3D printing software simplifies the process of generating real life models from 2D drawings, improving the efficiency of designs and minimizing the cost associated with manufacturing.
A 3D printing software is a tool which converts a design in your computer into a 3D model with depth and dimensions. A 3D printing software tool is used for transforming your drawings into meshes which are called G-codes. The best program for 3D printing then uses these G codes to replicate physically realisable models.
A best software for 3D printer modeling uses G-codes to replicate physically realizable models. There are various paid and open source 3D printing software available in the market that makes it easy for designers to create complex designs.
Unlike traditional processes, 3D printed parts and prototypes can often be produced in hours, rather than traditional means of manufacturing which can take from a few days to weeks. This allows the companies to move through design cycles faster and more efficiently.
3D printing software encompasses a wide variety of products that aid 3D printing or design process, including slicers, design automation, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and computer-aided design (CAD) technologies.
CAD software allows the users to design complex models that can be sliced into fine layers to laid out instructions for the printers. Because of 3D printing’s prevalence in industry and manufacturing, the OEMs of 3D printing software have developed additional capabilities that support electrical and mechanical design integration.
Today, from a 3D printed airplane parts to medical devices, 3D printing has made it easier than ever to create lighter, more effective parts at a faster rate (and a lower cost) than traditional methods.
3D printer modeling software is becoming popular, even in industries where its use was unfathomable a few years ago. We list some popular ways in which CAD software for 3D printing is being used.
Modern day education involves using 3D modeling software for 3D printing to help students grasp scientific and design-based concepts in a better manner.
3D printing software online solutions can render a prototype far quicker than traditional methods and at a reduced cost.
3D printing software finds a variety of uses in the healthcare industry. It is put into force for bioprinting- a procedure for developing artificial structures imitating human tissue. The software is also highly popular for the creation of prosthetic and implants.
3D design software can helps create intricate jewellery designs in 3D to get a holistic view.
3D printers are being used in the food industry to print the prototype of specific tools required for the processing and storage of packaged food.
Below we mention some of the best 3D printer software which can render creative three-dimensional models in no time.
Best 3D printer design software for beginners
TinkerCAD from Autodesk is a best modeling software for 3D printing that lets you design complex 3D models by combining different shapes. Once you have designed the model, you can export it as an SVG file and then laser cut it with this 3D modeling software.
TinkerCAD Home 3D printer Features
You can order 3D prints and get them delivered right to your doorstep
Beginners can learn to design the perfect model through a number of tutorials and videos
You can create virtual electronic circuits and simulate their working in real life
TinkerCAD allows creation of interactive designs using code blocks and C++ language
With this software you can obtain 3D models in different formats such as OBJ, SVJ and STL etc.
TinkerCAD 3D printing software online pricing: TinkerCAD software is a free 3D printing software.
TinkerCAD Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: TinkerCAD 3D printing software for –
Best open source software used for 3D printing
With Cura 3D printer modeling software, you can monitor different designs from a common interface. You can render 3D models over various networks and save the output in X3D, 3MF, OBJ file formats.
Cura3D Printing Software Features
You can group 3D printers in your organisation and obtain maintenance alerts for individual printers.
Beginners can access reading materials on how to best use Cura 3D printer design software.
You can choose the material in which you want your design to be rendered such as polymers, carbon fibres, etc.
Cura3D printer software team offers support service in your desired language and as per your time zone.
Cura offers integration with other CAD software for 3D printing like siemens NX, Autodesk and Solidworks.
Cura3D printer modeling software pricing: Cura is a free, open source 3D printing software for Mac.
Cura3D Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: Cura 3D Printer Software for Windows, macOS, Linux.
Best Program for 3D Printing for Professional Designers
Sculptris 3D printer slicer software lets you sculpt 3D models from virtual clay. You can easily share your renditions with others in iMage 3D GIF and iMage 3D PNG format. On a normal website this file will appear in 2D format. However other users of Sculptris can see your designs in 3D.
