ways. While some offer advanced capabilities that make them perfect for the automobile and aerospace industries, others have fewer features. Also, because these Inventor alternatives are available at different price points, you have a broad pool from which to choose.

Although getting to understand how to design with Creo is not extremely difficult, designing a project from scratch can be tiresome and time-consuming. Going online, you will find thousands of models that can be downloaded into your Creo application and used directly or edited to your specifications. These models help save a lot of design time for professionals and assist the beginners who need a reference model in the course of learning the program. While most of these models are available on various websites for purchase, there are still a significant amount of free Creo models out there.

In this article, we will be going through 13 sites where you can download free Creo models. The models in these sites are of PTC Creo’s native file formats such as .prt and .asm. While going through this article, keep in mind that this is not a ranking or comparative article, and so the sites listed are in no particular order. 

1. PTC PARTcommunity

PTC PARTcommunity is an online CAD solution for industry professionals like architects, designers, engineers, and technicians. It provides standard user and supplier-contributed 2D and 3D CAD models in Creo file formats. The on this site tabs are well arranged to make their interface easy to navigate. The home screen has a search bar at the top, with which you can search by either the product name or by the order number of the supplier models. There are also other intelligent search filters such as the sketch, solidarity, color, certified catalog, supplier, and categories to narrow down the search results. You’ll need to register to be able to download models.

2. CGTrader

CGTrader is a virtual 3d content marketplace with over a million members. The features of the site include a model marketplace, various CAD tutorials, and freelance job offers. The models are categorized into aircraft, animals, architecture, CG textures, cars, plants, vehicles, and many more. There are thousands of 3D models, polycount, licenses, and attributes under the free models’ page. To begin your downloading, you will need to register to the site. 

3. Archive 3D

If you are into graphic designing, Archive 3D will interest you. They provide 3d models for animation and graphic design. The site comes with a straight forward interface and has displayed on the home screen, some models, a Google custom search bar, and the model categories by the side. The models are categorized into furnishing, equipment and appliance, site improvements, doors and windows, structures, and kitchen. For this site, registration is not needed to start downloading.

4. Turbosquid

Turbosquid offers a wide range of models to choose from. The site has a very aesthetic interface. Most of their models are premium (paid), but you can find about 30,000 free models from various software, including Creo. This site makes locating models seamless with the search option on the home page or by searching through the well-outlined categories ranging from anatomy to vehicles, buildings, and technology. To begin your download of the free models, registering with the site is mandatory. 

5. GrabCAD

GrabCAD is one of the largest, if not the largest, online CAD communities with over seven million CAD users as members. This website has a library with four million-plus free CAD files of over 40 different CAD formats, including PTC native formats for downloads. Asides from the free models, GrabCAD offers 3d printing services, a GrabCAD workbench for collaboration, different CAD challenges where you can win awards for your designs, and various CAD tutorials. To find your desired model, you can either use the search bar or browse through many categories. You’ll have to join the community to start enjoying the services of this site. 

6. 3D Content Central

3D Content Central is an enormous online service provider with a community of over 2 million CAD users. After joining the community by registering, you’ll be eligible to upload your models and download both the user and supplier-contributed free models. In its library, you’ll find thousands of models in various categories that are compatible with many popular CAD programs, such as Creo. There’s also a search bar provided. After searching and not finding your desired model, you can request and have your model designed by professionals in no time.

7. TraceParts

TraceParts is one of the leading online providers of 3D content for professionals. They provide digital marketing services for part vendors, 3d printing suppliers, and software and hardware vendors. It has a library (portal) with many supplier catalogs and has over 100 million CAD models, all of which are free of charge. They offer different options with which you can search for your desired model. You can search through the manufacturer catalogs and also search by sector (e.g., civil engineering, mechanical engineering). You would find a list of software packages such as Inventor, Solidworks, AutoCAD, and Creo to choose from below the screen. Registration is required to begin downloading. 

8. 3D CAD Browser

The next on our list is a site solely dedicated to the provision of 3D models. Though most of the models on 3D CAD Browser are not free, you still have access to around a thousand free models. These models are available in Solidworks, CATIA, STL, and Creo file formats and are grouped in categories like automotive, vehicle, electrical, building, and technology. There is a search bar for the. To be able to download from this site, you would have to first register and then upload a model. This is to help increase the number of models in the library. 

9. CAD Crowd

Cad Crowd is an all in one online service provider in the CAD world. You can get modeling and rendering services on this website, find qualified freelance design, get 3d models, and participate in design contests. In their library (under the 3d models’ showcase tab), you’ll find thousands of free models designed by CAD crowd professionals, made available in different file formats such as the PRT and ASM. You can sort your models by categories or by selecting from a plethora of CAD software. There is also a search bar made available. 

10. MorphoSource 

MorphoSource was initially created by anthropologists. This site is an online platform where researchers come to upload and share their 3D designs. The platform is mainly for those who are in search of 3D of anthropology models. There are 15,000+ free models for download on the site in various popular file formats. Quality is assured as these models come from high-resolution 3D scans. There is a search bar for locating models.

11. Autodesk Online Gallery

Being one of the most popular and powerful software makers, Autodesk is sure to have tangible content in its online gallery. The Autodesk Online Gallery is where members of the Autodesk community come to share their models for review and download. The gallery has over 20,000 free models for download. The website offers a ton of filters to ease your search and navigation. You can use filters such as industries, categories, and used products. You’ll find the models in various CAD formats, including Creo’s. As expected, you’ll have to be a member of the community to start your download. 

12. Part Cloud

This website gives you a little bit of everything 3D models. They offer both paid and free models. Game developers and graphic designers would find this site very useful. You can find models such as ice cream, lamps, doors, furniture, vehicles, shops, and so on. PARTcloud boasts of having one of the best search functions. You can either use the search bar or check through the top site users and their creations. You’ll need to register to start downloading. 

13. 3DSky

3DSky comes with a very simple interface. They offer both paid and free 3D models. The site also allows you to upload your models. On the homepage, there is a search bar for finding models and a tab named 3d models, which takes you to the 3d model library. Here, you’ll find Creo models alongside other applications’. They are categorized into furniture, architecture, technology, and a lot more. Just like in 3D CAD browser, you’ll have to upload a model after registering to download. You’ll be granted access to three free models per day.

In this article, we would be giving a comparative description of two CAD applications; Creo by PTC Inc and CATIA by Dassault Systèmes. We would start by giving a brief history, then we would explore their various capabilities, users, and differences.

Creo

This release of Creo is for sure one of the notable landmarks in the development of CAD. The journey of Creo started as far back as 1987 when PTC released Pro/Engineer which at that time was one of the first 3D CAD modeling applications. After years of improvement, Pro/Engineer was reborn in 2011 as Creo. Since the initial release date, there have been several versions. The latest, Creo 7.0, was released on the 20th of April, 2020.

3D modeling in Creo (source) 

What Does Creo Do?

Simply put, Creo is a collection of CAD design applications that offers features to help create designs for different industries. The software provides product design, manufacturing, and development capabilities. It offers modeling features for CAD, CAM, and CAE. Creo is compatible with Windows OS and is available in different languages. The software provides applications for 3D parametric feature-solid modeling, 3D direct modeling, 2D orthographic views, finished elementary analysis and simulation.

Creo has an impressive number of crucial capabilities. These features can be grouped into simulation and analysis, modeling and design, CAM, product data management, performance advisor, and technical illustrations.

Modeling and design

This feature enables you to create 3D models in a virtual environment. This is done using a direct modeling approach and the parametric modeling approach. In the direct modeling approach, you can pull and push directly on geometry, while in the parametric modeling application, where all the components are related, a change in one would lead to change in all.

Simulation and analysis

Creo comes with an interesting portfolio of simulation and analysis features. It helps in the analysis and validation of performances of 3D models The feature helps in; 

• Thermal analysis
• Structural analysis
• Motion analysis
• Mold fill analysis
• Fatigue analysis
• Creepage and clearance analysis

Simulation and analysis features help avoid physical testing. Therefore, saving 30-50% of your design time.

CAM 

Design for 3D printing can now be done without errors. Validation and optimization of your design, and carrying out a print check can all be done in one environment. With this feature, time, effort, and errors are substantially reduced. Creo has a great deal for designing machine parts for CNC manufacturing. The software’s effective tooling application can help you accomplish a great level of quality in a very short time. Creo CAM features can be classified as follows:

• Additive manufacturing
• Tool and die design
• Productive machining

Product Data Management

25% of most engineers’ time is lost due to their design’s data management. Time is wasted in the recreation of data, updating of systems, sharing of data and searching for files. Creo offers a cloud-based PDM feature that helps you manage, review and share data effortlessly.

Technical illustrations

This software’s feature permits you to create detailed 3D technical illustrations, animations, and 2D drawings. It also offers isometric viewings, CAD data re-use and CAD file conversations.

Who uses Creo?

Creo’s spectacular capabilities that answer to many aspects of product development makes Creo useful to many diverse industries. As Creo is a 3D modeling software for CAD, CAM, and CAE, mechanical engineers use it for modeling and analysis, civil Engineers use it’s simulation and analysis features for structural analysis, Designers in industries that provide information technology and services also make use of the software. Renowned companies have been known to use Creo. Few of many; Draper Inc, Astronics corps, Sterling Engineering Inc, Rheem Manufacturing Company, and FN America LLC.

CATIA

Previously known as CATI- Conception Assisté Tridimensionnelle interactive, french for interactive aided three- dimensional design, CATIA was founded by French manufacturer- Avions Marcel Dassault in 1977. Since the date of release, there have been significant modifications like the 3D market place that enables users of CATIA to connect with manufacturers. These improvements have continued until the release of its latest version, CATIA V5-6 released in 2019.

Modeling in CATIA (Source) 

What does CATIA do?

CATIA is a collection of CAD applications for computer-aided design, CAD, CAE, and product life management. 

CATIA has been able to provide tools to ease design in different engineering and design industries. The capabilities can be classified under Electrical systems, System Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Fluid Engineering, and Design.

Electrical Systems

CATIA has provided electrical schematic definitions, requirement capture, and interactive 3D routing of both wire harness and industrial cable solutions in its CATIA V5 version. Proper synchronization of electrical schematics into 3D designs helps improve consistency and quality. Cost is also reduced as physical prototypes are avoided. This is because the design is done in the context of the full product.

Systems engineering

The software’s systems engineering solution offers an elaborate open development platform that wholly covers a wide range of disciplines. In modeling, simulation, verification and business process support. 

Mechanical Engineering

The software supports the generation of 3-dimensional elements, 2D drawings, and sheet metal. Even in the world of aerospace, CATIA has a great deal for design.

Fluid Systems 

Designing and manufacturing of routed systems such as tubing, piping, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) have been made easy in CATIA V5. CATIA offers an environment for specification-driven design tools that make sure they are up to industry standard.

Design

The design tools in CATIA offer solutions for the design of complex shapes, surfacing workflow, styling, and visualization. These are done with the embedded ICEM surfacing technologies. Designers have been able to boost their creativity to produce designs of high quality and sophistication with CATIA.

Who uses CATIA?

CATIA’s myriad of exclusive capabilities makes the software useful to a wide range of diverse industries.

Mechanical engineers use it in the design of mechanical elements with a wide range of applications for tooling design.

CATIA has been able to help designers increase the quality of their designs using the proper tools provided by the software.

With CATIA Electrical, engineers use a 3D electrical development environment for the design of wire harness and cabling and also to acquire the exact diameters and cable lengths.

Fluid Engineers take advantage of CATIA’s generative and specification driven capabilities in the design of tubing, piping and HVAC systems.

CATIA is widely used in various industries such as aerospace, architecture, industrial equipment, shipbuilding, automotive, high tech, consumer packaged goods, energy process and utilities, and construction.

CREO VS CATIA

We have given an annotated description of Creo and CATIA. Now let’s compare the two software.

Let’s jump straight into a video tutorial. In this video we use Scan2CAD to convert a TIFF image to DWG or DXF which can be directly imported into Creo.

An intro to Creo

Creo is a software suite developed by PTC Inc. (formerly Parametric Technology Corporation) and is the company’s flagship app line specifically crafted for the manufacturing and design industries. Originally launched from Boston, Massachusetts where PTC Inc. is headquartered, the nine-year-old app suite is internationally used and is even available in a variety of operating languages, including English, Chinese, German, Japanese, French, and Russian.

As a software suite, Creo was to designers and manufacturers at different scales of production, but individually, the apps in the suite each deliver their own set of functionalities that would cater to different niches of industry professionals. The apps are designed to work on MS Windows and can handle both 2D and 3D CAD models as well as product renderings, visualizations, and simulations.

Creo has tough competition in its industry rivals Solidworks, CATIA, and Solidedge. But potential Creo users who are familiar with those other pieces of software should have an idea of what Creo is capable of achieving.

Image quality

The main purpose of Creo as a piece of software is the drafting up of 2D orthographic plans or 3D models of a proposed product or machine part. With 3D models, users will almost always start with 2D sketches or schematics before moving on to extruding the parts in 3D and editing them up for their final touches. Users can very well create these 2D reference drawings within the software itself, but it is fairly common for users to take 2D schematics from other CAD software and import them into Creo for 3D modeling. We’ll be taking a look at the different file formats that Creo can handle later on, but in general, importing 2D schematics into Creo will have different workflows depending on whether or not we’re working with raster or vector images.

