SolidWorks is one of the most popular CAD programs on the market. It is estimated that it has around 3 Million users worldwide.
That being said it is not perfect, as anyone who has experienced 'Zero thickness geometry' errors will attest.
Yet despite this, and its popularity, it is very expensive if you can't get a free license. If you can't justify the investment, there are some good alternatives to it out there.
The official home page of the Apache OpenOffice open source project, home of OpenOffice Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw and Base. One of our favourites is the LEGO-building software, stud.io. It's incredibly intuitive and will have you digitally constructing models from your wildest imaginings immediately.
Can you download SolidWorks for free?
Open-source software (OSS) is any computer software that's distributed with its source code available for modification. That means it usually includes a license for programmers to change the software in any way they choose: They can fix bugs, improve functions, or adapt the software to suit their own needs.
Yes and no - it really depends on your personal circumstances and preferences. If you are a student you can get a heavily discounted SolidWorks package for $150.
But of course, that isn't free.
The best thing to do is to contact your school's CAD Administrator to find out if you are eligible for Student Access Licensing. This is available to any school that has a certain number of networked seats of SolidWorks (credit to scan2cad.com for the following information).
- If your school has 45 or more networked seats it qualifies for a Student Design Kit program. This provides access to students for SolidWorks Standard that can be installed on your PC.
- If your school has more than 100 networked seats it qualifies for the Student Engineering Kit. With this program, students can install SolidWorks Premium locally.
- If none of the above apply, it is always worth asking the relevant administrator if you can borrow an existing license to use.
But you might want to consider downloading the SolidWorks Free Trial version. This is great if you are unsure whether you want to commit to parting with your money to buy your own version.
You can choose between a downloaded, local version or test the product online at my.SolidWorks.com. The latter is preferable if you don't want to download a hefty CAD program onto your computer.
Finally, and not really recommended, you could 'risk it' and get your hands on a 'cracked version'. But note this is not only risky but is actually illegal.
For those who are willing to take the risk, make sure your anti-virus software is up to date. But, once again, we do not condone nor recommend this! Logic beat tutorial.
Does SolidWorks have a free version for students?
As we have just detailed, there are no free versions of full SolidWorks per se. You can try trial versions of it online or locally, or try to get a user license from your school if you are a student.
How much does SolidWorks student cost?
SolidWorks student version costs around $150. For reference, a full license will set you back just shy of $4 K!
You can explore some more nefarious means of getting a 'free' version, like cracks, but that avenue exposes you to the threat of viruses and, of course, breaking the law!
What are some good free alternatives to SolidWorks?
If you are unable to get your hands on a SolidWorks license for free, as detailed above, you might want to consider some alternatives. The following are some of the best free or open-source CAD programs out there.
This list comes courtesy of learn.g2.com, and is far from exhaustive.
1. FreeCAD is great and open-source
FreeCAD is a parametric 3D modeling program that has the capability for plugins to be added for more functionality. With it, you can import and export files in multiple formats.
It also comes with an architecture module that ostensibly functions like a BIM program. FreeCAD, as the name suggests, is completely free and is all open-source.
2. Fusion 360 is free for students, hobbyists, and startups
Fusion 360 is a great little CAD program that is free for startups and amateurs. It comes complete with various 3D modeling tools and also offers a variety of assembly modeling, motion studies and simulation tools.
If you do not qualify as a startup or hobbyist, you can pay $25/$40 a month for the standard version. Alternatively, you can drop $125/$190 a month for its Ultimate version.
3. Onshape is pretty interesting
Onshape is another free alternative to SolidWorks but only if it used for non-commercial purposes. It comes with a variety of import and export options, and version control.
Add-ons are also available from its app store that can provide a wide variety of extra options and functions. Onshape, unlike other CAD programs, stores all data on a central DB which is accessible to all other users rather than saving local files.
If you want to use it for commercial use it will cost you $125 a month which is billed annually.
4. nanoCAD is 'industrial standard'
nanoCAD is a great little CAD program that has a variety of APIs and powerful table editor. It can easily handle 2D and 3D models and is 'industry standard'.
It has multiple methods of creating geometric shapes available, and many of the features are also customizable.
The basic software is free to use but you can pay for the plus version ($180) or pro versions ($290).
5. OpenSCAD comes recommended
OpenSCAD is another great open-source CAD program specifically for solid 3D models. It is not, however, an interactive sculptor.
Rather it is an interpreter of script files which then creates 3D models. OpenSCAD is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
6. Tinkercad is mainly for kids
Tinkercad is free and browser-based. This one, unlike others, is primarily aimed at children and beginners.
It is based around a building block system and can be used to import vector shapes and convert them to 3D. It also offers 3D printing services, integration with all 3D printers, and exports to laser cutters.
