Lots of options around these days and lots of developments over the last 2-3 years.
So what 3D design software are people using, what makes it a favourite for you?
2 Likes
Fusion 360 is my go-to, mainly because it’s the only one I’m familiar with. I think Blender would be worth my time.
10 Likes
SketchUp Pro because it’s what we use for work and I’m fastest using it 
, now available nearly fully functionally on iPad,
6 Likes
I’m using Shapr3D on the iPad (although they do have Mac and PC versions) because it’s the easiest for me to use. That’s for CAD-type modeling. Then add more organic refinements in Nomad Sculpt, also on iOS. Nomad is also easy to learn. Are you sensing a theme here?
7 Likes
I like easy to learn 
3 Likes
What kinds of things do you want to make in 3D? That might be a big factor in picking the software.
6 Likes
Fusion here, but I use it so rarely I am far from an expert. I use their slicer more than anything, to cut up 3d models into what can be cut on the GF.
5 Likes
Fusion360, although I’m still grumpy about the way they “optimized” the free license, so I’ve been looking around for other options.
…but I’ll probably be looking for a long time, since >90% of my GF usage is simple Inkscape. Makes it harder to motivate on the edge cases.
6 Likes
I use SolidWorks, but it’s pretty expensive: 12K last time I checked plus 3K per year.
3 Likes
It is nothing specific, more that the most things I make are 3D and I suspect parametric modelling in 3D would give me the following benefits:
- Ability to change material thickness easily
- Ability to make small and large versions easily
- Ability to make sure pieces fit properly with less trial and error
- Ability to more easily make objects with other than 90 degree angles
- Ability to make 3D instructions for buyers of kits.
It is not that this can’t be done in Inkscape etc, but that I think my design process would be easier/quicker more consistent.
2 Likes
I have always divided the goals into two areas. There is mechanical, with all the angles and dimensions known, and for that, cad packages work best. I am familiar with Autocad most but thinking Freecad though have not explored that as yet.
Where cad does a bad job of it is with natural shapes like animals or plants etc and that takes software of a different mindset where precise numbers cannot match pleasing shapes. I have always referred to this as squishy things. IMHO Inkscape is best in 2d for this and Blender is definitely the go-to for 3d.
Any instructions needing 3d to put together a kit probably wants to be more mechanical. And isometric or some pseudo-isometric sketching might be in order depending on your visual skills in which case I would be looking at something like Gimp to make a raster image, perhaps with the raster started in the 3d software.
3 Likes
FYI, Shapr3D does not do parametric at this time. I assume it’s in the hopper.
3 Likes
I think other people have said most of this now:
It sounds like Fusion360 might be your jam. They have a free hobbyist tier and, is not super expensive if you are doing commercial work with it.
I have designed several boxes in Fusion360 that work like you are describing. There are lots of tutorials and other self-education resources for it.
I have barely looked at FreeCAD but, I see that it says it supports parametric modeling now, too. I’ll have to play with that a bit sometime soon.
Solidworks is likely also a great choice but, spendy, as @ben1 notes.
Blender is probably more encompassing of a range of 3D modeling tasks. It has add-ons for more CAD-like modeling (which I haven’t played with yet). It will probably have a steeper learning curve than Fusion360.
A lot of the concepts and terminology transfer among the various apps. In some cases, UI behavior is even similar enough to make learning additional software easier.
5 Likes
I forgot to bring up OnShape. They have a free tier where you can use all the features (I think, you should verify). The only caveat is that your models are public—no private storage. I believe @henryhbk and @marmak3261 both use OnShape and are very skilled, so they can probably guide you better than me.
5 Likes
I have been playing more with it recently and I see it has a Blender type problem. Learning most programs is like climbing a mountain but both Blender and FreeCAD are used in many different situations that each usually have different programs for them. As a result you can get quite a bit of use out of your application and never touch 90% of the programming so they are far more mountain range than just a mountain. This makes them very intimidating.
6 Likes
Excellent point! You don’t have to learn how to do everything in a lot of software to be able to do something in it.
The video I just did includes showing how to make depth maps in Blender. You really only need some basic familiarity with navigating the viewport and moving objects around to follow along with that. You don’t, for instance, need to know how the animation engine works, how to work with metaballs, etc.
7 Likes
Gimp and Inkscape are pretty much single mountain programs, a lot to learn but most is in the same vein. Freecad has so many you have different base pages for each. Freecad seems mechanical with very specific numbers and angles whereas Blender is squishy, with lots of flow for making natural shapes but not as tight for mechanical-type drawings.
5 Likes
I think a lot of us are prone to trying to absorb all the knowledge about a new thing before we try any of it out in practice. That likely makes the barriers to entry seem bigger and, makes integration and retention of the skills harder.
6 Likes
well for example with Fusion360 you can set user parameters, so thickness, width height you get the idea.
you go edit those and POOF everything changes.
I have used that feature a few times.
I vote for Fusion360. lots of tutorials. I use it infrequently so I relearn a lot of stuff. 
5 Likes
I use Fusion 360 all the time, but infrequently for things I output to the Glowforge. I do use the Slicer plug in for stacked designs. I’ve done a ton of 3D printed connectors for polyhedrals, which honed my Fusion 360 skillz. I hated the interface at first, but now I like it.
“I don’t even have any good skills. You know like nunchuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills, Fusion 360 skills. Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!” -Napoleon Dynamite.
5 Likes