3D Modelling Software on Ubuntu 16.04 (OpenSCAD, FreeCAD, gCAD3D, Blender)

In addition to the previous post with 3D printer control software, you will likely want something to make models with!

OpenSCAD

This modeller uses a C-like programming language to create models. For example, to create a 20mm cube you type cube([20,20,20]);

Install with:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:openscad/releases
sudo apt update
sudo apt install openscad


Run with openscad

I also find the scad-utils repository to be useful, the morphology plugin has a fillet tool: https://github.com/openscad/scad-utils

OpenSCAD website: http://www.openscad.org/
OpenSCAD documentation: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/OpenSCAD_User_Manual/The_OpenSCAD_Language

FreeCAD

A graphical modeller. This has many more features than OpenSCAD though I don't like the interface as much. A good workflow might be to make shapes in OpenSCAD and then import into FreeCAD to polish.

Install with:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:freecad-maintainers/freecad-stable
sudo apt update
sudo apt install freecad

Run with freecad

FreeCAD website: http://www.freecadweb.org/
FreeCAD documentation: https://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/Main_Page

gCAD3D

This looks like a simpler version of FreeCAD

A deb package download is provided on the website for 32-bit and 64-bit.

Once downloaded, install with:

sudo dpkg -i gCAD3D*.deb

Run with gcad3d

gCAD3D website: http://www.gcad3d.org/
gCAD3D documentation: http://www.gcad3d.org/doc/html/index_en.htm

Blender

I have not played with this much yet, but it's very popular

Install with:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:thomas-schiex/blender
sudo apt update
sudo apt install blender

Run with blender

Blender website: https://www.blender.org/
Blender support and docs: https://www.blender.org/support/