7. LibreCAD has an extensive wiki user guide
LibreCAD is another free open-source 2D CAD program available for Windows, Apple, and Linux. If you get stuck it has an extensive wiki available for users who need help with its features.
Concerns About Open Source Programs
The program is fully customizable and hackable with extensive support from the user community and creators.
Like many people, you've probably heard about open source software and are thinking about giving them a try. After all, why should you pay for Photoshop when you can edit and enhance pictures through Gimp? Why should you fork out money for Microsoft Office when you can enjoy almost the same features with LibreOffice? Why should you spend a substantial amount on the Windows operating system when you can do your work in Ubuntu?
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However, you have to realize that using open source software is not all milk and honey. Before you jump into the bandwagon and download the products you've been eyeing on, do your homework and find out if open source software is worth your while. Start your research by going through these lists:
List of Advantages of Open Source Software
1. Cheaper than commercially marketed products.
According to studies, open source software collectively help business owners save around $60 billion a year. This might seem unbelievable at first, but it's not really surprising since these programs are developed to be accessible to anyone (especially those who can't afford to buy commercial products). For one thing, they're usually offered for free and don't require you to pay for any additional copy you download. Since many of these programs are created to work with almost any type of computer, they can also help you lengthen the life of your old hardware and avoid the need to replace them every now and then.
Terraria 1 5 ps4. 2. Created by skillful and talented people.
Large and well-established software companies have the financial capability to hire the best talent in the business to create their products. Because of this, many people opt to buy computer programs from these firms because they think they'll get great value for their money by doing so.
The fact that big companies hire experienced, fully trained and highly qualified people is true. But what consumers have to know is this: not all software developers care deeply about money. Sure, most of them do get a job to have a steady income and be able to financially support themselves and their family. However, a lot of these experts don't just base their worth on the salary they earn; rather, they strive to build a program that will earn the admiration of their peers and hopefully make a difference in the world.
This is why many software developers turn to open source products as an outlet for their ideas and creativity. By doing so, they won't be confined by the rigid rules of the corporate world, and they'll have the freedom to experiment and come up with high-quality programs. These, in turn, benefit consumers since they'll have access to world-class and state-of-the-art software without having to pay too much.
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3. Highly reliable.
There are two main reasons why open source software are reliable. First of all, they're developed chiefly by skillful and talented experts who do their best to create high-quality programs. Second, they're worked on by tens or hundreds of people, which means there are numerous eyes that can monitor for the presence of bugs and many pairs of hands that can fix these defects within the shortest amount of time. Both of these factors lead to products that have excellent quality and helpful features and perform well most (if not all) of the time.
4. Help you become more flexible.
Since you're not tied to a proprietary product, you don't need to abide by a specific IT architecture that might require you to upgrade your software and even hardware often. Rather, you can mix and match your software and create a unique IT infrastructure that best suits your needs. There's no need to fret since there's a wide range of options in the market, so you only have to browse through them and pick one those that match your requirements and specifications. Can't find anything you like? You can modify existing open sources software or hire someone who can do it for you.
List of Disadvantages of Open Source Software
1. Vulnerable to malicious users.
Many people have access to the source code of open source software, but not all of them have good intentions. While a lot of people utilize their access to spot defects and make improvements to the program, others use this privilege to exploit the product's vulnerabilities and create bugs that can infect hardware, steal identities or just annoy other users. These rarely happen with commercially produced software since the companies who make them have stringent quality control processes and ensure that the program is almost perfect when released to the market.
2. Might not be as user-friendly as commercial versions.
This is not true for all open source software since many of them (such as LibreOffice, Mozilla Firefox and the Android operating system) are incredibly easy to use. However, there are several programs which are created mainly to cater to the developer's wishes and bring his ideas to life. As a result, not much attention is given to the software's user interface, making it difficult to use especially for those who aren't really tech-savvy.
3. Don't come with extensive support.
Those who favor commercially produced programs say that these software gives them peace of mind. After all, since they know exactly who designed, created and distributed the product, they have a clear idea of who they can hold liable if the program doesn't function properly or causes damage to their hardware. This isn't exactly the case for open source software. Since it's developed by numerous people, users exactly don't have a specific person or company they can point a finger to.
But, before you get discouraged by this, it's important to take note that major software firms also wash their hands of any responsibility. If you read their End User License Agreements, you'll see that companies usually disclaim all liabilities and that the responsibility for the product falls on you, the user. These mean that you won't really receive any support (nor hear someone else take the blame) when your software would incur problems and disrupt productivity. So, unless you're willing to spend time and money on filing lawsuits and going after huge corporations, it's better to use open source software and acknowledge the fact that their low cost and easy accessibility come with a trade-off.
Natalie Regoli is a child of God, devoted wife, and mother of two boys. She has a Masters Degree in Law from The University of Texas. Natalie has been published in several national journals and has been practicing law for 18 years.