Sculptris Free 3D printing software for Mac Features
Sculptris automatically adds polygons to create in-depth designs
This best free CAD software for 3D printing online offers multiple brushes for digitally sculpting designs in different ways
Symmetry button lets you work on left and right side of your design with equal precision
Sculptris provides a variety of colours in virtual clay for you to work upon such as MatCap red, toy plastic, gold, silver foil, etc.
The export button lets you to obtain an image of your model designed on the canvas
Sculptris CAD software for 3D printing pricing: You don’t need to spend anything to download Sculptris.
Sculptris CAD Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: Sculptris 3D printer software for Windows, Mac OS X.
Best 3D print software for designing sophisticated mechanical parts
Autodesk AutoCAD software used for 3D printing lets you extract data from PDF files and annotate your designs. By using Autodesk 3D printer software, you can also access tools such as AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Map 3D, AutoCAD Electrical, etc. which can complement your drawings.
AutoCAD 3D Printing Software Features
The 3D printer modelling software is loaded with entities such as doors and windows, aiding in easy development of designs.
After completion of 3D drawing, the software converts them into STL type for printing.
AutoCAD 3D printer software automates tasks such as comparing drawings, adding blocks, etc.
You can customise the interface as per your need with add on apps and APIs.
AutoCAD uses a rule-based workflow to ensure that each drawing satisfies certain industry standards.
AutoCAD Home 3D printer software pricing: AutoCAD offers a free trial for 30 days. After that it can be purchased on a subscription basis by paying ₹11,023 per month.
Autodesk AutoCAD Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: Best 3D printing software for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
Best 3D modeling software for 3D printing meshes
MeshLab open source 3D printing software is suitable for designing, texturing and transforming 3D meshes. Meshlab best free 3D CAD software for 3D printing software boasts of a measurement tool which can calculate the linear distance between any two points within the mesh framework.
MeshLab 3D printer design software Features
MeshLab allows alignment of multiple meshes in a single reference system
The software supports different reconstruction from raw blocks such as volumetric, implicit surface etc.
MeshLab projects high quality color encoding and texture mapping onto 3D objects
You can convert your designs to STL format and create inner shells to obtain watertight meshes
MeshLab swiftly removes any design errors, poorly oriented faces, vertices and edges
MeshLab 3D printer modeling software pricing: MeshLab is a free open source software
Meshlab Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: MeshLab 3D modeling software for Linux, Mac OS X, Windows and, with reduced functionality, on Android and iOS.
Best CAD software for 3D printing for architects
SketchUp 3D modelling software is used for designing sustainable designs for building and edifices. The software backs up your designs to the cloud and lets you collaborate with your team on cloud. It also offers a dedicated mobile app for you to access your work anywhere you go.
SketchUp 3D Printing Software Online Features
You can work on SKP, PNG, JPG files and then export your drawings in PNG and STP file format.
The software provides access to models generated by other users as well as the software itself for your reference.
The 3D printing software is compatible with HTC vive, Oculus and Microsoft HoloLens for better presentation of your designs
You can obtain 2D blueprints with the LayOut feature of SketchUp
With Sefaira for SketchUp plugin, you can obtain critical information such as a building’s energy requirement before you start building
SketchUp 3D printing software pricing: SketchUp offers a free trial for 30 days. After that you can shift to a paid plan at the rate of ₹8752.91 per year.
SketchUp Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: SketchUp 3D printer modeling software for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS X 10.5+ and Mac OS X 10.6+
Best 3D printer design software for beginners interested in learning 3D modeling
FreeCAD is an open source 3D design, modelling and printing software. The 3D printer software showcases users the history of their designs and all the edits made by them. It converts basic 2D images into 3D and 3D designs into 2D blueprints.
FreeCAD Free 3D Printing Software Features
FreeCAD works equally well on Windows, macOS and Linux
FreeCAD software accepts input files in IGES, OBJ, STL, DXF formats etc.
Be it a beginner or professional designer, an experience architect or a student, FreeCAD has something for everyone
With this module, you can track the movements of a robot and plan its trajectory
You can create complex 3D shapes and carry out complex orientation and scaling operations on them
FreeCAD3D printer design software pricing: FreeCAD open source and free 3D printing software can be used without paying any cost.
