Alternatives to Creo
Compare Creo alternatives for your business or organization using the curated list below. SourceForge ranks the best alternatives to Creo in 2025. Compare features, ratings, user reviews, pricing, and more from Creo competitors and alternatives in order to make an informed decision for your business.
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SOLIDWORKS
Dassault Systèmes
SOLIDWORKS is the industry-standard 3D CAD and product development solution, trusted by millions of designers and engineers worldwide. For over 30 years, SOLIDWORKS has empowered innovators to transform ideas into real, manufacturable products through intuitive modeling, simulation, and collaboration tools. The 2026 release introduces groundbreaking capabilities including AI-powered drawing automation, fastener recognition, and the AURA AI virtual companion. Integrated with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, it enables seamless cloud collaboration and data-driven decision-making. From startups to global manufacturers, users rely on SOLIDWORKS to accelerate design cycles, improve accuracy, and reduce time to market. It’s the complete ecosystem for taking any product from concept to production. -
2
AutoCAD
Autodesk
Autodesk AutoCAD is the world’s leading 2D and 3D CAD software, trusted by millions of architects, engineers, and construction professionals. It provides precision tools to design, draft, and document complex projects across industries. The 2026 version introduces Autodesk AI, enabling automated drafting, smart block recognition, and real-time collaboration through Autodesk Docs. With customizable workspaces, AutoLISP automation, and access to over 1,000 apps, users can streamline every stage of their design workflow. AutoCAD also offers seven specialized industry toolsets that boost productivity by up to 63%, from architecture to electrical and mechanical design. Available on desktop, web, and mobile, AutoCAD empowers professionals to design anywhere with confidence and efficiency. -
3
Ansys Motor-CAD
Ansys
Ansys Motor-CAD is a dedicated electric machine design tool for fast multiphysics simulation across the full torque-speed operating range. Motor-CAD enables design engineers to evaluate motor topologies and concepts across the full operating range, to produce designs that are optimized for performance, efficiency and size. Motor-CAD software’s four integrated modules—EMag, Therm, Lab, Mech—enable multiphysics calculations to be performed quickly and iteratively, so users can get from concept to final design in less time. Fast calculations and streamlined data input processes leave time for Motor-CAD users to explore more motor topologies and fully assess the impact of advanced loss effects in the initial stages of an electromechanical design. The release includes powerful new features for design optimization, multi-physics analysis and system modelling for electric motors. Fast multiphysics simulation across a full torque-speed operating range. -
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Arena PLM
Arena, a PTC Business
Arena PLM helps high-tech and medical device companies design, produce, and deliver innovative products quickly. Arena enables every participant throughout new product development (NPD) and new product introduction (NPI) to collaborate more effectively while ensuring regulatory compliance for FDA, ISO, ITAR, EAR, and environmental compliance.Starting Price: contact vendor -
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CATIA
Dassault Systèmes
CATIA is the world's leading solution for product design and experience. It is used by leading organizations in multiple industries to develop the products we see and use in our everyday lives. CATIA delivers the unique ability not only to model any product, but to do so in the context of its real-life behavior: design in the age of experience. Systems architects, engineers, designers, construction professionals and all contributors can define, imagine and shape the connected world. A Social design environment built on a single source of truth and accessed through powerful 3D dashboards that drive business intelligence, real-time concurrent design and collaboration across all stakeholders including mobile workers. An Instinctive 3DEXPERIENCE for both experienced and occasional users with world-class 3D modeling and simulation capabilities that optimize the effectiveness of every user. An Inclusive product development platform that is easily integrated with existing processes & tools. -
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GoCAD Collaboration
GoSaaS, Inc.
GoCAD Collaboration encompasses our overall CAD integration offerings for customers with diverse needs. Our solutions are purpose built, configurable and designed to help customers optimize their CAD Data Management processes. It provides out of the box customizable and flexible bi-directional integrations between CAD and PLM to increase the velocity of innovation and reduce the product's time to market. -
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Inventor
Autodesk
Professional-grade 3D CAD software for product design and engineering. Inventor® CAD software provides professional-grade 3D mechanical design, documentation, and product simulation tools. Work efficiently with a powerful blend of parametric, direct, freeform, and rules-based design capabilities. Work with anyone, anywhere no matter what CAD software they use. Use cloud-based design reviews to collect feedback from key stakeholders wherever they are. Follow the entire product development lifecycle with one data model. Design efficiently using specialized tools for sheet metal, frame design, and tube and pipe. Enable design, documentation, and process automation powered by iLogic. Access Inventor API to create your own add-ins. Go further by investigating Forge Design Automation API for running your job processes in the cloud.Starting Price: $2,190 per year -
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Siemens NX
Siemens
Siemens NX software is a flexible and powerful integrated solution that helps you deliver better products faster and more efficiently. NX delivers the next generation of design, simulation, and manufacturing solutions that enable companies to realize the value of the digital twin. Supporting every aspect of product development, from concept design through engineering and manufacturing, NX gives you an integrated toolset that coordinates disciplines, preserves data integrity and design intent, and streamlines the entire process. A generative design process is one that engineers can adopt to quickly develop new products based upon meeting design constraints. It is an iterative process that produces fast results the engineer can refine via constraint variation to narrow in on the best design to meet the requirements.Starting Price: $287 per month -
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Onshape
Onshape
Onshape is a modern CAD and data management solution with features that include modern CAD, standard content libraries, multi-part modeling, and in-context editing. Onshape allows users to access the solution anywhere and anytime without downloads and installations. Onshape enables users to store and share CAD data in a secure cloud workspace. Onshape allows users to control and monitor access privileges of stored CAD files.Starting Price: $125.00/month/user -