The import process of Creo has been significantly improved ever since the release of Creo 7 back in 2017. It’s as simple as choosing a few intuitive tools from the program’s toolbar, but before we dive into the details, let’s take a look at what constitutes a suitable image to import. 

1. Image Clarity

With any conversion process, the biggest factor in determining the quality of the output is the quality of the source image. We need the TIFF to have clear, defined lines for conversion; any blurry areas or gradients won’t be converted well when put through the process. For images that you want to use as references for a Creo model, aim for clear, crisp lines and information.

2. Image Resolution

The resolution of an image refers to the number of pixels is has. The bigger the image, the greater the number of pixels, the better the resolution. In general, images with larger resolutions have cleaner, clearer, and crisper details than those with poor resolutions. With scanned images, we ideally want something between 300 to 500 DPI.

3. Image Colors

When using images as references for 3D models, you would want to do away with as much unnecessary information as possible. Being clear and concise is key in getting good results. So when it comes to colors, less is more. You ideally want to have something black and white, but monotone images work well too.

Importing images into Creo

Creo’s standard user interface Source

Here’s the step-by-step process of importing a TIFF or any raster image into Creo:

1. Locate the ‘Images’ button in the Layout menu and click on that.
2. You’ll be seeing a dialogue box after clicking on the Images button. Browse and locate the image file you’re going to be importing. Click on ‘Open’ and the image should be inserted into your current view.
3. Adjust the inserted image by dragging it to position, editing its scale, rotating it accordingly, and adjusting the transparency if you need to.

Here’s a video of the whole process for clarity:

Raster vs. Vector

Raster and Vector Images Source

TIFF is an example of a raster type image. When importing images into Creo, you’ll find yourself dealing with basically two types of images – raster and vector.

Raster images – sometimes referred to as bitmap images –  are images made out of pixels. Tiny dots are clustered, arranged, and colored in a way that creates a coherent image. Other than the TIFF format, common raster formats include JPG, BMP, PNG, and GIF. For raster images, better quality files are usually those with higher resolutions.

Image files that can be directly edited and worked on in Creo are called vector files. They are made of editable geometric objects such as lines, curves, and polygons. DWG, DXF, and G-Code are common vector file formats. Vector’s main difference from raster files is its composition – customizable geometry instead of colored pixels.

In most cases, we would always prefer working with vector images when importing into Creo since vector images can’t be blurry, are readily editable, and have no need to be converted saving you time and effort. But in cases where we have to work with raster images, there are always quick ways to go about converting them into editable vector files.

Importable file formats for Creo

Creo supported file formats Source

Creo can import different types of file formats, both raster and vector alike. Here’s a list of all the file formats that Creo supports:

Converting raster images for use in Creo

Some programs have automatic raster-to-vector conversion functionality but unfortunately, Creo doesn’t have that kind of tool. Lucky for us, Scan2CAD is perfectly capable of doing raster-to-vector conversions. But if you’re intent on doing everything on Creo, the best thing we can hope for is a smooth, easy manual trace conversion. This is where source image quality is such a big factor.

Sketching and drafting in Creo is pretty easy to do as long as you’re already familiar with sketching tools in other CAD programs. They come with the standard fare of sketch functions such as lines, polylines, splines, arcs, and circles. Once you’ve had time to get used to these, tracing over your reference image on Creo will be a breeze.

But regardless of your drafting skill level, manual tracing can always tend to be a little tedious. This is especially true for some of the more complicated schematic drawings. But this is where Scan2CAD comes in. Instead of taking all that time and effort and putting it into manually converting an image, you can just use Scan2CAD to automatically do the conversion for you.

How to Convert TIFF to Creo with Scan2CAD

1. Take the TIFF file you want to use as a reference on Creo or whatever raster image format it is you want to convert and open it up on Scan2CAD.
2. For raster images, there’s a little bit of clean-up that you’re going to have to do before the actual conversion step. Vector formats are a bit easier to deal with since you’ll really just be opening them up on Scan2CAD and then saving them in your preferred vector format. For TIFF images though, which are raster images, you’ll have to follow the next couple of steps before saving.
3. The Clean image button at the top left of the interface is all we really need to press to start cleaning up the image. If it isn’t already grayed out, click on the Threshold (Black & White) option to turn the image completely monochrome. A couple of tools you can play with are Remove Speckle & Holes which gets rid of unnecessary pixels that you don’t want the program to convert, Thicken Lines which makes the thinner lines in the image just that much more legible, and Smooth to somehow soften any jagged lines you have.
4. After you’re happy with the clean-up, just click on the Convert option next to Clean image. For schematic drawings, you’ll want to go with the Technical Vectorization Method. Vectorize and OCR is a useful pre-set if you have some text objects in the image you want to convert. There are more complete definitions and tutorials about all the Scan2CAD conversion settings on the website.
5. Once you’re happy with the settings, click on ‘Run’ to generate a preview. If you’re happy with what you see, click on ‘OK’ to execute the process.
6. With your new vector file, all that’s left is to save the file. In Creo’s case, the program can readily handle DWG or DXF files so just choose between the two.

Creo is a set of apps focused on computer-aided design (CAD) specifically for the product design and manufacturing niches. The software suite is developed by PTC Inc., formerly known as the Parametric Technology Corporation, which is a computer services and software company based in Boston, Massachusetts. The different apps in the Creo suite each deliver a unique set of functionalities for different types of users. The apps primarily run on Microsoft Windows and can handle 3D CAD and modeling, 2D orthographic views, as well as product visualization and simulation.

Some of PTC Creo’s main competitors in the market are Solidworks, Solidedge, and CATIA. Users familiar with these pieces of software will have an idea of Creo’s capabilities. The software suite supports various operating languages that range from English, German, and French to Russian, Japanese, and Chinese just to name a few.

Image importing in Creo

Creo’s standard user interface Source

Creo is typically used to draft up plans or to model a product or machine part. In those kinds of workflows, users will typically need to import 2D sketches or schematics of designs into a Creo drawing sheet for reference. These engineering drawings will typically contain information such as calculation and simulation results, visualization renders, or product dimensions.

Ever since the updated Creo 7 back in 2017, the process of importing these images has been made easier than ever. It’s similar in simplicity to inserting images into PowerPoint or Word files, but let’s first talk about the preliminary requirements of inserting images into Creo worksheets.

It is important to always choose suitable images to import into Creo. The cleaner and more high-definition an image is, the more suited it will be for use. Since users will be using these drawings as bases for model dimensions, making sure you get precise dimensions would be key.

Here are the basic steps to importing an image into Creo:

1. The first step to importing a 2D image is to locate the ‘Images’ button in the Layout menu.
2. After clicking on that, a dialogue box will open. Just browse through the folders and locate the image you want to import. When you’ve found it, just click on ‘Open’ and it should be inserted into the current view you are working on.
3. From here on out, it’s just a simple matter of dragging and moving the inserted image to where it’s supposed to be and editing the scale, angular rotation, and the transparency of the image if need be.

If things are still a little unclear to you, here’s a video to help guide you through the process:

As for translating the information in the image into vector, PTC Creo is, unfortunately, not the type of CAD program that has an automatic tracing tool. If you’re looking for that kind of functionality, there are third party programs such as Scan2CAD  that can do that for you. But if you’re looking to do all the conversion in Creo, your only option is to trace over the reference image manually. This is why image quality is so important.

The sketch tools in Creo are pretty intuitive and easy to use especially if you’re familiar with the sketch tools in other CAD programs. They have the standard fare – straight lines, arcs, splines, polygons, and circles, among other geometry. Just choose the tools you want to use and get to tracing over the reference image.

This manual tracing process can be a little tedious, so if you’re looking to use the automatic tracing options discussed earlier, here’s a basic idea of how that workflow might work: We take your raster image and open it up on Scan2CAD, we convert the image into a workable vector file in the program, and then we open that file directly into Creo.

What we’ll be working with on Creo is a fully editable vector file that you no longer need to manually trace.

We’ll go into detail with the conversion processes discussed here shortly, but let’s discuss first the different file types and file formats that Creo and Scan2CAD can handle.

Raster vs. Vector

Raster and Vector Images Source

When dealing with images to import into Creo, you’ll mainly be noticing two types of them – raster images and vector images. Let’s take a moment to discuss the difference between these two main image types.

Raster images – or bitmap images, as they’re sometimes called – are images formed by clustered, colored pixels. The typical image files users will be familiar with such as JPEG, PNG, GIF, and BMP are all examples of raster images. A type of digital pointillism if you will, raster images will have varying quality depending on their resolution or file size which is dictated by how many pixels make up the image. So if you have images with small resolutions, they’ll most likely have pixelated or blurry elements in them. These are not suitable for importing into Creo since as we mentioned before, it’s important that we have high-quality images to maintain accuracy and precision when tracing over with Creo’s sketch tools.

In contrast, vector images are generally easier to work on in Creo since these are made up of editable geometric objects that can be loaded up and worked on in most CAD programs. Most files that you actually get from CAD software, Creo included, are vector files. So the typical DWG, DXF, and G-Code file formats are all vector files. The main difference between raster images and vector files is while raster images are made of pixels, vector files are made of specific geometric elements such as lines, fills, arcs, and splines. In general, image quality is not an issue with vectors, since the information in these files is not dictated by the number of pixels but by mathematical data that determine the attributes of the elements in the image, such as the line width, color, and length.

To illustrate the difference between raster and vector, let’s imagine a picture of a black circle. If this black circle were a raster image, the file would basically be a cluster of black pixels that are grouped together to create an image of a black circle. If it were a vector image, the file itself would actually be a group of entry data that dictates the size and color of the circle.

In general, we would prefer working with vector images on Creo than raster images since this helps us skip the step of tracing over the raster image with our sketch tools.

File formats for Solidworks

Creo supported file formats Source

PTC’s Creo supports a lot of different export and import file formats. We’ve compiled them below:

Convert a PDF to Creo with Scan2CAD

1. Take a raster image file or PDF that you want to use as a reference image on Creo and open it up on Scan2CAD first.
2. If you’re dealing with a PDF file and the file is already made up of vector elements, just skip to the last step of this workflow. If you’re dealing with a raster image, you’ll have to clean up the image first and turn it monochromatic for a cleaner conversion.
3. After cleaning up your raster image, you can go ahead with the conversion proper. We have plenty of tutorials that detail the different settings you can tweak depending on your image quality and type, but for the most part, schematic drawings will convert properly with the default ‘Technical’ Vectorization Method.
4. After clicking on ‘Run’ to see a preview of the converted image, you can click on ‘OK’ to run the conversion process.
5. With your newly converted vector file, just save the file using the file format that you want to use. Creo will readily open DWG or DXF files, so try to pick between those two.

We have plenty of tutorials on how to effectively use Scan2CAD here, so feel free to peruse our video tutorials if you want to find out more about our software.

Due to its many capabilities and high functionality, first-time users often find Creo difficult to navigate, regardless of previous experience with other CAD software. There is so much to learn about what Creo’s features are and how to use them, that learning to use the software can be quite daunting. To make your learning process much easier, we at Scan2CAD have created this compact, comprehensive, and intuitive article that will familiarize you with all the basics of Creo in as little as one hour. This article covers the software’s capabilities, tools, features, and graphical user interface (GUI). It also covers certain procedures and concepts, as well as the basics of modeling in Creo.

Creo capabilities

The first thing you need to learn about a software program is what the software can do. You need to be able to answer the question, “what can Creo do?”. So what are Creo’s features, capabilities, features, and tools? Creo’s features can be classified into modeling and design, simulation and analysis, CAM, product data management, performance advisor, and technical illustrations.

Modeling and design

Creo’s modeling and design features allow you to create detailed 3D prototypes in a virtual environment. You can do this using one of two approaches, direct modeling in which you can pull and push directly on geometry, and parametric modeling in which all components are related and a change in one will result in a change in all. Creo‘s capabilities under 3D design are as follows.

• 2D Drawing
• Model-Based Definition
• Design Exploration
• Sheet Metal Design
• Mechanism Design
• Structural Framework & Weld Design
• Fastener Design
• Human Factors Design
• Routed Systems Design
• Smart Connected Design
• Concept Design
• Plastic Part Design
• Industrial Design
• Reverse Engineering
• Multi-CAD
• Rendering & 3D Animation
• Assembly Management & Performance

Simulation and analysis

With Creo, you can carry out several advanced analysis on your model in real-life conditions using the following analysis.

• Structural Analysis
• Thermal Analysis
• Motion Analysis
• Mold Fill Analysis
• Fatigue Analysis
• Creepage & Clearance Analysis

Using these tools, you can save 30-50% of your design time as you can skip physical tests.

CAM

Creo bridges the gap between 3D CAD and manufacturing, especially for 3D printing. Now you can design for 3D printing without errors, validate and optimize your design, and carry out a print check, all in one environment. This greatly reduces time, effort, and errors. You can also print directly from the Creo environment. All you need to do is send your design directly to a compatible printer. In addition to 3D printing capabilities, Creo is especially useful in designing parts for CNC manufacturing. With this software’s NC and tooling capabilities, you can achieve the highest level of precision and quality in as little time as possible. Creo’s CAM features can be classified as follows. 

• Additive Manufacturing
• Tool & Die Design
• Production Machining

Product data management 

On average, engineers and designers lose a whopping 25% of their product development time to data management. This time is spent updating systems, sharing data, searching for files, and recreating data. With Creo’s cloud-based PDM capabilities, you can easily manage, share, and review data.