FreeCAD Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: FreeCAD 3D printer slicing software for Windows 32/64 bits, Mac 64-bit, Linux 64-bit.
Best Remote Control 3D Model Rendering Software
OctoPrint is a robust open source 3D drawing printing software. It provides you with extended plugins for creating time lapses and update of printer’s firmware. This 3D printer slicer software is compatible with almost every 3D printer, even with Dremel and PowerSpec.
OctoPrint3D Printer Modeling Software Features
Use the embedded webcam feed to remotely monitor your printer’s functioning
You can change the themes of OctoPrint’s UI by using the Themeify feature
With OctoPrint, you can directly slice STL files quickly
Shortcut commands can be created on the main menu for shutting down or rebooting printer and servers
OctoPrint has a community forum where beginners can obtain support and utilities regarding their 3D drawings
OctoPrint CAD software for 3D printing pricing: OctoPrint is an open source and free 3D printing software.
OctoPrint Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: OctaPrint 3D printing software for Linux, Windows, MacOS X and FreeBSD and is actively tested on Linux and Windows.
Best 3D print software for students
An easy to use 3D model drafting tool, 3D Slash has been specifically designed for use by school students. 3D Slash works equally well on online and offline mode and provides engaging cutting and smashing tools for beginners to reshape their models.
3D Slash Home 3D Printer Software Features
You can easily present your designs as the software is compatible with VR headsets
You can engrave pictures and texts on your 3D designs
With 3D Slash, give a creative touch to your models and paint them using its encompassing palette
You can import .stl and .obj file and start building them
Teachers can create multiple student accounts and then monitor their designs in real time
3D Slash 3D modeling software pricing: 3D Slash offers a free version. The cost of the premium version starts from ₹147.02. It provides features such as high resolution designing and a dedicated mobile app.
3D Slash Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: Slash is the best 3D printing software for Windows, MacOS and Linux.
Best Program for 3D Printing of Modern Product Design
Creo printing tool is widely used for manufacturing casts and product designing. You can realise your designs on paper in real life by making use of Creo’s real time simulation and multibody designing.
Features of Creo Software used for 3D printing
Develop clean designs by removing all topological flaws from your designs
You can choose the design most optimized as per your needs and the one which involves
Creo allows you to simulate the working of your design to get hold of any flaws
Creo lets you gauge your designs on real world parametric, such as thermal readings
Creo makes use of Delaunay algorithm to design cleaner lattices in quick fashion
Creo 3D printing software online pricing: Creo offers a trial version for 30 days and after that you can purchase a lifetime license at ₹169767.68
Creo Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: Creo is the best 3D printing software for:
Solidworks CAD software for 3D printing enhances design validation and collaborative processes to fasten the entire product development. As one of the best 3D printing software platforms available, SOLIDWORKS supports easy to use modules for accelerated development processes.
This 3D printing design software provides the best designing tools along with in-depth analysis capabilities.
Solidworks 3D Printer Design Software Features:
Solidworks Pricing: Price plans are available for students, commercial enterprises, entrepreneurs, research projects and start-ups. A free trial is currently being offered for research projects only.
Solidwords Pros and Cons
Supported platforms: Windows and Mac
CATIA is a powerful product modelling tool that is ideal for drawing and visualizing 3D models. CATIA is one of the best 3D design software, as it supports validation of non-regular and repetitive shapes.
You can also use CATIA 3D printing design software for shadow duration and daylight simulation analysis.
CATIA Features:
CATIA pricing: Basic license is available at quarterly and monthly leases. There are also available role-based modules at a payment of the one-time fee.
CATIA Pros and Cons
Supported platforms: Windows 64-bit
Create, share and collaborate designs seamlessly with OnShape 3D printer design software. The parametric modelling tool supports standard content, context designs and various sheet metal tools.
The free 3D printer design software for educators and students specifically can also be deployed for performing multi part designing configurations.
OnShape 3D Printing Design Software Features:
Supported Platforms: Windows 7,8,10 and Mac
OnShape Pros and Cons
OnShape Pricing: Yearly paid plans available for this 3D printer design software:
Rhino 6 is a popular CAD software for 3D printing and it supports Grasshopper, a popular programming visual language. It is one of the best 3D design software that helps perform robotic control and environmental analysis along with high DPI displays.
