Thread: I'm done with SketchUp & Fusion360

I always found Sketchup awkward and limiting. Fusion360 is way more powerful and, at least in my mind, much more intuitive. However, the companies behind both these products have steadily emasculated their free/hobby versions to the point that it's just not worthwhile persevering. Not to mention both rely on being connected to the Internet to operate.

I looked at Shapr3D as a potential replacement. It has a fresh, modern interface that is quite intuitive. The iPad version appears to provide a friendly approach to modelling, (if you don't mind getting caught up in the whole Apple iFail ecosystem). Apart from iPad, its also available for Mac & Windows. The issue is that there is no free or hobby version available. The company seems to be making an attempt at the enterprise 3D CAD space. However, this is a toy system compared to the incumbents in that market. It uses a so called "direct modelling" approach, as opposed to the parametric (history based) mode that is used by Fusion360. (With direct modelling you create and edit complex geometries simply by pushing, pulling, and twisting like modeling clay to get the shape and look you want. Each aspect of the model is free to move on its own independent of other geometries.) It's nice for smallish, uncomplicated projects. Anything a woodworker would do is fine in this mode. Recently they have started to add some parametric features, but all underbaked at present. So - they are neither fish nor fowl. A valid criticism I read was that they have built an amazing hobby CAD program that is unaffordable for the majority of hobbyists. BTW, its built on top of the Seimens ParasolidR geometric kernel - see below.)

After a pretty exhaustive look at opensource and commercial options, I think I'm going with Solid Edge from Siemens Software. As well as fully parametric design, it offers hybrid modeling (they call it synchronous mode), which combines history-based and direct modeling approaches. Parametric relationships can be applied directly to the solid features without having to depend on 2D sketch geometry, and common parametric relationships are applied automatically. However, sketches can be used when needed. Oh, it is also a locally installed application - no calling home to the mothership.

The nice thing is that Siemens offer the fully featured version free for hobbyists as their "community edition". The only limitations are:
- it's intended for personal use, and may not be used for commercial purposes,
- files created in this edition cannot be opened in commercial versions of Solid Edge
- 2D drawings are watermarked, (but designed parts and assemblies can be 3D printed etc. & unlike Fusion360 these days, no limitations on file export formats)

While it's a big program with a lot of options, the basics will be familiar to most people who have used a 3D modeler.
See:
Solid Edge Community Edition (siemens.com)