Technical illustrations

These features allow you to produce highly detailed 3D technical illustrations, 2D drawings, and animations that correctly project product configurations. The core features of technical illustrations are 3D animation, isometric viewing, CAD file conversions, part lists, 2D detailing and annotation, and CAD data reuse.

Before you get started

Now that we know what Creo can do, and before we explore its graphical user interface (GUI), there are some things about Creo that we need to familiarise ourselves with. Various file types can be created in Creo and each of these files have different GUIs, and also different subtypes. These files are as follows.

Sketch files are 2D sketches of a model. The features in this file’s window allow you to create detailed 2D drafts using various tools such as line, arc, circle, polygon, paint, and dimension. The sketch window is a 2D drafting interface.

Part files with .prt file extension are individual 3D models. A part file is a single component which may be standalone, such as a cup, or part of an assembly, such as a piston. Subtypes of the part file in Creo are solid, sheet metal, and bulk.

Assembly files, on the other hand, are 3D models of assemblies of various individual parts. The piston given as an example above is an individual part but comes together with other individual parts such as connecting rods and shafts to form an assembly of a motor engine. Assembly files have the .asm file extension.

The .drw drawing files are 2D drawings of modeled parts in Creo. Drawing files are drafting documents that contain annotations, detailed dimensions, part lists, title blocks, and various views of a model such as isometric and orthographic. There are several templates for drawing files available in Creo.

Launch screen user interface

When you launch Creo, you first come across the launch screen. The launch screen is relatively simple compared to most CAD software. There are three major portions of the launch screen. The menu bar, the PTC browser, and the navigation panel.

At the topmost area of the screen is located the menu bar. The menu of the launch screen contains some useful commands such as New, to start a new project; Open, to open an existing session; Open last session, to open the session you were last working on; Select working directory, to choose file destination; Appearance settings, for editing both system settings and model display settings; and other useful commands. In addition to these, there is the familiar File button which drops down various commands, and the quick access toolbar, both attached to the menu bar.

Launch screen menu bar

To the left of the screen is the navigator which contains the Model tree, Favorite folder, and the Folder browser.

Launch screen navigation panel

In the middle of the launch screen, taking up the largest area is the PTC browser. The browser launches automatically whenever you launch Creo. However, you can hide or show the browser to reveal space, using the browser icon at the bottom left corner of the launch screen.

PTC Creo browser

Getting started

As we stated earlier, the different file types in Creo have different Interfaces. This means that the window for creating a part is different from the window for creating an assembly or a drawing. For the majority of design projects, the creation of parts is usually the first step. Because of this, and also because we are dealing with the basics, we will only be focusing on the part creation GUI.

To create a part from scratch, click on the New icon on the menu bar, the quick access toolbar, or in the drop-down of the file button. This opens a dialogue box displaying the file types in Creo. Select Part and choose the subtype. Next, input the design name, which is the name the part file will bear, and common name, which is like a model description. At the bottom of the dialogue box is a checkbox to use the default template for the file type you have selected. We recommend that you uncheck this box before clicking OK so that you can modify the template to suit your preferences.

Dialog box containing part file types

After unchecking the box, click OK to be directed to another dialogue box from which you can select from several templates. A template has to do with which standard (ANSI, ISO, etc) and unit of measurement you will work with. In this dialogue box, you can input your name as the designer of the project. This time, we recommend that you check the Copy associated drawings checkbox, as this will ensure that your selected template for the part is reflected in its associated drawings. Next, click OK to be redirected to the main Part drawing interface/window.

Part creation window

Similar to the launch screen, the part creation window is roughly divided into three distinct sections, the Feature ribbon, the navigation panel, and the drawing area.

The navigation panel just like in the launch screen is located to the left of the window. It contains three tabs, the model tree, the folder browser, and the favorite folder.

Located just above the Feature ribbon is the quick access toolbar. It contains some commonly used commands like new, open, save, redo, and undo. The quick access toolbar also contains your most frequently used tools.

The feature ribbon contains all the tools and features you need to model, analyze, view, interact with, and edit your model. It is located at the top of the screen, just below the quick access toolbar. The tools and features in the feature ribbon are neatly organized into panels, with the panels themselves organized into tabs. Each tab is dedicated to a particular procedure in your part creation process. The tabs in the Feature ribbon are model, analysis, annotate, render, tools, view, flexible modeling, and applications.

The Model tab contains the bulk of the modeling tools. Using the tools in this tab, you can sketch, extrude, apply shapes, add features, place patterns, edit, change planes, modify surfaces, and more. The tools are organized into the following panels; operations, get data, datum, shapes, engineering, edit, surfaces and model intent.

The next tab is the Analysis tab. This tab contains tools that allow you to perform various measurements and perform various types of simulation and analysis of your model. The panels in this tab are manage, custom, model report, measure, inspect geometry, and design study.

The Annotate tab comes next. This tab is for creating 3D annotations, especially if you use model-based definitions. The tools in the annotate tab are organized into panels as follows; combination states, association planes, manage annotations, annotation features, datum, and annotations.

Following the annotate tab is the render tab. The tools in this tab enable you to create high-quality photo-realistic images of your model. This allows you to view the real-life appearance of your model while it is still in the design stage. The panels in this tab include appearance, perspective render. and setup.

In line with its name, the Tools tab contains numerous tools and commands for various purposes such as find, publish geometry, and model planner. The tools in this tab are organized into three panels; investigate, model interior, and utilities.

The View tab has a variety of tools needed to modify the visibility and appearance of both your model and the modeling window. You can zoom, pan, change appearance, and preview. The panels in the view tab are visibility, orientation, model display, show, and window.

Next is the Flexible modeling tab which allows you to incorporate direct modeling techniques into Creo.

Finally, we have the Applications tab. This tab allows you to switch to other different modules such as PTC math CAD for doing engineering mathematics.

Back to the part creation window. The centrally located drawing area makes up about 60% of the part creation window. This is where you carry out the actual modeling. The drawing area is the canvas on which you draw, model, simulate, detail, interact with your model, and on which your project is displayed. You can zoom in/out the drawing area almost infinitely.

At the bottom of the Drawing area is the status bar where you can show or hide the navigation plane and Creo browser. You can also find Action history where all your actions in a particular project are recorded.

Basics of modeling in Creo

Having familiarized ourselves with the part interface, we can now proceed to the actual modeling. In Creo, any part no matter how complex begins with a sketch. To begin modeling, click on Sketch in the Model tab. Next, select a plane in the drawing area. After you’ve selected a plane, the Sketch button will expand into a tab of its own, revealing several sketching tools like circle, line, arc, and rectangle. Click on any of this and then click on any point on the drawing area. Drag your mouse to determine the size of the shape you selected. Repeat these steps, selecting and adding different shapes until you form the base shape of your model. Click on OK to finish sketching and to reactivate the model tab where you can extrude the shape by any desired length. From here you can add holed, fillet, add patterns, sketch on the model surface, curve, sweep, and many more.

Recommended resources

Creo is a highly functional 3D modeling software with thousands of features and tools. This article has covered the basics, providing you with an excellent foundation for Creo mastery. To learn more about Creo and become a Creo professional, visit the following sites.

• PTC university
• PTC support
• Udemy Pro Engineer Creo Fundamental 3D design course

Before also choosing Creo, there is another factor aside from capability and functionality that you must consider. This factor is cost. So, how much does Creo cost? As straightforward as the question may seem, it does not have a straightforward answer. This is because there are varying factors, such as license type and functionality, that determine the cost of Creo. In this article, however, we will be providing you with a comprehensive answer to this question. We will be exploring the different Creo packages, license types, how and where to purchase the software, cost, and everything Creo pricing.

Additive manufacturing process

How and Where to Buy Creo

For most people looking to purchase this software, the first port of call is usually the official website. However, going through the site, you will discover that not only is there no product for sale on the site, but also very little information on the cost of the software. The reason behind this is that PTC, the makers of Creo, believes that every customer has unique preferences and requirements. Therefore there needs to be a discussion between the customer and a sales representative about the customer’s location, company, job function, and job category before a package is recommended to you.

To purchase Creo, you have to do any one of the following:

1. Fill a form on the website to contact sales or have sales contact you
2. Buy from an authorized partner or reseller

Creo Packages

There are five Creo packages that differ by level of functionality. Before we proceed to the different license types for Creo and their costs, it is essential that we first familiarize ourselves with these packages. This way, you know what exactly it is that you are getting for your money. In ascending order of functionality, the five Creo packages are Creo Design Essentials, Creo Design Advanced, Creo Design Advanced Plus, Creo Design Premium, and Creo Design Premium Plus.

1. Creo Design Essentials

This package is the most basic of the five. However, there is absolutely nothing basic about its features. Creo Design Essentials comes with complete industry-standard 3D capabilities, as well as augmented reality design and visualization. These capabilities include:

• Rendering
• Piping and cabling
• Core simulation
• Augmented reality
• Parametric 3D modeling via Creo Parametric
• Linear structural analysis via Creo Simulation Elite
• Legacy data migration
• Flexible 3D modeling and direct editing
• ISO standards-based digital human modeling (human factors analysis)
• Ability to create advanced structural frameworks (advanced frameworks extension)
• Ability to assemble hardware fasteners without generating assembly references via the Intelligent Fastener extension
• Other extensions/add-ins such as design explorations and Mathcad express

Simulation analysis in Creo (source)

2. Creo Design Advanced

In addition to having all the features of Creo Design Essential, this package has other unique capabilities, including:

• Top-down design
• Concurrent engineering
• Prismatic and multi-surface milling
• Advanced assembly

3. Creo Design Advanced Plus

This package has all the features of Creo Design Advanced, as well as the following:

• GD&T (Geometric Design and Tolerancing)
• Tolerance analysis
• Advanced surface modeling (interactive surface design)
• Mold design and machining
• Additive manufacturing
• Tool design
• Model machining
• Behavioral modeling

4. Creo Design Premium

This package comes next in terms of functionality and has all the features of the previous package. It also has:

• Production machining
• Simulation
• Basic CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics)
• Fatigue analysis
• Collaboration for CATIA (V4 and V5) and NX
• Sheetmetal design
• Advanced GD&T

5. Creo Design Premium Plus

This is the most complete and advanced Creo package. It has all the features of all the packages lists above, in addition to the following features:

• Advanced simulation, additive machining, and CFD (flow analysis)
• Topology optimization
• Ability to create and work with configurable structures via the Options modeler extension
• Metal printing
• Complete machining

Highly advanced 3D modeling (source)

Creo License and Subscription Options

PTC used to offer perpetual licenses for their products. These licenses required only a one-time payment and optional yearly upgrades. However, from the 1st of January 2018, PTC stopped the sale of perpetual licenses. All PTC products, including Creo, are now only available through subscription licenses. Owners of perpetual licenses may either continue to use them without upgrades or trade up to a subscription. PTC encourages owners of perpetual licenses to switch to subscription.

There are two major types of licenses for Creo. They are locked licenses and floating licenses.

1. Locked Licenses

A locked license allows Creo to run on only one device (independent work station). It restricts the use of the application to a particular device. With this type of license, you do not require a license server. Do note that the locked license is not available for some of Creo’s more expensive products, namely Creo Design Advanced Plus, Creo Design Premium, and Creo Design Premium Plus.

2. Floating Licenses

Using a floating license, you can run Creo on any device that is connected to a local network. Provided that the device is connected to the license server. However, there is a limit on the number of simultaneous users, depending on the number of seats purchased. The license server keeps count of how many licenses are checked out and assigns or denies licenses to users based on license availability.

Creo Pricing

Having gone through the different Creo packages and license options, we will now go into the actual Creo pricing. The table below shows some of the prices for both locked and floating licenses for the five Creo packages. These prices are for a one-year subscription plan. For more subscription periods and more information, contact the Creo sales team or resellers. As stated earlier, prices are not available on the PTC website. All prices were sourced from resellers and may vary slightly from one to another.

The prices of the five Creo packages (in USD) are summarised in the table below:

Creo Discounts and Freebies

Creo offers a few discounts and free package. Some of these are as follows.

1. Creo Free Trial

PTC allows new Creo users to test run the software for 30 days at no cost. During this period, the user will have access to fully functional features of Creo. After 30 days, users are expected to have made up their minds, whether Creo suits them or not.

2. Creo Educational License

PTC offers free or discounted licenses for a highly functional but limited version of Creo to students. Administered through the PTC academic program, this license is for students and teachers in primary school, secondary school, university, and college. Students do not need to go through their school to get this license. All they need is a valid student email address. Note that educational licenses expire and have to be renewed yearly.

There are several Creo educational licenses:

• Creo University Student Edition Premium (one-year term license): This package is available for $257.00 (exclusive of tax) on the PTC online Store. It is meant for university students for their educational use. A current academic ID is required for purchase. This license provides access to all the features of Creo.
• Creo K12 Student license: The software downloaded using the K12 Student license lacks a number of features as it is only meant to help young students as they prepare to become engineers of the future. It, therefore, has a few basic design, analysis, and simulation tools that can facilitate participation in FIRST Robotics Competitions, for example.
• Creo Schools Premium Standalone license: The Schools Premium Standalone license software is the more fully featured of the free Creo products for students and schools. This license is designed for advanced users and requires a unique product code for each computer
• Creo Schools Premium Lab license: The Schools Premium Lab license is designed for Creo software that can be installed on a local school server. The license is intended for use by multiple users even though it requires only one unique product code for all the computers in the network. Like the Premium Standalone license, the software in this category is also fully featured.

