Best Free 3d Printer Design Software

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The number and variety of 3D software packages on the market is staggering, but many of the top applications in use by commercial film, gaming, and effects studios cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Download this app from Microsoft Store for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 Mobile, Windows 10 Team (Surface Hub), HoloLens, Xbox One. See screenshots, read the latest customer reviews, and compare ratings for 3D Builder.

It's true that most commercial applications offer time-limited free trials or abbreviated learning editions for students and hobbyists. If you're planning to work in the computer graphics industry one day, these are well worth exploring even if you can't afford a full license, because your skills in the commercial packages are what will ultimately land you a job.

However, plenty of free 3D software suites are out there for hobbyists, independent filmmakers who don't have the budget for expensive software, and budget-conscious freelance professionals who have found all the tools and power they need in cost-free solutions like Blender or SketchUp.

Just because the software is free doesn't necessarily make it any less valuable. This list isn't exhaustive. There are dozens of other free 3D tools available beyond those mentioned here. However, these are the strongest of the bunch.

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Blender

What We Like

  • Interface vastly improved over early versions.

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  • Great for video games and animation.

  • Nearly on par with expensive professional 3D modeling programs.

What We Don't Like

  • Less useful in designing architecture and objects like furniture.

  • Heavy use of shortcuts to execute commands can be daunting for new users learning the software.

Printer

Blender is easily the most versatile entry on this list, and in many regards, it compares favorably to top digital content creation tools like Cinema 4D, Maya, and 3Ds Max. To this day, it stands as one of the greatest open-source development projects ever conceived.

Blender is full-featured, offering a complete range of modeling, surfacing, sculpting, painting, animation, and rendering tools.

The software is good enough to have produced numerous impressive short films and is in use by several professional studios.

Blender was criticized early on for having a confusing interface, but don't let outdated complaints steer you away. The software was given a thorough overhaul recently and emerged with a fresh interface and a feature set that aims for parity with the best.

While you don't see Blender in any Hollywood effects pipelines where Autodesk and Houdini are deeply ingrained, Blender has steadily carved out a niche in motion graphics and visualization, similar to where Cinema 4D excels.

Blender 2.79
Blender 2.79 (source code)
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Pixologic Sculptris

What We Like

  • Makes quick editing easy.

  • Excellent tool for learning the art.

  • Users can transition to ZBrush without a difficult learning curve.

What We Don't Like

  • Rendering can be slow at times.

  • Lacks some useful tools and features found in other software.

Sculptris is a digital sculpting application similar to ZBrush or Mudbox, but with an easier learning curve. Because Sculptris uses dynamic tessellation, it is essentially geometry-independent, meaning it is an ideal learning package for someone with few or no modeling skills who wants to try his hand at sculpting. Sculptris was originally developed independently by Tomas Pettersson, but is now owned and maintained by Pixologic as a free counterpart to ZBrush. Sculptris is aimed at beginners. The website offers video tutorials and an assurance that the skills you learn in Sculptris easily translate to ZBrush.

Sculptris was last updated in 2011. Pixologic still allows downloads but warns that as legacy software, it's no longer maintained or supported.

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SketchUp

What We Like

  • Great for architectural modeling.

  • Large library of models available.

What We Don't Like

  • Interface may be a challenge for new users to get used to.

  • Importing 3D models created in other programs can sometimes be a problem.

SketchUp is an intuitive and accessible modeler, originally developed by Google and now owned by Trimble. SketchUp excels at practical and architectural design and probably has more in common with a CAD package than traditional surface modelers like Maya and Max.

Like Blender, SketchUp has been amazingly well received and has gradually carved out a niche with professionals in the visualization field due to its ease of use and speed.

The software has little in the way of organic modeling tools, but if your primary interest is in architectural modeling, SketchUp is an excellent starting point. You begin by drawing lines and shapes and then stretch and copy them to make whatever you like. You don't have to draw everything, though. SketchUp offers an enormous library of free 3D models to get you started — search the 3D Warehouse for what you need.

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Wings 3D

What We Like

Printing
  • Good tool for learning 3D modeling basics.

  • Supports many other 3D file formats.

What We Don't Like

  • Doesn't offer features beyond the basics.

  • No animations.

Wings is a straightforward open-source subdivision surface modeler, which means it has similar modeling capabilities to Maya and Max but none of their other functions.

Because Wings uses traditional (standard) polygon modeling techniques, everything you learn here is applicable in other content-creation packages, making this an ideal starting point for anyone looking to learn how to model for animation, film, and games.

Wings3D 2.2.4
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Tinkercad

What We Like

  • Easy-to-learn interface.

  • Design tools are online, no software to download.

What We Don't Like

  • Doesn't fare well with very complex designs.

  • Requires an internet connection.

Tinkercad is an impressive suite of free, lightweight 3D tools offered by Autodesk as an easy entry point into the world of 3D. Autodesk develops five different applications under the Tinkercad banner, including modeling and sculpting apps, an iPad based creature designer, and a tool to assist with fabrication and 3D printing.

In a way, Tinkercad is AutoDesk's answer to Sculptris and Sketchup and is meant to interest beginners in 3D without the tremendous learning curve of their Autodesk's flagship applications: CAD, Maya, Max, and Mudbox.

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Daz Studio

What We Like

  • Includes lots of props and models to use.

  • Strong in animation, image, and film creation tasks.

What We Don't Like

  • Limited sculpting, modeling, and surfacing tools.

  • Easier to create new models in other 3D software and import for use.

Daz Studio is an image creation tool that comes with a wealth of characters, props, creatures, and buildings that you can arrange and animate to create still images or short films. The software is primarily meant for users who want to create 3D images or films without the overhead of creating all their models and textures by hand.