The 3D printing design software can also be used for graphic sensitive shading.
Rhino 6 3D Printer Design Software Features:
Rhino 6 Pricing: Details regarding the pricing of Rhino 6 is available on request at Techjockey.com.
Rhino 6 Pros and Cons
Supported platforms: Windows 8.1 and 10 (64-bit)
As being an essential part of engineering, CAD is professionally used in architecture, auto parts design, space shuttle research, aeronautics, bridge construction, interior-design, and even clothing and jewelry.
A number of professional-grade open source and free 3D printing software like FreeCAD, OpenSCAD, QCAD, BricsCAD (paid software), and VariCAD (paid software) are supported by Mac/Linux/Ubuntu platforms.
Below we mention some of the best 3D printer software which can render creative 3D models for Mac/Linux/Ubuntu in no time.
FreeCAD is an open source 3D design, modelling and printing software. The 3D printer software showcases users the history of their designs and all the edits made by them. It converts basic 2D images into 3D and 3D designs into 2D blueprints.
FreeCAD Free 3D Printing Software Features
Multiplatform: FreeCAD works equally well on Windows, macOS and Linux
Accepts different file formats: FreeCAD software accepts input files in IGES, OBJ, STL, DXF formats etc.
Designed for all categories of users: Be it a beginner or professional designer, an experience architect or a student, FreeCAD has something for everyone
Advance robot simulation module: With this module, you can track the movements of a robot and plan its trajectory
CASCADE technology: You can create complex 3D shapes and carry out complex orientation and scaling operations on them
FreeCAD3D printer design software pricing: FreeCAD open source and free 3D printing software can be used without paying any cost.
FreeCAD Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: FreeCAD 3D printer slicing software for Windows 32/64 bits, Mac 64-bit, Linux 64-bit.
QCAD is an open-source CAD software for 3D printing based on the Qt framework. It has a free community edition and is available as an open-source.
The professional version of QCAD contains add-ons for advanced DXF support, DWG support and many extra tools and features. QCAD CAD software is deployed for 2D designing and drafting.
This 3D printer design software provides support for DWG and DXF file formats for saving and importing files. QCAD is a free printer design software that can be used for diagrams, schematics and planning a buildings’ interiors.
QCAD Free 3D printing Design Software Features
Scalable fonts: Scalable and optimized line fonts available.
Lines & points construction: QCAD supports orthogonal, bisectors, parallels and single points.
Raster image support: The feature helps with inserting bitmaps and adjusting the rotation angles.
Group objects: Use QCAD for grouping different design elements for efficient workflows.
Part library: Library with pre-set CAD parts, symbols, screws and nuts.
Dockable widgets: View tools supporting starpoint, direction and order overlays.
QCAD Pricing- QCAD is an open source & free 3D printing design software.
QCAD Pros and Cons
Supported platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux and Unix-like
Meshmixer 3D printing software provides powerful capabilities to convert all types of mesh into solid shapes. The design program lets you modify the 3D designs once you download their STL files.
Take any object and convert it into stylized mesh with Meshmixer. It is ideal for working on triangle meshes.
Meshmixer Features
Surface stamping: Meshmixer supports surface stamping and 3D sculpting.
Layout and packing: Automated optimization of print bed orientations.
Mesh smoothing: Free form deformations supported besides mesh simplification and remeshing.
Alignment of surfaces: Pivots for 3D positioning with 3D measurements.
Meshmixer Pricing: It’s a free 3D printer design software that can be downloaded from the official website.
Meshmixer Pros and Cons
Supported platforms: Windows 7 & later and macOS
Fusion 360 offers a single unified platform that supports engineering, manufacturing, design and electronics functions for 3D drafting & designing.
The 3D printer design software with powerful generative design and simulation tools is ideal for manufacturing, product design and editing model fixtures.
Fusion 360 CAD Software for 3D Printing Features
3D designing and modelling: Interactive assemblies and freeform modelling for engineering products.
Unified PCB design: Sixteen layered PCB system with electronics cooling and schematic hierarchical capturing.