Alternatives to Creo

In terms of capability, Creo ranks among the best CAD software available today. However, considering its cost, you may wish to consider some alternatives. The following are some strong industry rivals of Creo.

• Inventor – Inventor by Autodesk is a professional 3D modeling software for design and manufacturing. Its features include design and modeling, simulation, visualization, and collaboration.
• SolidWorks – Developed by Dassault systems, SolidWorks is a solid modeling and analysis CAD software. This software is excellent for mechanical/electrical design, simulation, visualization and rendering, and manufacturing.
• Solid Edge – Solid Edge is a 2D drafting and 3D modeling software for product development. It is developed by Siemens PLM for design, manufacturing, data management, and technical publications.

For other suitable alternatives, check out our lists of top 10 CAD software and the 5 best parametric modeling software.

Over the years, several advancements have been made in the CAD industry. Hundreds of powerful CAD software that are capable of highly complex designs and 3D modeling, now exist. However, certain packages are leading the way in terms of functionality and capabilities.

In light of this, we at Scan2CAD have compiled a list of the top 10 3D modeling software available today. In this article, we will be going through their features, capabilities, compatibility, supported file types, and other features that make them stand above the rest. Note that while some of these software programs have 2D drafting capabilities, we will only be considering their 3D modeling capabilities. That being said, let’s proceed to the list.

1. AutoCAD

AutoCAD 3D modeling (Source)

AutoCAD is a highly functional 2D and 3D CAD modeling software by Autodesk – the most popular and prestigious CAD software developer. While this software was first released in 1982 as a 2D drafting software, several advancements over the years have seen AutoCAD grow to include powerful features that cater to the modeling needs of numerous industries. Although it is marketed as a single package, AutoCAD comes with many industry-specific toolsets that can be, themselves, considered as individual products. These toolsets, their features, and their capabilities are as follows.

AutoCAD classic comes with the familiar AutoCAD interface, which allows users to create 2D drafts, produce 3D models, and annotate models in 2D.

AutoCAD Architecture, as the name implies, is a toolset for the architecture industry. It contains features for the production and documentation of architectural designs and the creation of building models.

AutoCAD Mechanical is developed for DFM (Design For Manufacturing). It is used for creating, modifying, and documenting mechanical models.

AutoCAD Plant 3D allows you to model very detailed plants with complex pipe routes and numerous machinery.

Other toolsets are AutoCAD electrical and AutoCAD MEP.

• Operating system: Windows, Mac
• File formats: DWG, DFX
• Interested? Check out our AutoCAD pricing.

2. Inventor

Inventor 3D modeling (Source)

Also known as Autodesk Inventor Professional, Inventor is a 3D mechanical modeling CAD software for all things product design and engineering. In line with its name, Inventor Professional comes with professional-grade tools for all your 3D mechanical design needs. These tools can be classified into product design, modeling, simulation, visualization, and collaboration. With these tools, you can easily create and edit individual 3D models, couple several parts to form an assembly, and produce detailed drawings for manufacturing. Inventor’s modeling tools also enable you to design complex sheet metal parts, build pipe and tube routes, and integrate electronics your mechanical models.

The simulation tools allow you to analyze the behavior of your model under real-life conditions of stress and applied forces.

Finally, to help you properly visualize and study tour model, Inventor includes powerful visualization and rendering tools.

• Operating system: Windows
• File formats: IPT, IAM, IDW, DWG
• Interested? Check out our Inventor pricing.

3. Solidworks

Solidworks 3D modeling (Source)

Solidworks is our first entry from Dassault systems, one of Autodesk’s major rivals. It is a solid modeling CAD and analysis software. Its equally impressive lineup of highly advanced modeling features makes it a worthy adversary of Inventor. Whether you are modeling an individual component, or an assembly comprising of numerous parts, Solidworks has the right features that enable you to do it. However, Solidworks didn’t earn its place on this list through its design features alone. The software has powerful simulation tools that allow you to carry out the following analysis on your model. These include high cycle fatigue, computational fluid dynamics, and endurance under stress.

Furthermore, visualization and rendering tools allow you to turn your models into animations and high-quality images. Other features of Solidworks include technical communication, electrical design, 2D CAD, product data management, and communication. Some of these features are available as add-ons.

• Operating system: Windows
• File formats: SLDDRW, SLDPRT, SLDASM
• Interested? Check out our Solidworks pricing.

4. Vectorworks

Vectorworks 3D modeling (Source)

Vectorworks is a multipurpose 2D drafting and 3D modeling software that caters to numerous industries. It consists of several fully functional, individual products for a variety of industries. These industries include mechanical engineering, entertainment, civil engineering, architecture, landscaping, manufacturing, and stage management. The different Vectorworks products with 3D modeling capabilities and their respective industries are as follows.

Vectorworks Fundamental is a 2D/3D modeling and documentation software that enables you to sketch, model, and analyze. Despite its name, there is absolutely nothing fundamental about this product. Its capabilities include solid modeling, simulation, and coordination.

Vectorworks Architect is used to create 3D architectural models using a suite of intuitive tools and an integrated BIM workflow.

Vectorworks Landmark is dedicated to landscape design and planning.

Other Vectorworks products are Vectorworks Spotlight, Vectorworks Designer, and Vectorworks Braceworks.

• Operating system: Windows, Mac
• File formats: Vectorworks supported file formats
• Interested? Check out our Vectorworks pricing.

5. Solid Edge

Solid Edge 3D modeling (Source)

Developed by Siemens PLM Software, Solid Edge is a 2D drafting and solid modeling CAD software package for mechanical and electrical design, and product development. The software combines the flexibility and control of parametric modeling with the speed and simplicity of direct modeling. Solid Edge boasts of a complete set of features required for product development.  One of these features, mechanical and electrical design, is used for creating solid models, detailed drawings, sheet metal parts, and top-down assembly. Other features are simulation, data management, manufacturing, and technical publications.

• Operating system: Windows
• File formats: PAR, ASM, DFT, DTFF, CMP_XML, STL, IGES, DXF, DWG, STEP
• Interested? Check out our Solid Edge pricing.

6. Onshape

Onshape 3D modeling (Source)

Onshape is a mechanical-focused CAD software package that is capable of handling all aspects of product development. It is one of the two software packages on our list that are delivered through a SAAS model, online. This cancels out the need for downloads, installation, or upgrades as the latest version is always available through web browsers. Onshape focuses primarily on mechanical CAD, and it boasts of an impressive lineup of 3D modeling features. These features enable you to create complex solids, build detailed assemblies, and exchange files. Also, Onshape includes standard content libraries.

• Operating system: Windows, IOS, Android, Linus, OSX
• File formats: PDF, MP4, PNG, JPEG, SVG, GIF, TXT, MD
• Interested? Check out our Onshape pricing.

7. Fusion 360

Fusion 360 3D modeling (Source)

Another powerful entry on our list from Autodesk is Fusion 360. This is a fully integrated CAD, CAM, and CAE modeling software. Fusion 360 eliminates disconnected product development processes as it combines design, manufacturing, and engineering into a single package. The CAD features of Fusion 360 can be grouped into the following. 3D design/modeling, generative design, and simulation. Other features are documentation, collaboration, and manufacturing.

Fusion 360 allows you to create very complex individual or multi-component systems, using both geometric and parametric-based approaches. Its powerful simulation features include shape optimization, modal frequency, event simulation, and static stress analysis.

• Operating system: Mac, Windows
• File formats: Fusion 360 file formats
• Interested? Check out Fusion 360.

8. Revit

Revit 3D modeling (Source)

Revit is a multipurpose BIM software package that is dedicated to architectural, civil engineering, MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) engineering, landscape, and structural designs. This professional software is a complete package for all building and construction design needs. It enables design experts in these fields to design and model 3D structures while annotating with 2D. In addition, Revit’s 4D BIM tools give users the ability to not only track the chronological advancements of a project but also to envision the duration of any stage of a structure’s life cycle.

No matter how complex the infrastructure or building that you ate modeling is, Revit had the tools to help you design, analyze, and simulate your model. Its features can be classified into architectural design, structural engineering and fabrication, MEP engineering and fabrication, and construction.

• Operating system: Windows
• File formats: RVT, RFA, RTE, RFT, and others
• Interested? Check out our Revit pricing.

9. CATIA

Catia 3D modeling (Source)

CATIA is a multi-Industry 3D modeling software package. It is the second entry on our list from Dassault Systems. Similar to Vectorworks, Catia has a number of products that handle different fields of 3D modeling.

3DEXPERIENCE CATIA is the main product for all design and engineering activities. It enables you to create various types of 3D parts and assembly for a wide range of engineering processes.  The tools of this product are classified as construction, design/styling, engineering, and systems engineering.

With CATIA V5, users can carry out mechanical design, shape design & styling, product synthesis, equipment & systems Engineering, analysis, and machining.

• Operating system: Windows
• File formats: CATDRAWING, CATPART, CATPRODUCT, DLV, CGR, MODEL
• Interested? Check out CATIA.

10. Creo

Creo 3D modeling (Source)

Creo is a 3D CAD, CAM, and CAE software solution for product design and development. This software allows users to design and create their products. It has an amazing variety of tools, capabilities, and features to effectively take your products from a simple concept to a detailed digital prototype. Creo’s features can be classified into modeling and design, simulation and analysis, augmented reality, smart connected design, additive manufacturing, and model-based design.

• Operating system: Windows
• File formats: Creo file formats
• Interested? Check out Creo.

In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the basics of CAD drafting and what to expect when you’ve just recently found yourself learning about it.

What is CAD?

CAD – short for Computer-Aided Design – is technology and software that essentially replaces the outdated and unimaginably tedious process of manually producing technical drawings for engineering and architectural purposes. CAD helps drafters, designers, and engineers design products, machines, or structures by providing a digital drafting space for these professionals to “draft” on. CAD software greatly increases productivity, design and drawing quality, documentation, information communication, and database maintenance. The output of a CAD program comes in the form of soft-copy electronic files that can be used for printing or for digital machining. For particularly larger printable files, special printers or plotters are used to handle the printing.

The diagrams and models that can be produced using CAD can typically either be 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional. Any modern CAD program will let users rotate and orbit around their files to have the ability to check the lines produced from all possible angles. There are certain CAD programs that even let users use VR goggles for a more immersive design and drafting experience.

Who uses CAD?

CAD programs will typically be available for all major computer OS’s – Mac OS, Windows, Linux, and even Unix. Although it can be used with a laptop and trackpad setup, the optimal setup for CAD programs will have their users use a working keyboard as well as a mouse with a scrolling wheel. Special programs will also utilize graphics tablets for a more robust workflow for drafting.

On the educational level, technical schools, design schools, and engineering schools all use CAD or different forms of it. Most universities and schools in the United States don’t actually require students to produce hand-drafted drawings anymore, so they stick to teaching students how to operate CAD software from the very start. With the lowering costs of the hardware and software involved in using CAD, it gets much more accessible for schools to have comprehensive programs around CAD education.

On the professional level, you will see typically 3 industries that utilize CAD software – Design, Engineering, and Construction. Architects, interior designers, and sometimes even sculptors regularly use CAD programs for their drawings and designs. Mechanical engineering is one of the most drafting-heavy professions out there, alongside civil engineering, structural engineering, and electrical engineering. Contractors, landscapers, and project managers also utilize CAD and digital technical drawings all the time in their jobs. Wherever there is a need for fast, efficient technical drawing production, you’ll find someone who uses CAD.

Types of CAD

It’s important to discuss the different types of CAD programs because each type requires the drafter or user to approach the process of drafting in a different way.

The first kinds of CAD software deal with 2D drafting. Budget or low-end programs work with strictly 2-D systems and interfaces. These include a bunch of free programs, many of which are open-source. These are best used for quick, no-fuss production of technical drawings and, although not as good as the higher-end CAD software out there, is still several times more efficient than hand drafting processes.

The more commonly used kind of CAD software nowadays is that which deals with 3D geometry. 3D CAD can roughly be categorized as wireframe, basic geometric solids, and “smart” solids.

The 3D wireframe was the next step after 2D CAD and as such, is considered a largely outdated way to handle 3D CAD drafting. Each line drafted into the file is done so manually and individually. The resulting model has no properties for mass or volume and cannot have many features directly added onto the line elements. Those only familiar with 2D CAD work will find have an easy transition working on 3D wireframe CAD work.

3D basic geometric solids have all the linear information of wireframe but with an added element of volume. These solids are created and edited the way you would real-world objects. These mass solids can be added to and subtracted from and shape basic 3D geometry such as spheres, cubes, cylinders, and so on. Projected views are then generated from these 3D models and plotted or printed out as 2D drawings.

Smart solids can be classified as parametric models or direct models. Parametric 3D models focus on the relationship of the elements to each other and the design intent of the modeler. The objects and the elements in a parametric model are modifiable and any modifications to the model can be done by modifying the original element. With parametric 3D models, modelers can make changes to one part of the model and all the other models, depending on their “relationship” with that part, will follow suit. Direct or explicit 3D models let users edit their models and geometry without checking back on the file’s history tree. Every sketch used to create geometry in the model is fully integrated into the 3D model.

While the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to CAD programs only offer basic 2D drafting, the other end has programs that not only incorporate the latest in 3D models and drafting technology but lets users include organic and freeform shapes into their designs.

What are the best CAD programs for me?