The software's animation and rendering toolset is fairly robust, and in the right hands, users can create impressive shots. However, without a full range of modeling, surfacing, or sculpting tools built in, your content can become limited unless you're willing to buy 3D assets in the Daz marketplace or create them yourself with a third-party modeling package.

Still, it's a great piece of software for people who just want to jump in and create a 3D image or film without a whole lot of overhead.

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Mandelbulb 3D

What We Like

  • Create impressive fractal objects and scenes.

  • Can play around with formulas to see what you get.

  • The website offers downloadable examples to experiment with.

What We Don't Like

  • Takes some time to acclimate to this software.

  • Interface is overwhelming at first and not as intuitive as other 3D software.

If you're interested in fractals, Mandelbulb 3D should be right up your alley. The application certainly takes some getting used to, but the result is stellar once you know what you're doing. The 3D fractal environment includes color, lighting, specularity, depth-of-field, and shadow and flow effects used to generate amazing fractal objects. If the concept of fractals is Greek to you, visit the featured artists' section of the Mandelbulb website to see the types of things you can do with this software.

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Autodesk Software (Free but Limited)

What We Like

  • Free top-tier 3D design software if used only non-commercially.

  • Powerful and feature-rich software tools that are industry standards.

What We Don't Like

  • Steep learning curve when starting to use these complex software packages.

  • Software can have hefty system requirements and be resource intensive.

Autodesk offers virtually its entire software line free for non-commercial use to 'students and community members.' However, you don't have to be enrolled in a school to download them. If you want to work in the industry eventually, knowing Autodesk software is a valuable skill, so this is a highly recommended path. The only limitation is that you can't use any of the software in commercial projects. Among the educational downloads are 3DS Max, Maya, Inventor Professional, and AutoCAD.

3D printing is something that most technology and art enthusiasts are interested in, but everyday people don’t need it. This is the widespread notion everyone has about 3D printing these days, but that’s not true. Designers, architects, and engineers have been using 3D printing for more than 3 decades now. However, the spike in demand and accessibility of free 3D printing software has made it popular among the designer community.

Here is a thing, your prints are only as good as the software you are using. 3D printing software let the user explore their various abilities ranging from modeling to rendering, sculpting, customizing and presenting to clients.

In this article, we have curated the list of best free third-party 3D printing software that is best suited for beginner 3D modelers as well as the experienced professional designers. While the built-in 3D Builder suits most, if you arelooking for alternatives, then this post will interest you.

Best Free 3D Printing Software

1. TinkerCAD – Easy to Use 3D Printing Software

3d Modeling Software For Beginners

TinkerCAD is an online computer-aided design (CAD) 3D printing software which is geared towards beginners. The software is full of tutorials and guides to aid the beginners to get the somewhat exact designs they are looking for.

3d Print Design Programs

You just create an account on its website, and it lets you simply access the browser-based app. TinkerCAD offers you a vast variety of pre-defined shapes and structures. This helps you to create your design by simply dragging and dropping the box and adjusting the height, width, and, length.

TinkerCAD offers you the direct integration with the third party printing services and even allows you to share and export files with ease. Get it here.

2. 3D Slash

What makes different from other 3D printing software, it can also work as a logo and 3D text maker. This functionality enables you to turn your logo into a 3D model or export your text to 3D text. It is a free to use and an ideal 3D printing software for beginners.

It’s an intuitive building blocks concept to create shapes make it simple enough to use. You can download the multitude of files available from the huge library. If you can’t fire up the creativity, simply import from the available files and cut it apart into something new.

There is very few software that can work from concept to finish as quick as 3D slash. Its ability to be compatible with VR headsets make it even more future ready. Check it out here.

3. FreeCAD 3D Printing application

FreeCAD is a free open source parametric 3D modeling tool which works pretty well for both the home user and experienced designers. As it is a parametric 3D modeler, this technically describes that you can easily modify your design by just going back into your model history and editing its parameters.

To make it simpler, if a parametric component makes a car’s design, just simply go back to your model’s history, change the component, and you’ll have a different model. It might not be the best for professional purposes. However, it is a great training tool for a novice as it enables you to design real-life objects of any size. Download it here.

4. SketchUp

Best Free 3d Printer Cad Software

It is another great printing and modeling software that is a perfect mix of usability and functionality. SketchUp is a drawing based popular 3D printing tool for designing 3D models which offer a great user experience with a relatively flat learning curve.

This software has a huge warehouse of 3D templates uploaded by users. If not willing to start from scratch, you can choose a design and modify it to your heart. That’s how simple it is to print a 3D object with SketchUp.

This software is considered good for designing architectural projects, interiors, and exterior. SketchUp provides you free tutorials which can help you excel your beginner skills into an advanced engineer. Download it here.

5. Sculptris

Free

It is a free introductory virtual sculpting 3D printing software and a great stepping stone for digital sculptors. It focuses on the concept of modeling clay to create statues or figurines.

Beginners can learn the ins and outs of digital sculpting or painting before moving to more refined and sophisticated techniques like ZBrush etc. Moreover, it enables artists with the tools such as various brushes and paint palette they need to bring their digital sculpture to life. Get it here.

6. Blender

This is an open source software that comes along with full-fledged professional tools. This might not be an ideal choice for beginners as it serves well to the users who feel ready to design complex 3D models.

Blender is a free computer-aided design (CAD) software that covers many facets of 3D creation including animation and modeling. Its photorealistic rendering option is the most exciting feature that distinguishes it from others. This gives sophisticated 3D models and air of realism that a very few software can do. Check it out here.

These were few popular and best 3D printing software for every stage of your workflow. And the best part is that all of them are free to use or at least free for educators, students, and for open source projects.

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