Automated tool changes: Mill turning and adaptive clearing for integrated CAM & CAD processes.
Data management: Markups, version control and permission management for cloud collaboration.
FEA verification and simulation: Dope optimization, topology and verification for handling complex engineering challenges.
Fusion 360 Pricing: The 3D printing design software is available at a monthly cost of ₹2,993. Also available is a free 30-days trial version.
However, Fusion 360 is a free 3D printer software for hobbyists and individuals focussing on pursuing design engineering for non-commercial purposes.
Fusion 360 Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: Cloud-based, Windows and MacOS
Best 3D and modeling software for 3D printing meshes
MeshLab open source 3D printing software is suitable for designing, texturing and transforming 3D meshes. Meshlab best free 3D CAD software for 3D printing software boasts of a measurement tool which can calculate the linear distance between any two points within the mesh framework.
MeshLab 3D Printer Design Software Features
3D Alignment: MeshLab allows alignment of multiple meshes in a single reference system
Reconstruction: The software supports different reconstruction from raw blocks such as volumetric, implicit surface etc.
Coloring and texturing: MeshLab projects high quality color encoding and texture mapping onto 3D objects
Better 3D printing: You can convert your designs to STL format and create inner shells to obtain watertight meshes
Efficient cleaning: MeshLab swiftly removes any design errors, poorly oriented faces, vertices and edges
MeshLab 3D printer modeling software pricing: MeshLab is a free open source 3D printing design software.
MeshLab Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: MeshLab 3D modeling software for Linux, Mac OS X, Windows and, with reduced functionality, on Android and iOS.
Best Remote Control 3D Model Rendering Software
OctoPrint is a robust open source 3D drawing printing software. It provides you with extended plugins for creating time lapses and update of printer’s firmware. This 3D printer slicer software is compatible with almost every 3D printer, even with Dremel and PowerSpec.
OctoPrint3D Printer Modeling Software Features
Remote monitoring of designs: Use the embedded webcam feed to remotely monitor your printer’s functioning
Customizable UI: You can change the themes of OctoPrint’s UI by using the Themeify feature
Better management of STL files: With OctoPrint, you can directly slice STL files quickly
System command shortcut: Shortcut commands can be created on the main menu for shutting down or rebooting printer and servers
Dedicated community: OctoPrint has a community forum where beginners can obtain support and utilities regarding their 3D drawings
OctoPrint CAD software for 3D printing pricing: OctoPrint is an open source and free 3D printing software.
OctoPRINT Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: OctaPrint 3D printing software for Linux, Windows, MacOS X and FreeBSD and is actively tested on Linux and Windows.
OpenSCAD is a free CAD software for 3D printing. It’s very lightweight and flexible. OpenSCAD isn’t interactive: you need to ‘program’ the model and OpenSCAD will interpret that code to render a visual model. In a sense, it’s like a compiler.
You cannot draw the model – you describe the model. OpenSCAD is a very complicated tool, but once you get to know it, it provides an enjoyable work environment.
OpenSCAD Free 3D Printer Design Software Features
Interactive manipulation: The feature helps with setting the default camera position in script.
Defining colours: Transparency and part colours can be defined with OpenSCAD.
Monolithic part import: Files can be easily imported and attached later on as monolithic parts.
Integrated editor: CGAL or computational geometry algorithms library as CSG basic engine.
OpenSCAD Pricing: OpenSCAD is a script based free 3D printing design software for 3D designs.
OpenSCAD Pros and Cons
Supported Platforms: Linux, Windows and macOS
Our Take
So here is our list of 10 best 3D printing software. While choosing such a software for your organisation, you must ensure that it provides an in-depth 3D view of your 2D drawings.
Moreover, it should allow you to export final output in different formats and should be compatible with leading printers.
FAQs
3D printing software supports drafting and designing of 3D models along with mesh and video editing. The software can further be used for motion tracking, simulation, rendering and sculpting.
An ideal software for 3D printing would offer powerful modelling modules besides letting you perform rapid prototyping. The best 3D printing design software would cover different facets of 3D drafting processes like animation, sculpting and modelling.
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