Depending on your experience with CAD and digital drafting, you will find that there is plenty of software to choose from if you want to make the most of your drafting experience. Let’s look at examples of CAD software that would be good for beginners, intermediate users, and advanced users.

Beginner CAD software

FreeCAD

The appropriately named FreeCAD software is completely free 3D modeling tool that has parametric capabilities. Although not intended to serve as a professional product, it’s good to use for beginners and is great in getting them up to speed on CAD and digital drafting.

SketchUp (Free Version)

SketchUp is probably the most user-friendly CAD and modeling program out there in the market. The interface is clean and aesthetically pleasing, the initial button layout is not overwhelming at all to new drafters. And the best part is that it comes with a convenient web-based free to use version.

TinkerCAD

 This Autodesk product is a 3D design app suited for beginners and the teaching of CAD drafting. TinkerCAD has a block-building concept, which means it asks users to develop their models and drafts using pre-set building blocks. It’s simple and highly effective at getting people caught up on CAD.

Intermediate CAD software

Fusion 360

 This 3D cloud-based program boasts one of the most collaborative workflows amongst any other CAD program. You can use Fusion 360 to model using freeform models, solids, and mesh. This is the first entry that comes with a price tag, going with a monthly subscription-based business model.

Creo

Creo is one of the oldest available CAD software out there. It has a lot of non-solid information and functionalities such as structural, thermal, motion properties for their elements. This type of CAD software is perfect for analyzing data and simulating real-life scenarios.

QCAD

 QCAD is the perfect transition between beginner drafting and advanced drafting. It’s a bit retro and takes a lot of inspiration from AutoCAD. This program is perfect for those that are aiming to produce tons of technical drawings and plans.

Advanced CAD software

AutoCAD

One of the most well-known and established brands out there, AutoCAD is essential if you want to take doing CAD work seriously. Although users have reported that it is not the most compatible with 3D printing, others have pointed out that it’s a program that truly shines in the 2D world.

Rhino

Largely considered the most versatile 3D modeling software out there. Rhino uses math and precise calculations to manipulate the elements on the screen in a variety of ways. It’s worth noting, however, that Rhino’s learning curve is pretty steep. A fair price to pay to be able to use the program that best captures design intent.

Blender

Blender is a reliable and relatively popular 3D CAD program which has not only been used in the design and construction fields, but is also being used to create game assets for different videogames out there.

What jobs are there in drafting and how much does it pay?

The Average Computer-Aided Design Drafter’s Median hourly pay rate hovers at around $18.40 in the United States. Other jobs aside from Drafter when you know how to use CAD are the following: space designer, urban planner, contractor, landscaper, project manager, and engineer.

You could even venture into more adventurous jobs such as set designer, photoshoot designer, and 3D renderer.

So that’s about it. That’s mostly all you need to know about CAD before you dive into it. It’s been a boon to designers everywhere and will certainly be part of the social landscape for designers and engineers in the near future. So if you’re planning to explore careers in construction or design, get started on learning how to use CAD programs now.

Scan2CAD understands this confusion all too well, which is why we set out to make things easier for CAD enthusiasts and professionals. We’ve been putting together comparison guides for all the popular CAD software packages on the market—from AutoCAD vs DraftSight to CATIA vs SolidWorks. This time around, we’re delving into the often compared packages: Creo and SolidWorks.

Whilst both packages are popular in engineering and product design, there are very clear and distinct differences—both in what they offer and the type of users that are in need of the software. Keep on reading to get all the essential information you need to know.

What is Creo?

History

Creo was first released in 1987 as Pro/ENGINEER by the company PTC (Parametric Technology Corporation) It was one of the first major solid modelers to hit the CAD market. Whilst most other software at the time were primarily 2D, Pro/ENGINEER was based on solid geometry and parametric assemblies. It was a complete game changer for the industry, leading to the creation of groundbreaking solid modeling kernels like Parasolid and ACIS. These kernels would later be sold to major CAD vendors, the most notable of which was AutoCAD in 1990. It’s safe to say that the release of Pro/ENGINEER was one of the biggest milestones in the evolution of CAD.

At the time of its creation, Pro/ENGINEER ran only on UNIX workstations, until the commercialization of PCs in the 1990s. The solid modeler has undergone many changes since its inception. For starters, it changed its name to Wildfire in the early 2000s, then to Creo Elements/Pro in 2009, before eventually settling on Creo in 2011. More importantly, however, is the move from a single product to a suite of tools designed to deliver a range of specific CAD tasks.

Since its relaunch as Creo, the suite has seen four major upgrades—the latest of which is Creo 5.0. Creo offers its features in distinct design packages, each different in the capabilities on offer.

What it does

Creo is a family of CAD apps that supports product design for all kinds of manufacturers. Each app delivers a varied set of capabilities to suit specific purposes. For starters, there are apps for 3D CAD parametric modeling, 3D direct modeling, finite element analysis, technical illustrations and visualizations. The apps closest in competition include software such as CATIA, Siemens NX and SolidWorks are Creo Elements/Pro and Creo Parametric.

With Creo Parametric, users can create and develop complex surface geometry using a range of features—from sweeps to blends to offsets—and freestyle modeling capabilities. For users seeking more extensive capabilities, PTC offers extensions like Creo Interactive Surface Design Extension (ISDX) to give users further control over tangency and curvature. With Creo Simulate, users can cut down production time by running powerful simulations in a few mere clicks—from linear static structural analysis to modal structural analysis, everything’s right at your fingertips.

Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Creo suite has 10 apps that meet the needs of designers, engineers and manufacturers across a whole range of industries. And they’re constantly updating and improving to stay ahead of the game. The latest version of Creo, 5.0, has brought a variety of new features to the table, in order to enable users to “go from concept to manufacturing in one design environment”. The most important of these features include:

• Topology optimization. Saving time, this feature enables users to create optimized shapes directly on geometry in Creo. With it, it’s even possible to specify objectives and constraints. Creo can then automatically generate designs based on these user specifications.
• Tools for augmented design. PTC has now brought Vuforia technology into the fold with ThingWorx, enabling users to create AR experiences that can be used in marketing, to show off products to clients and even help guide engineers through the design and production processes.
• Additive manufacturing. With a new Creo Additive Manufacturing Plus Extension for Materialise, users can now print production-grade metal parts—including support structures—from Creo 5.0 through Materialise. You can also manage print drivers and direct print to most metal printers on the market.
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Creo has long offered innovative and market-leading finite element analysis tools. With 5.0, however, users can now simulate fluid flow issues and evaluate how liquids and gases flow past models. Even better, these tools are designed to be easy to use, no matter your experience.

Who uses it

The Creo suite is used in a huge range of industries across the world—PTC Creo Parametric, for example, is an industry-standard tool for many. Indeed, Creo offers some of the most robust 3D CAD product design and development solutions on the market. With its wide variety of applications, PTC enables some of the most innovative companies and industries around the world to develop better products in less time—the likes of which includes Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas and Retail & Consumer Products.

Let’s take a look at some of the companies designing with Creo…

• Boston Engineering. An engineering services firm, Boston Engineering makes use of PTC Creo Simulate to analyze models in one environment. They also take advantage of PTC Windchill to manage product data.
• iRobot. In case the name didn’t clue you in, iRobot is dedicated to designing and building some of the world’s most important robots. They make use of PTC Windmill to automate ECAD BOM Management, Document Management and Design Data Management—reducing overall design time.
• JinTECH. A global leader producing manufacturing equipment, they make use of PTC Creo to speed up the design of models that support rapid prototyping. By doing so, they reduce errors, not to mention cutting costs and speeding up time to market.
• Ubiquoss. A network speciality company, Ubiquoss makes use of PTC Creo’s 3D CAD capabilities—and integrated product data management—to quickly design large assemblies and verify them in order to reduce the need for prototyping. With Creo, they’ve been able to reduce product development time by 11%.

With the sheer volume of PTC Creo applications on offer—and their advanced capabilities—Creo is able to offer solutions for practically anyone in the design, engineering and manufacturing sectors.

What is SolidWorks?

If you’ve spent even a few months delving into the world of CAD, you’ll have undoubtedly come across one of the most popular CAD packages on the market: SolidWorks. The flagship product of industry expert Dassault Systèmes, SolidWorks’ history spans all the way back to 1993. Created by SolidWorks Corporation—and none other than Onshape co-founder Jon Hirschtick—SolidWorks’ inception started in 1993. It wasn’t until 1995, however, that it was first released. Whilst not, perhaps, as astronomical for the CAD industry as Pro/ENGINEER, SolidWorks was one of the first significant 3D modelers for Windows.

SolidWorks was clearly a game changer for the market, because Dassault decided to acquire it 2 years later for a staggering $310 million in stocks. Whilst it was a bold move, it more than paid off—it’s estimated that over 2 million people were using SolidWorks by 2013 alone. And it’s only increased in popularity and usage since.

Dassault weren’t content to simply rest on their laurels, however. Whilst SolidWorks might have begun as a simple solid modeler, it has since developed into a full CAD and CAE program. Recent updates brought about by the release of SolidWorks 2019 have increased assembly performance to enable designers to create larger assemblies, improved 3D mesh modelling and introduced the innovative extended reality (XR) feature. And who knows what else the future will bring!

What it does

Though you might be fooled into thinking that SolidWorks is a simple solid modeler—due to its name alone—you’d be very wrong. SolidWorks is a full CAD and CAE product that enables users to take simple ideas and turn them into complex models, parts and assemblies. And when we say complex, we do mean complex. The 2019 edition boasts of handling even larger assemblies—complete with a large design review mode to boot!

Armed with a suite of integrated tools that meets every area of product development and management, SolidWorks helps users speed up the development and production cycle—enabling users to streamline workflows and processes. With it, users can also take advantage of simulation, cost estimation, sustainable design and data management capabilities. As mentioned above, the latest edition, SolidWorks 2019, has brought much to the table. A small sample of these capabilities includes:

• 3D mesh modelling. Users can now automatically convert 2D textures into 3D geometry. Not to mention model in a single process and save time with the extra handy option of a bi-directional viewpoint.
• Updates to touch user interface. Users can now write dimensions straight onto designs during the sketch process—meaning users will no longer have to move between keyboard and touch screen.
• CAM improvements. SolidWorks 2019 brings about new settings for CAM users to speed up their design and production processes. An example includes the zigzag mode for high-speed machining—giving users the ability to remove material much faster.
• Smart manufacturing. Making model based definitions easier to find, SolidWorks enables one file to store all relevant data sets of a project. No matter what stage you’re at—from conception to simulation to production—one location will store all the information you need.

Now, there are currently three packages of SolidWorks on offer—starting from the most basic, moving up towards the most advanced. Your choice, of course, depends entirely on what kind of capabilities you’re in need of:

• SolidWorks Standard. It comes with part, assembly, and 2D drawing functionality, not to mention specialized tools for sheet metal, surfacing, design analysis and CAM.
• SolidWorks Professional. Beyond what’s offered with Standard, it includes ECAD/MCAD collaboration, automated cost estimation, collaboration tools, sophisticated components and photorealistic rendering.
• SolidWorks Premium. Building on Professional, it includes structural and motion analysis tools, advanced surface flattening, reverse engineering and cable and pipe routing functionality.

Who uses it

SolidWorks probably has one of the largest online user communities in the CAD market. Though it targets many of the same industries as Creo—including aerospace, automotive, construction and consumer services—it is much more accessible for newcomers and general CAD enthusiasts. In fact, whilst Creo is predominantly aimed at the more high-end CAD market, whilst SolidWorks is more at the mid-level scale. That’s not to say that SolidWorks is the poorer product. Indeed, Dassault sees its simplicity—both in user interface and its learning curve—as a major selling point. In most cases, users won’t need the complexity that Creo offers.

Indeed, many CAD beginners find SolidWorks has a pretty accessible user interface—one of the many reasons for which its user base is constantly expanding. Looking to join the fold? You’re in luck—we’ve got heaps of resources to help you on your journey to becoming a SolidWorks expert. You can start with learning SolidWorks basics in one hour and then move onto top tips and tricks for SolidWorks newbies.

Let’s take a look at some of the companies that use SolidWorks…

• ABCO Automation Inc. With SolidWorks’ PDM capabilities, ABCO have shortened design cycles by 30%, accelerated time-to-market by 20%, reduced development costs by 20% and cut scrap/network costs by 50%.
• BERCHTOLD Corporation. With SolidWorks, BERCHTOLD saw annual revenue grow 20-30%, improved quoting efficiency for custom designs by 75%, increased profit margins and reduced prototype costs by 50%.
• Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. With SolidWorks, Leatherman increased the number of annual new products by 100%, shortened development cycles by 33%, supported implementation of new manufacturing methodologies and achieved various product development goals.
• MooBella. With SolidWorks and its PDM capabilities, MooBella was able to shorten product design cycles by 33%, reduce product development costs by 50% and improve overall product quality and performance.

Creo vs SolidWorks

Now that we’ve covered the ins and outs of both Creo and SolidWorks—covering histories, product descriptions and user communities—it’s time to look at the major differences between both products. To help you visualize the differences better, we’ve put together a table…

It’s pretty clear that SolidWorks is the winner if you’re looking for a product that is great for both CAD professionals and newcomers. With a pretty simple learning curve, it’s easy enough to get stuck into SolidWorks without much fuss. Of course, if you’re looking for a product that will offer you powerful solutions, greater complexity and a single design environment, Creo is a clear winner.

