Sunday, September 13, 2020

Top 5 Best 3D Printing Softwares

image source: learnupstairs.com

3D Printing is the future of modern printing. It provides user the freedom of letting his imagination become reality. The products created using 3D printing are durable, strong, light weight and stiff.

Many companies are actively researching and developing this process simpler, due to it is been a new technology many of its features are way to advanced. So to solve this problem the main target area of mostly every researcher is the software.

Making it simple to get hands on user friendly interface will always make the work more easy and productive. At the very beginning the 3D printing softwares were developed only for experienced people, but now by using and collaborating most of the familiar softwares which we have used frequently makes 3D printing even more successful.

There are 5 softwares that are mostly used in industrial and private sector as they are simple and efficient at the same time.

AutoDesk Fusion 360

It is one of the most modern and multi-capable software in market. It combines manufacturing and design together as one, with maximum accuracy and detailing.

This software is used for 3D printing objects and process both at the industrial level as well as private level. The important feature of every 3D printed part that is accuracy and detail is well defined by this software.

The 2 most important feature of the fusion 360 is

  • Modelling tool.
  • The history tree.

In the modelling tool you can create highly detailed and accurate parts of any particular shape and size without any restriction.

Whereas the history tree is the feature in this software which is mostly preferred for editing or modifying the already existing or created object. The rate of editing this object is faster and accurate as compared to any other software in the market.

Fusion 360 also allows you to have full freedom on the shape and size of the object, you can edit, create or modify any part of any size and shape with maximum accuracy. This is main reason why fusion 360 is used to produce most of the high efficiency parts in the industry.

Considering its feature fusion 360 is not and open-source software but industrialist still prefer it due to its upper class feature and performance.

Its monthly pricing is based on 2 aspects.

Plan Price Annual cost
Monthly Plan $60 $720
Annual Plan $42 $504

Its main advantage is that you can experience all the manufacturing, designing and editing features under one roof.

AutoDesk AutoCAD

Another great software developed by AutoDesk is the AutoCAD. This software provides with latest high-end tools to produce an object with minimum error.

With AutoCAD you can do both online as well as offline editing of a model with features varying on both the versions. Whereas for more ease and eliminating the requirement of the system you can also access AutoCAD software with app developed by the creators available on Google Play Store and iOS store.

One of the main advantage of using AutoCAD is that it can convert the 3D models or parts created in software directly into STL file format. That is there no need for further modifications to convert the file before sending it to the 3D printer.

It also provides the latest and fastest version of DWG file format. This version ensures the proper and efficient drafting of all the parts. Anyone who is new in the designing field can also become familiar with it within no time. As the AutoCAD already contains preloaded information and stats about the design which helps the user in multiple ways.

Considering all the features AutoCAD too is used mostly in industrial sector and very less in private level. The pricing for this software falls within the range of $1,449 to $1,610 per year depending upon its features and version.

Dassault Systèmes Solidworks

One of the most used software it high class features and smooth designing is the solidworks. About 70% of Universities around the world use solidworks for teaching, designing and editing parts at a small as well as large scale.

Solidworks versions are not just any other software version. The change 40% of their feature which is greater than any other software upgrade till date. The 2020 version has some features which no other software does, and due to this Solidworks is mostly used for designing 3D printed parts at a large scale.

Some of its feature are as follows

  • Solidworks allows to access to show the animated working of the part even before it's completely finished.

  • Solidworks allows us to use validation tools for more ease of the work.

  • Solidworks makes use of the reverse engineering feature to make the modelling,meshing and analysis of the 3D parts easy.

  • One of its main features is NURBS which is mainly used for creating curvatures.

  • Solidworks uses the feature of dimension sketching to eliminate the stress caused by the resizing and editing feature.

  • Solidworks also offers 3DEXPERIENCE® which is and essential feature for management purpose.

The 2020 version is by the far the best version of solidworks beating the maximum usage of 2015 and 2017 version. Only downfall of solidworks is that the STL format editing as well design needs to be done by using some another secondary software.

The pricing of this software is not fixed and depends on the order basis.

Creo

Creo is one of leading softwares preffered by most of the designer's around the globe. It is developed by parametric technology corporation. In almost every private as well as industrial sector you can find people using creo. Due to this it entered into the 3D printing sector.

Creo is nothing but the advanced version of Pro-e wildfire 2.0, which consist of the similar feature but at the base level. Creo and it's regular updates modify each and every aspect of designing in maximum possible ways so that it become advanced along with an user friendly interface.

Creo consists of features such as structural analysis, motion analysis as well as thermal analysis which other softwares don't. Also it allows user to autosave it's file creating a folder or directory itself so that work done on the part is not lost.

Some of the other features of Creo are as follows.

  • It uses features such as augmented reality so that the simulation process of the part simplifies and less time is needed.

  • The topology optimisation techniques of this software is the best and beats all other softwares.

  • The tool offered by this software are greater than that offered by solidworks.

Considering the advantage there are also some disadvantages to this which are

  • The huge list of features leaves the user in confusion as most of them are not necessarily required.

  • The basic configuration needs to be changed as per the part in work.

  • Lower configuration system do not support creo software.

The tool comes with a one time license fee of $2,310 which includes the 30 - day free trial so that you can test the features before actually purchasing the software.

CATIA V5

The CATIA is developed by the same company which developed solidworks that is dasault systems. At the very beginning it was to be the integral part of solidworks as its features where not much developed at the beginning. But as the time passed researchers upgraded it and now it became as equal as any other software in the market offering 3DEXPERIENCE®.

CATIA consists of many features which ease 3D part designing. Some of them are as follows.

  • It's is mostly used in the industries producing parts which required multi- platform build.

  • The material selection can also be done in this software which very essential in 3D printing process as the part needs to satisfy its purpose.

  • There is some sort of a tracking device pre-installed in the software so that designing of the part can be tracked easily.

  • A different feature is used for management only. So that the parts and models produced are efficiently managed.

Coming with such excellent advantages it also has some downfall which are mainly

  • It is one of most expensive software in the market.

  • It is very much difficult to use for the beginners, such huge choice of tools and feature makes one stressed at the learning stage of this software.

At the beginning CATIA offers a free trial,but for the complete paid version you need to send the request to the company to receive the complete plan of buying the software.