It doesn’t matter which product you choose in the end, however, as Scan2CAD can help you streamline your workflow no matter what. Whether you’re using old drawings in SolidWorks or Creo, Scan2CAD can convert your raster to DXF or DWG (for starters!).

Want to stay updated on all the latest CAD, CAM and CNC news and guides? Keep your eyes peeled on the Scan2CAD blog.

There are plenty of big stories to cover this month. To begin with, we’ll look at the release of AutoCAD 2019, which transforms a suite of programs into just one. Secondly, we’ll check out what’s new in PTC’s latest edition of Creo.

After that, we’ll move on to another innovative feature from the team over at Onshape which aims to end “design gridlock”. Finally, FloMASTER‘s new CAD connectivity comes into focus. Let’s begin!

Autodesk unveils AutoCAD 2019

In every year since 2003, Autodesk has chosen to release its latest version of AutoCAD in March. Though the exact release date always remains under wraps, the CAD community now eagerly awaits the latest version of AutoCAD right as spring rolls around, making it one of the most anticipated events of the CAD calendar. Autodesk did not disappoint this month, with AutoCAD 2019 hitting the market on March 22nd.

The key change that’s being made here is less one of increased functionality, and more one of packaging. Before, AutoCAD was a suite of products, with separate licenses for programs such as AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Mechanical, and so on. Now, that’s changed—the new tagline is “Only One AutoCAD”. What used to be separate products are now “specialized toolsets”: all under one roof. These include:

• Architecture
• Mechanical
• Electrical
• MEP
• Plant 3D
• Map 3D
• Raster Design

You may notice that one AutoCAD product is missing from the list: Civil 3D. This program won’t feature as a specialized toolset; instead, it will become a standalone program, retitled Autodesk Civil 3D.

Another key change is the launch of the AutoCAD web app. This sees AutoCAD join many of its competitors in making a foray into CAD in the cloud. There’s also an AutoCAD mobile app to join other iOS and Android CAD offerings.

Updates to the actual functionality of AutoCAD are less prominent here, but one key change is the introduction of DWG Compare. This allows you to identify the differences between two revisions of a drawing, including the ability to view clashes, changes, and to systematically check details in a file.

Other updates include “Share Design Views”, which lets you share designs without sharing the files themselves, plus new icons and better 2D graphics performance. Check out the full details at Autodesk.

PTC introduces Creo 5.0

If one major release wasn’t enough this March, we’ve got another one to report. This month saw the unveiling of Creo 5.0: the latest version of PTC’s CAD suite. The suite, which “enables users to go from concept to manufacturing in one design environment”, has received some key updates to help it remain competitive in a world where product design is in constant flux.

There are five important new features which set Creo 5.0 apart, including:

• Topology Optimization Extension. Taking a defined set of objectives and parameters, the Topology Optimization Extension automatically generates a number of optimized designs. This tool aims to allow users to create more efficient parts, helping to speed up the design process and introduce more innovation.
• Additive Manufacturing Plus Extension for Materialise. If you’re a regular reader, you may seen our 3D printing article. If so, you might remember that we mentioned Materialise: the Belgian 3D printing firm that offers users a variety of printing materials and colors. Users will now be able to print production-grade metal parts straight from Creo 5.0 through Materialise, as well as connecting to Materialise’s online library.
• Mold Machining. This tool offers dedicated machining capabilities for molds, dies, electrodes and prototype machining.
• Flow Analysis. This CFD solution makes it possible to use Creo 5.0 to simulate fluid flow issues. Additionally, it promises great ease-of-use, accuracy, and speed.
• Collaboration Extension for Autodesk Inventor. If you know your Autodesk software, you’ll be familiar with Inventor. Now, you can bring Creo and Inventor together thanks to this extension, which enables data reuse and resource sharing.

With everything from productivity enhancements through to tools for both additive and subtractive machining, it’s clear that this is a substantive update from PTC. Learn more about Creo 5.0 at PTC.

“Treating design gridlock”: Design Data Management 2.0 from Onshape

Ending design gridlock: from files to databases. Image source: Onshape.

Over the last few years, few CAD companies have been quite as innovative as Onshape. Not only were they the first to produce a full-cloud CAD solution, but they also hit the headlines as recently as January, when they unveiled Parametric Modeling 2.0. Now, the team at Onshape are ready to tackle their next problem: design gridlock.

Onshape compare “design gridlock” to a chronic disease, and lament its ability to “[divert] precious engineering energy into useless overhead”. In short, design gridlock refers to the inability of designers and engineers to progress because they are unable to (or are unsure if they can) access the same files. Chasing up correct files takes up precious time—and, after all, time is money.

The solution Onshape offers up is Design Data Management 2.0. Onshape identify files as the “root cause of design gridlock”; the logic goes that, if you get rid of files, you get rid of gridlock.

The alternative, therefore, is to store data in a database. Using the database, you can view all actions by all users, and every previous state of a design remains accessible forever. This means no overwriting—and no losing precious work. Another key benefit is that, because the database exists in the cloud, your data is all in one secure location, rather than being scattered across numerous discrete workstations.

Designers can also use the new functionality to collaborate instantly. Meanwhile, if you wanted different designers to take one design in multiple directions, you can—all working in parallel, whilst the original design remains intact. There are yet more reasons to get excited about Design Data Management 2.0—check them out at Onshape.

FloMASTER increases integration with CAD software

If you’ve really been paying attention to World of CAD, you may remember Siemens’ acquisition of Mentor Graphics in December 2016. Since then, we’ve covered plenty of other Siemens products, with Solid Edge featuring in our top 5 SolidWorks alternatives. Nonetheless, we hadn’t returned to Mentor—until now.

This month, Mentor announced some exciting updates to their computational fluid dynamics software, FloMASTER. Hailed as “the result of extensive years of research and development”, the new release brings CFD closer to CAD by enhancing FloMASTER’s integration with other software.

The key update here is CAD-to-FloMASTER—or CAD2FM, for short. Using this feature, engineers can quickly create representations of 3D systems. In order to do this, it takes 3D descriptions of piping networks, and automatically abstracts them into FloMASTER components. As a result, engineers have to put in less manual work.

While this feature would be newsworthy alone, there are plenty of other FloMASTER features worth talking about. Firstly, there’s new functionality for air conditioning systems, with an enhanced Enthalpy Solver and new components added to the Vapour Cycle library. Due to this, engineers can study and optimize complex systems for aerospace, automotive and building systems.

There are also new enhancements to script-based components; you can now use input and output signals and write custom results. Meanwhile, engineers can expect a better user experience: schematic annotation, a new results dashboard, more powerful parametric analysis tools, and more. If you’d like to find out more, then head over to Mentor.

As a student, you have access to dozens of professional CAD packages for free—whether you know it or not. You can also get further discounts off other CAD packages. With that in mind, Scan2CAD has compiled a list of the top discounted and free CAD software for you to enjoy. Plus, extra learning resources and freebies for you to take advantage of. 

Table of Contents

• Importance Of Free Software
• What’s A Student License?
• Free CAD Software
  • Autodesk Software
  • Onshape
  • PTC Creo
  • Solid Edge
  • ARCHICAD
  • DraftSight
• Discounted CAD Software
  • SolidWorks
  • CATIA
  • NX Resources
  • TurboCAD
  • Rhinoceros 3D
• Extra Resources and Freebies

The Importance Of Free CAD For Students

Whether you’re a student of engineering or architecture, you’ll find that many disciplines are becoming increasingly reliant upon digital tools. These types of tools take the form of CAD, CAM and CAE software applications. If you’re interested in bringing skills into internships or CAD careers, you need to have a good understanding of this type of software. 

With the rise of technological innovations and advancements, CAD packages are becoming increasingly more expensive to purchase. As a student, you’re already racking up the costs with your education—you don’t want to be spending more money trying to learn the skills that you’ll need in your future job. Of course, most colleges will already provide this software in their campus computer labs. If you don’t have 24 hour access however, free software is a lifesaver. 

Free Student Software

Free software is a growing trend in the CAD industry for students. Of course, free or discounted student software comes with restrictions such as low storage or a set length of license term. When you sign up for a student license, you have to stipulate that you’ll only use it for academic or non-commercial purposes. The software comes with the same functionality as professional versions, except your projects will have a small watermark so it’s clear you’re using an academic version. 

What’s A Student License?

There are two types of licenses that enable students access to free CAD software. 

Academic Institution Software Licenses

Most academic institutions offer students software on machines on campus or in computer labs. Some institutions even have licensing agreements that allow students to download software to their personal machine. Usually, the school will purchase the software which can then be downloaded by students for free with a license key. 

Of course, these licenses are usually limited to term times—once you’re no longer a student, you can’t use the software. The licenses are also for academic, non-commercial use only. 

Individual Download through a vendor

Outside of academic institutions, many software vendors have started to offer free student software through their own websites. Students need to register to prove they’re eligible for the software. This is usually done by using an academic email address or a student ID number.

Like the academic license, this is limited to a termly or yearly basis—you have to renew the license at the end of the term in order to keep using the software. 

Free CAD 

Without further ado, below you’ll find a list of the top free CAD software that you should be taking advantage of right now. Be aware that you can only use them while you’re a student. While you do however, you’ll be saving thousands of dollars a year. If you can’t find the CAD software you’re looking for, you might find it in the discounted CAD section. Alternatively, if you’re not a student why not check out 14 top CAD freeware? 

We have included software descriptions, operating systems and commercial price comparisons. It’s important to note that some software vendors don’t publish their prices, so the price we have included may be an approximation. 

Autodesk Software

Autodesk is the giant of all giants in the world of CAD. It offers an extensive range of CAD, CAM and CAE software that thousands of professionals and hobbyists use on a daily basis. One of the issues with Autodesk however, is that the software can be rather expensive. 

Fortunately, Autodesk offers most of its major packages to students and educators for free. This includes packages like AutoCAD, Fusion 360 and Revit. All you have to do is apply for a 3 year education license—just prove that you’re a student and off you go. The only limitation is that your designs will have watermarks on them so that it’s clear the file was created with a non-professional version. Take a look at the top Autodesk packages that you should be taking advantage of below. Be aware that this is just the tip of the iceberg—there are dozens more products available for students. 

AutoCAD

• Type: 2D/3D
• Students: Free
• Commercial: $11,470/year
• OS: Windows, Mac

Starting with Autodesk’s flagship product, AutoCAD is one of the most popular CAD packages out there. Released in 1979, AutoCAD is a 2D and 3D CAD software used in a range of industries including architecture, construction and manufacturing. 

Designers can use AutoCAD throughout the entire design process to bring ideas to life, produce designs and perform simulations. Autodesk offers specialized versions of AutoCAD including Architecture, Civil 3D and Electrical. The software uses the popular file format DWG—approximately 2 billion DWG files were in existence by 1988! AutoCAD comes with 2D documentation and 3D modeling tools. It can also be used on mobile with AutoCAD 360. 

Fusion 360

• Type: 3D
• Students: Free 
• Commercial: $300/year (standard), $1,500/year (ultimate)
• OS: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android

Fusion 360 is a 3D CAD, CAM and CAE tool. It covers the entire production process from planning to testing to executing. Hailed as the ‘first tool of its kind’, Fusion 360 enables designers to work in a single cloud-based platform that works on both Mac and PC. 

It comes with sculpting and modeling tools that bring your designs to life, alongside FEA capabilities to perform simulations and test a product’s viability. Its key advantage is in its collaborative capabilities—with Fusion 360 you can bring design teams together from across the world. 

Revit

• Type: 2D/3D
• Students: Free
• Commercial: $2,000/year
• OS: Windows and Mac

This BIM software is popular among architects, structural engineers and designers. A key player in the BIM market, Revit enables users to design and build 3D structures and access building information from the model’s data. It comes with 4D BIM which gives users the ability to plan and track the stages of a building’s lifecycle. 

It enables full collaboration across multiple project contributors, resulting in better coordination and management. 

Learning Resources

Autodesk’s learning resources are just as extensive as its range of software. Autodesk Academy gives students the ability to develop their skills and prepare for careers through free online courses and webinars. Students can also create their own portfolios on Design Academy to show off their work. They can then connect to fellow students, enter into design challenges for industry professionals and sign up for Autodesk’s Student Experts program. 

Autodesk University Online is a learning platform that helps Autodesk users educate themselves on all of the products on offer. There are hundreds of online classes available, held by industry experts. Users can browse these classes by feature topic (3D printing, cloud services, sustainable design), by product (AutoCAD, Revit, Maya), or by industry (AEC, infrastructure, media). 

Not to mention, there’s an education community where students can share projects, questions and ideas. 

Onshape

Using named views in Onshape

• Type: 2D/3D
• Students: Free 
• Commercial: $100/month
• OS: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android

If you missed our article covering cloud-based CAD, you might not have tried out this innovative CAD package. Onshape is a fully cloud-based CAD package that enables you to take the software anywhere you want, on any device. 

It’s delivered over the cloud as a Service, offering real-time data management and a collaborative mode that enables everyone on a team instant access to the same CAD files and workspace. Onshape’s education subscription is completely free for students and educators. Documents created with the Education Plan are tagged with a small EDU icon. The subscription lasts for one year after you sign up, but you can upgrade once more if you still qualify. 

Learning Resources

Onshape’s learning center offers students self-paced training in the form of courses called Learning Pathways. These courses are designed to help users accelerate their transition to full-cloud CAD. The pathways can vary from Onshape fundamentals to data management, and each pathway rewards learners with a completion certificate at the end. It’s also possible to register for live training provided virtually by Onshape instructors. 

The introduction to CAD series is a short online course that is perfect for people unfamiliar with CAD—it takes you through everything from basic features to collaboration and PDM. Onshape also provides a variety of tutorials that are essentially quick lessons for students who are familiar with CAD. 

PTC Creo

Parametric modeling in PTC Creo

• Type: 2D/3D
• Students: Free 
• Commercial: $2,200/year
• OS: Windows

Released in 1987, PTC Creo, formally Pro/ENGINEER, was one of the first major solid modelers in the CAD industry. Creo is an integrated 3D CAD, CAM and CAE solution predominantly used for mechanical engineering, design and manufacturing—often for large scale products like airplanes or ships. It’s a complex program to get to grips with, but it pays off with incredible precision.

PTC Creo is a parametric feature-based modeler that provides an extensive range of tools for solid and surface modeling capabilities. It has a range of analysis tools that cover thermal, static and dynamic finite element analysis to help with the development of a product. Creo also comes with collaborative features that enable large teams of designers and engineers to work on the same product easily and efficiently.

Learning Resources

If you’re new to Creo, you’ll find the solution to most of your problems in the PTC University Exchange. This online resource gives students the chance to explore thousands of tutorials for all PTC products. With it, you can learn anything from using the geometry selection filter to synchronizing orientation—whether your interest lies in parametric modeling or simulation, you’ll find everything you need here. 

PTC Services Academy gives recent graduates the chance to learn a variety of topics that can help them become a successful PTC consultant and future leader. Training includes instruction by PTC management and employees as well as learning through group work and practical experiences. 

The PTC Community gives students, educators and professors the chance to seek support for anything PTC-related. Students can share projects or issues and look for professional tips along the way. 

Solid Edge

• Type: 2D/3D
• Students: Free
• Commercial: $2,300/year
• OS: Windows

Solid Edge is a 3D CAD software developed by Siemens PLM Software. It’s a parametric feature-based and synchronous technology solid modeling software. This means that users can apply parametric relationships to solid features without having to depend on 2D sketch geometry.

It provides solid modeling, assembly modeling and a 2D orthographic view functionality. Users can customize the interface and work with fully intuitive design and sculpting tools. Solid Edge also comes with analysis tools that enable users to calculate the weight of materials for example, and even show errors when you try to design something that’s impossible to build.

Learning Resources

Siemens offers students the chance to select their own learning paths. These paths can vary depending on your level of experience—if you’re new to CAD, experienced with other systems or transitioning to synchronous technology. Siemens also provides a variety of tutorials that cover topics ranging from modeling parts with ordered features to modeling ordered contour flanges. 

You can also choose your own self-paced course, such as the fundamentals course. Alternatively, you can choose an instructor-led course from the library. 

ARCHICAD

• Type: 2D/3D
• Students: Free
• Commercial: $3,900/year
• OS: Windows, Mac

ARCHICAD is an architectural BIM and CAD software. It’s recognized as the first CAD product on a personal computer able to create both 2D and 3D geometry. It’s also hailed as the first commercial BIM product for personal computers. The product comes with 2D and 3D drafting capabilities, visualization and BIM functions.

ARCHICAD makes large teamwork projects easy—with advanced collaboration capabilities, teams can work on the same project in one platform. It features a fairly intuitive interface and an end-to-end BIM workflow. The product also offers solutions for calculations regarding factors such as climate, energy and materials. It even offers extensive libraries for architects.

Learning Resources

Graphisoft offers a series of approved training resources that are made for users with different levels of knowledge and interest. Each training volume includes a step-by-step PDF manual, narrated video clips and ARCHICAD project files for a more hands-on approach. 

DraftSight

• Type: 2D
• Students: Free 
• Commercial: $99/year professional version
• OS: Windows, Mac, Ubuntu, Fedora

DraftSight comes from Dassault Systèmes’ large portfolio—if you don’t know much about the company, check out Dassault Systèmes – Everything You Need To Know. It’s a 2D design and drafting solution that enables users to create, edit and view DWG files. There’s a free version, and a professional version that costs $99/year.

DraftSight has all of the essential functionality of AutoCAD including vector graphics, layers, blocks and dimensions. It’s easy to use and very intuitive—it can be a nice alternative to ‘heavier’ CAD packages that have a steep learning curve. It doesn’t have 3D capabilities but considering it’s free, you can’t really complain about that.

Learning Resources

Dassault is all about training which is why it has a host of learning resources to help maximize the DraftSight experience. You can begin with the getting started guide covering everything from tutorials on line commands to basic dimensioning. With almost 200 pages, you’ll be sure to find everything you need. 

If not, Dassault has also provided a series of Draftsight video tutorials. Needless to say, if you put in the effort you’ll be a DraftSight pro in no time at all. 

Discounted CAD Software

If the list of free CAD software isn’t enough for you, we’ve even included some packages that offer exclusive student discounts. You might be reluctant to spend any money on CAD, but you should definitely take advantage of these discounts while you can. 

SolidWorks

• Type: 2D/3D
• Student discount: $150 or less
• Commercial: $5,290 (standard with subscription)
• OS: Windows

SolidWorks is a renowned solid modeling CAD and CAE program used by millions of people across the world. In fact, Dassault Systèmes released it as the first significant 3D modeler for Windows—a huge landmark in the evolution of CAD. It’s used across a range of industries including aerospace, engineering and product design. 

SolidWorks is a parametric feature-based 3D modeling software. It can be used for auto-generated 2D drawings and advanced 3D modeling. Users can perform simulations and analyses like Finite Element Analysis to test their products before creating a physical prototype. It’s all about faster modeling and enhanced collaboration with SolidWorks. 

Learning Resources

SolidWorks gives students access to a resource center which includes exclusive tutorials ranging from full video tutorials to PDF guides and project files. It’s designed to help students become professional SolidWorks users. You can start from the beginning by looking at parts and assemblies, or go straight to the more advanced lessons. 

MySolidWorks is a learning platform with over 400 training videos. Students can learn SolidWorks at their own pace by accessing individual learning modules with explanations, videos and quizzes. It’s also possible to search for and get answers to questions. Not to mention, you can download free 2D/3D CAD models of user-contributed and supplier-certified parts and assemblies. You can even connect with the SolidWorks community via the education forum. 

CATIA

• Type: 2D/3D
• Student discount: $99/year
• Commercial: starting from $12,000
• OS: Windows, Unix

Another of Dassault’s products, CATIA is a 3D Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software suite that supports the entire process of product development. It comes with CAD, CAM and CAE capabilities to take users through the entire design process. CATIA started out in the aerospace industry, but has since branched out to others including architecture and design.

The product supports multiple stages of product design regardless of whether it’s started from scratch or from a 2D sketch. It also facilitates collaborative engineering—large teams can design these products in a real-life behavioral context. CATIA provides a wide range of applications for tooling design and enables users to create complex parametric objects.

Learning Resources

Dassault provides users with a resource center for CATIA-related topics. This center includes a variety of e-seminars on topics ranging from improving electrical design productivity to achieving fast fluid systems design. Students can also take advantage of the knowledge base which is essentially a forum where you can exchange questions, projects and find more tutorials. 

Another helpful feature is the CATIA user communities which connect you to communities in design, systems engineering, composites and much more. You can connect to fellow students and users to discuss any challenges you have and exchange ideas with your peers. 

NX Resources

• Type: 2D/3D
• Student discount: $98.95/year
• Commercial: $7,500/year
• OS: Windows, Mac, Unix

Another Siemens PLM Software product, NX Resources is an advanced CAD, CAM and CAE software package. It offers advanced solutions for conceptual design, 3D modeling and documentation. It also employs synchronous technology for flexible design in an open environment.

NX Resources is used for parametric and direct solid or surface modeling. It comes with engineering analysis tools that include Finite Element Method and Finite Volume Method. Users can also take advantage of simulation capabilities that come with structural, motion and thermal applications.

Learning Resources

Siemens offers self-paced training for free through Learning Advantage. This is an easy-to-use learning platform that provides students with online library access to more than 1,000 courses and assessments. It also includes augmented classroom experiences through online interactive learning. These self-assessment tools allow you to train at your own pace whilst tracking and recording your progress. 

If you want to connect with fellow users, check out the Siemens PLM Community. This gives you the ability to discuss projects, problems and ideas. In addition, you can take advantage of NX quick tips on YouTube. 

TurboCAD 

• Type: 2D/3D
• Student discount: $99.95/year
• Commercial: $109.95/year
• OS: Windows, Mac

TurboCAD is a 2D and 3D design and drafting software. There are three versions of the software: deluxe, professional and platinum. The further up this scale you go, the more capabilities you get and the more expensive the software is. You can get a student discount for any version. If you haven’t heard of TurboCAD, you’ve missed out on a user-friendly and affordable software package.

The product comes with general drafting tools as well as 3D architectural and mechanical design tools. Users can enjoy time-saving features like command lines which make the production process even shorter. TurboCAD also comes with customizable tool palettes and an intuitive user interface.

Learning Resources

TurboCAD has a variety of training packages on offer, however they’re not free. For basic training in TurboCAD 2D/3D it will cost you $49.99 whereas training for TurboCAD Pro Platinum will set you back $129.99. 

If you’re not willing to pay up for training, you can take advantage of the TurboCAD forum where you can share your own drawings and get feedback from other students. You can also discuss ideas, share problems and browse through plug-ins. The TurboCAD Wiki page also provides a host of incredible resources from tips and tricks to extensions. 

Rhinoceros 3D

• Type: 2D/3D
• Student discount: $128.95/year
• Commercial: $789.95/year
• OS: Windows

Rhinoceros 3D is a computer graphics and CAD application software. It’s based on the NURBS model which produces mathematically precise representations of curves and freeform surfaces. It’s popular in CAD, CAM, rapid prototyping and 3D printing. In addition, it’s used in a range of industries including architecture, product design and industrial design.

Rhinoceros 3D comes with advanced capabilities for creating and transforming 2D shapes for vector graphics. Users can even customize the interface and create custom commands and menus—not to mention take advantage of four different view angles. The product is even simple to use with a connected CNC machine.

Learning Resources

Rhinoceros has a resources page which gives users the chance to browse through websites that offer free 2D and 3D models in jewelry, architecture and much more. 

Students can access a range of video and PDF tutorials—from freeform modeling to visual tips. These tutorials are even categorized into ‘grasshopper classes‘ and ‘master classes‘ so you can learn at a pace suited to your experience level. If you like the sound of live instruction, you can find a class in your time zone and take it in the comfort of your own home. 

Extra Resources and Freebies

If you’re looking to become an expert in the world of CAD, you’ll need to take advantage of the best resources and freebies out there. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of the top Scan2CAD resources that you should be using—you don’t even need to be a student!

Scan2CAD is a market-leading raster-to-vector conversion software. Its primary focus is converting technical drawings to usable editable vector images. The software comes with a raster and vector editing suite, batch processing and Smart OCR. You can get Scan2CAD for free—regardless of whether you’re a student or not—in a 14-day trial. 

For a better look at Scan2CAD’s capabilities, take a look at Scan2CAD: the ultimate vectorization software. 

If you love freebies, you’ll love Scan2CAD’s free DXF packs. These cut-ready DXF designs are ready for use in CNC—a huge advantage if you’re looking to start your own CNC projects. You get 6 or 7 designs in a DXF or JPG format each week if you subscribe. Want more? Check out 13 sites with free DXF designs. 

If you want to stay updated on all things CAD, CNC and CAM-related, Scan2CAD’s blog is the place to be. We cover topics ranging from SolidWorks tips and tricks, to how to build the ultimate CAD PC, to CNC machines compared. 

New to the world of CAD? Check out our ‘7 things you need to know’ series, covering everything from DXF files to vectorization and 3D printing. 

In this article, we’ll look at how the engineering industry and its sub-disciplines use CAD. We’ll even take a quick look at examples of CAD software used in the industry. 

The History of CAD and Engineering

Computer Aided Design has a rich history that spans back to over 50 years ago. When the software began to gain traction in the 1970’s, it was predominantly a proprietary tool for heavy industries. By the 1980’s however, commercial CAD systems began to appear in the engineering industry including the aerospace, shipbuilding and automotive sectors. 

The release of parametric modelers like Pro/ENGINEER brought about an entirely new way of engineering and designing. These programs gave engineers the ability to set clear parameters, features and relationships. Parametric modelers in particular were paramount in the progress of the engineering industry. Boeing for example, made use of parametric modeler CATIA to design and draft the new 777 aircraft in 1988. 

CAD, to put it simply, was revolutionary in the engineering industry. It started to merge the roles of drafters, designers and engineers. In fact, if you ask people today what the differences are between the three roles, you’ll  find some overlap—you can see this in AutoCAD careers. 

Take a look below to see how CAD works in the engineering industry. 

How CAD is Used in Engineering

Design

Computer Aided Design is used in the engineering industry to produce designs, specifications and models for mechanical components or systems. Engineers can use this software throughout  the entire engineering process—from the conceptual stages to strength analysis to the manufacturing methods for components. 

CAD provides the quality, accuracy and precision that is required for engineering and manufacturing. The entire production process can be sped up with CAD. Engineers no longer have to redraw blueprints or designs when they need to make modifications. Instead, they can reuse elements from previous designs and isolate, analyze and redesign individual components. 

Simulations

CAD doesn’t just help engineers create designs, it also gives them the ability to fully analyze their designs through simulations. Engineers can measure stress levels, simulate the flow of fluid and calculate the tolerances of their design. Essentially, they can figure out the strengths and weaknesses of their designs without having to manufacture them. 

CAD software locates flaws and troubleshoots problems that engineers would otherwise only discover after production. Additionally, it can also simulate how a prototype would function in certain environments, including extreme environments which would be difficult to replicate in the real world. CAD packages make use of CAE applications to aid in engineering analysis tasks. 

CAE

Programs like SolidWorks come with Finite Element Analysis

Over the years, CAD programs have had time to evolve to suit the needs of specific industries. CAD applications now come with rendering capabilities and other tools which are integrated modules or standalone products—CAE is an example. 

Computer Aided Engineering tools are used to analyze the performance of components and assemblies. CAE encompasses simulation, validation and optimization of products and manufacturing tools. Specific tools include: 

• Finite Element Analysis: stress analysis on components and assemblies. 
• Computational Fluid Dynamics: thermal and fluid flow analysis. 
• Multibody Dynamics: dynamic behavior of interconnected bodies. 

The capabilities that engineers now possess due to CAD and CAE have resulted in most design verification being completed using computer simulations rather than through physical prototype testing. A worldwide CAD trends study conducted in 2016 found that usage in CAE is expected to grow to 43% over the next 3-5 years. The study also found that those in the manufacturing industries tend to use it most for design optimization, design validation and prediction of product performance. 

Benefits of CAD to the Engineering Industry

It’s easy to see why the engineering industry has embraced CAD. With CAD software, engineers have access to hundreds of incredible capabilities. Take a look at some of the benefits of using CAD software for engineers and designers across the engineering industry.

• More precision and control. Engineers can now analyze and measure each component of their projects. CAD makes the design process far more intuitive and efficient. 

• Faster design execution. Before CAD, engineers would have to redraft their designs every time a flaw or error was found. As you can imagine, this would lengthen the design process. In contrast, CAD software enables engineers to make quick modifications. 

• Cost efficiency. Engineers no longer have to create a physical prototype for each step of the design process. They can make changes to their CAD prototype and then take their project straight to manufacturing once it has been reviewed. Consequently, engineers can expect lower costs and shorter design completion times. 
• Better documentation and collaboration. Every step of the design process can be well-documented with CAD. This prevents designs from being damaged or lost over time. Engineers can save these designs and send them to fellow engineers for collaboration, or to clients for review. 

What is a CAD Engineer?

There are different levels of CAD engineers from junior to senior. The more senior roles tend to have more responsibility and complexity – and of course come with higher pay.

Junior CAD engineers will typically start with basic design tasks working on 2D drawings – commonly referred to as CAD drafting – and will work under the guidance of more senior CAD engineers. Some tasks may include re-drawing old technical drawings, converting PDFs to DXF / DWG files or changing the design of a component or part to suit a new design or manufacturing specification.

As a CAD engineer grows in experience and knowledge, they will be given more complicated tasks including 3D modelling and running simulations (e.g. finite element analysis) where a deeper understanding of not just the CAD package is required, but a wider knowledge of the engineering discipline the CAD engineer is working in.

The Main Branches and Sub-disciplines of Engineering

Engineering is a broad field that encompasses a range of more specialized disciplines and sub-disciplines. There are four main branches: chemical, electrical, civil and mechanical engineering. There are, of course, sub-disciplines that offer specialized knowledge and skills in a particular field. Automotive engineering, for example, is a sub-discipline of mechanical engineering focused more heavily on vehicle design and testing. 

Here is a list of the main branches of engineering:

1. Chemical Engineering

Image source: endless3d.com

Chemical engineers design large-scale processes that convert chemicals, raw materials and energy into a useful product. This branch of engineering involves managing plant processes and conditions to ensure optimal plant operation. Chemical engineering design concerns the creation of plans, specifications and analyses for new plants or plant modifications. 

CAD programs can be used for process design and analysis—e.g. for the definition of equipment types and how they’re connected together. Engineers can also use their knowledge and CAD to select optimal production methods and plant equipment to minimize costs and maximize safety and profitability. 

The sub-disciplines of chemical engineering include:

• Process design: design of processes for desired physical/chemical transformation of materials. 
• Chemical reaction engineering: involves optimizing chemical reactions to define the best reactor design. 
• Process control: deals with architectures, mechanisms and algorithms for maintaining the output of a specific process. 
• Process development: used for the design, analysis and optimization of technical processes such as chemical plants and power station. 

2. Civil Engineering

Image source: Autodesk

Civil engineers design and construct public and private works such as infrastructure, bridges, dams and buildings. Their projects can take years and millions of dollars to build—they also have a huge impact on people’s lives. It’s therefore critical that these projects go well, starting right from the design phase. 

3D models of terrain can be created in CAD—incorporating existing topography, geological data and utilities. They allow the engineer to design and redesign a building as many times as they need to create the perfect output. Civil engineers can use CAD to take thousands of factors into account such as the cost, the terrain and the hours required. 

The sub-disciplines of civil engineering include:

• Materials science and engineering: studies the fundamental characteristics of materials—dealing with ceramics, strong metals and thermosetting polymers.
• Construction engineering: involves planning and execution, transportation of materials, environmental, structural and geotechnical engineering.
• Environmental engineering: addresses the issues of energy preservation, production asset and control of waste from human and animal activities.
• Geotechnical engineering: concerned with the engineering behavior of earth materials—they use principles of soil and rock mechanics to investigate subsurface conditions and materials.

3. Electrical Engineering

Image source: lynda

Electrical engineers design, develop and test the manufacturing of electrical equipment. CAD enables these engineers to create electrical and electronic diagrams, control circuit diagrams, schematics and documentation.

CAD typically comes with libraries of parts and symbols which allow electrical engineers to automate design tasks and generate bills of materials (BOM) reports. It’s possible to create electrical schematic designs based on wire material type, temperature and maximum voltage drop. CAD certainly improves the productivity of electrical engineers as they are able to build default circuits and reuse them later.

The sub-disciplines of electrical engineering include:

• Electronics: involves the design and testing of electronic circuits that use the properties of component such as resistors to achieve a certain functionality.
• Microelectronics: deals with the design and micro-fabrication of small electronic circuit components for use in an integrated circuit or as a general electronic component.
• Telecommunications: seeks to support and enhance telecommunication systems. It involves anything from basic circuit design to strategic mass developments.
• Computers: concerned with the design of computers and computer systems. It may involve the design of PDAs, tablets, supercomputers or computers that control industrial plants.

4. Mechanical Engineering

Image source: sabeercad

Mechanical engineers are concerned with the improvement and modification of mechanical components and systems. They research, design, develop and test mechanical devices. Additionally, they research designs and make recommendations based on industry standards and regulations.

CAD comes in handy as engineers can design components and assemblies to fit their strict technical specifications. Some CAD programs can also automatically generate a bill of materials (BOM) for a particular design, based on a library of components. Mechanical engineers can also make use of simulation to test everything from stress to measuring vibrations in order get the perfect output without having to create and modify real-world prototypes.

The sub-disciplines of mechanical engineering include:

• Mechatronics: combination of mechanics and electronics that is concerned with integrating electrical and mechanical engineering to create hybrid systems.
• Structural analysis: concerned with the effects of physical loads on physical structures and their components.
• Mechanics: the study of forces and their effect on matter. It can involve analyzing and predicting acceleration and deformation of objects under known forces or stresses.
• Thermodynamics: deals with the study of energy, its use and transformation through a system, e.g. heat and temperature and their relation to energy and work.

CAD Software Used in the Engineering Industry

To finish off, we’ve put together a small list of the top CAD software used in the engineering industry. The list predominantly focuses on mechanical design and parametric modelers. 

1. Fusion 360

Fusion 360 was Autodesk’s first venture into the realm of cloud-based CAD. The software is “the first 3D CAD, CAM and CAE tool of its kind”. It provides parametric tools that allow designers to edit components as their specifications change. It also gives users the ability to test fit and motion, perform simulations and create photo-realistic renderings.

2. CATIA

CATIA was developed by Dassault Systèmes and comes with CAD, CAM and CAE support.  It’s often referred to as a 3D PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) software suite. CATIA is widely used throughout the engineering industry, more specifically, sectors like automotive and aerospace that require rich surface modeling.

3. SolidWorks

SolidWorks is a solid modeling CAD and CAE program that was also developed by Dassault Systèmes. It was the first significant 3D modeler for Windows in 1995. Engineers can use it to create auto-generated 2D drawings and advanced 3D models using a parametric feature-based approach. Users can also perform analyses and simulations including Finite Element Analysis. 

4. Creo Elements/Pro

Previously known as Pro/ENGINEER, Creo was developed by PTC. It was the first major mechanical CAD software to bring parametric feature-based 3D modeling to the world of CAD. The software comes with fully integrated CAD, CAM and CAE solutions. These solutions allow users to develop everything from concept to manufacturing within one single application. 

5. Autodesk Inventor

Another of Autodesk’s popular products, Inventor is a 3D CAD software that offers 3D mechanical design, documentation and product simulation tools. It enables users to produce precise 3D models to aid in designing, visualizing and simulating products before they’re built. Simulation tools allow users to input factors like driving loads and friction loads to test how their product will function in a real-world scenario.

Conclusion

In this article, we have covered the history of CAD and how it took off in the 1970s. We also covered the different uses of CAD in engineering and what the main branches and sub-disciplines are including chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

CAD engineering, and therefore the role of the CAD engineer, is varied – as you can see in our overview of what a CAD engineer does. Whether it be 2D drafting, 3D modelling, running simulations or supporting real world tests, there is a spread of CAD software that a CAD engineer uses and we cover five of the main CAD packages in the section above.

Then, in software news, we’ll be discussing the updated versions of Autodesk’s Fusion 360 and PTC’s Creo.

Finally, we’ll turn our attention to new product launches. This month saw HP unveil its CAD-focused Z2 Mini workstation. Meanwhile, on Kickstarter, the new SafFire machine combines laser engraving with 3D printing. Want to learn more? Read on for the stories you need to know.

Siemens announces acquisition of Mentor Graphics Corp.

Our first story this month sees Siemens purchasing Oregon-based software firm Mentor Graphics for a cool $4 billion. Mentor specialize in design automation and industrial software; engineers use the company’s products to design semiconductor chips and other electronics, especially within the aerospace and automobile industries.

Valor NPI, one of Mentor Graphics’ programs

The purchase is key to Siemens’ ambition to become a mechatronics powerhouse. With the acquisition, Siemens claims it has become the “unique digital industrial player to offer mechanical, thermal, electrical, electronic and embedded software design capabilities on a single integrated platform”.

Autodesk updates Fusion 360

Here at the Scan2CAD blog, we’ve previously written about the impact of the cloud upon CAD technology. Even as CAD software transitions from the desktop to the cloud, however, one company remains a key player: Autodesk. The company’s Fusion 360 program acts as a bridge between the traditional and the new, offering both offline and online modes. This ensures designers can carry on working anywhere, on any device, even with no internet connection.

Now, Autodesk have unveiled their latest updates to the software. One of the most notable is that users can now choose between two subscription tiers: standard and ultimate. Ultimate users will be able to benefit from a manage-contacts tool, comparison of multiple load cases within a single workspace, and a structural buckling feature. The software also includes several preview functions, including event simulation and shape optimization. Check out Autodesk’s In The Fold blog post for the full details.

PTC unveils Creo 4.0

This month also saw American software company PTC announce the release of Creo 4.0. This is the latest version of the 3D CAD suite, which specializes in product development “from concept to digital prototype”. The flagship program in this suite is Creo Parametric, which promises to be “the only software you need for 3D CAD”.

The updated program sees new capabilities that allow product designers to design with the Internet of Things in mind, including integrating sensors into the design process. It also allows for more efficient design of parts for additive manufacturing, and facilitates bringing virtual designs into the physical world using augmented reality. Visit PTC to learn more.

The new game console-sized, CAD-focused workstation from HP

In mid-November, HP presented its new Z2 Mini PC, a direct competitor to Apple‘s aging Mac Mini offering. Though “90% smaller than a traditional business-class tower” and closer in appearance to a games console than a traditional workstation, the new machine still packs a serious punch. Featuring NVIDIA Quadro graphics, an Intel Xeon processing unit and HP Z Turbo Drive, the Z2 Mini shows that, sometimes, size really doesn’t matter.

This machine may be impressive, but you may be wondering why we’ve decided to feature it in World of CAD. The answer is that the Z2 Mini was built for CAD. Designed to give CAD users the best possible experience, the Z2 Mini is certified for a number of professional software applications, including AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Revit and Inventor. Click here to visit the HP website for more information.

SafFire combines 3D printing and laser engraving

Finally for this month’s roundup, we’re featuring another fantastic new bit of hardware that’s currently available to back on Kickstarter. The SafFire Laser Engraving System combines both 3D printing and laser technology. Using its 3D printing capabilities, this machine excels in producing prototypes with incredibly fine levels of detail. SafFire comes with both large and small 3D printing accessories, allowing for the production of small objects, such as rings and trinkets, as well as larger items, such as dental casts.

For a cost of $1,095, the machine’s laser beam is not only powerful, but also accurate. With its 75 micron laser spot, SafFire promises “unparalleled 3D print quality”. The project still has 2 weeks to hit its $40,000 target—check it out now on Kickstarter.