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Solid Edge
Siemens
Solid Edge is a portfolio of affordable, easy to deploy, maintain, and use software tools that advance all aspects of the product development process – mechanical and electrical design, simulation, manufacturing, technical documentation, data management, and cloud-based collaboration. Developed on Siemens industry leading technologies, Solid Edge provides the most innovative and comprehensive approach to product development for the mainstream market.Starting Price: $75/month/user -
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Tinkercad
Autodesk
Tinkercad is a free, easy-to-use app for 3D design, electronics, and coding. It's used by teachers, kids, hobbyists, and designers to imagine, design, and make anything! Tinkercad lesson plans are ready for use online or in the classroom. Discover curriculum developed in partnership with teachers to align with standards including ISTE, Common Core, and NGSS. Tinkercad is free, nothing to download, and so easy to start it's ridiculous. -
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Autodesk Fusion 360
Autodesk
Fusion 360 unifies design, engineering, electronics, and manufacturing into a single software platform. Get integrated CAD, CAM, CAE & PCB on a single development platform. Also includes EAGLE Premium, HSMWorks, Team Participant, and access to consumptive services, such as generative design, cloud simulation, and cloud rendering. Engineer products with a comprehensive set of modeling tools. Ensure form, fit, and function of your products with various analysis methods. Create and edit sketches with sketch constraints, dimensions, and a powerful suite of sketch tools. Edit or repair imported geometry from non-native file formats. Make design changes without worrying about time-based features. Create and edit complex parametric surfaces for repairing, patching or designing geometry. Create history-based features, including extrude, revolve, loft, sweep, etc., that update with design changes.Starting Price: $495 per year -
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Creo Parametric
PTC
Creo Parametric has the core 3D modeling software strengths you’d expect from the industry leader, along with breakthrough capabilities in additive manufacturing, model based definition (MBD) , generative design, augmented reality, and smart connected design. Streamlined workflows and an intuitive user interface complete the picture. PTC’s developers created Creo Parametric as a sound foundation software that allows users the ability to expand deeper functionality with each component. As your products become more complex in its engineering, Creo offers expanded capabilities to meet your requirements. Every product isn’t made equal and your 3D CAD solution shouldn’t be either. Creo Parametric provides the broadest range of powerful yet flexible CAD 3D modeling software capabilities to accelerate the design of parts and assemblies. -
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Altair Inspire
Altair
Applied early in the product development lifecycle, Inspire accelerates the creation, optimization, and study of innovative, structurally efficient parts and assemblies through collaboration. Inspire's award winning user experience for geometry creation and modification can be learned in just a few hours, and delivers dependable Altair solver power. Structural analysis with the speed and accuracy of Altair® SimSolid®, as independently validated by NAFEMS, provides the ability to analyze large assemblies and complex parts. Dynamic motion simulation, including loads extraction, using the reliable multi-body systems analysis of Altair® MotionSolve®. The industry standard for structural efficiency, topology optimization by Altair® OptiStruct®, for the generative design of practical, viable, and manufacturable geometry. Inspire enables both simulation analysts and designers to perform what-if studies faster, easier, and above all earlier, encouraging collaboration. -
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Direct modeling allows you to quickly and easily create one-off designs or radically repurpose existing designs—even if you don’t know how they were made. In fact, most companies add 3D modeling to their product design process to help them shorten time to market, meet customer demands for new products, and satisfy increasingly complex customer requirements. With direct modeling, even those who are infrequent CAD users can make changes to geometry quickly and easily, while CAD experts appreciate the direct modeling flexibility to design large assemblies in record time. Creo Elements/Direct Modeling is the most comprehensive direct modeling system on the market, with a full range of extensions to meet your specialized needs. So, bring on your most radical design change or that one-off product: the software is intuitive, robust, and up to the task even with massive assemblies. Moreover, you or anyone on your team can pick up and work on a direct 3D product with minimal ramp-up time.
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KeyCreator
Kubotek USA
KeyCreator is the legendary manufacturing-oriented workhorse 3D/2D CAD software that has seen it all and remains the go-to problem-solving tool for leading suppliers and designers. Discover the most compatible, efficient, and agile drafting solution available. Direct read of native drawings from the most comprehensive list of any drafting software; CATIA V5 & V4, PTC Creo, Siemens NX, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, DWG/DXF & CADKEY. Full control to revise drawing views, revision blocks, and add dimensions without the original CAD software. Automated drawing views and custom borders created as layouts in the main file. Comprehensive options to adjust view contents and look. Quickly add section, detail, and shaded isometric views. Easy-to-learn, professional-grade detailing. All style settings in dialogs. No complex set of variables and settings to remember. Import solids from any major CAD program and rotate, slice, and measure. -
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Rhino 8
Robert McNeel & Associates
Rhino can create, edit, analyze, document, render, animate, and translate NURBS curves, surfaces and solids, subdivision geometry (SubD), point clouds, and polygon meshes. There are no limits on complexity, degree, or size beyond those of your hardware. Uninhibited free-form 3D modeling tools like those found only in products costing 20 to 50 times more. Model any shape you can imagine. Accuracy needed to design, prototype, engineer, analyze, and manufacture anything from an airplane to jewelry. Compatibility with all your other design, drafting, CAM, engineering, analysis, rendering, animation, and illustration software. Read and repair meshes and extremely challenging IGES files. Accessible. So easy to learn and use that you can focus on design and visualization without being distracted by the software. Fast, even on an ordinary laptop computer. No special hardware is needed. Development platform for hundreds of specialty 3D products.Starting Price: $995.00/user -
18
Creo CADDS 5
PTC
When you need to design massive, complex products and coordinate the concurrent engineering efforts of a large team, you need a solution that is powerful and purpose-built for this multi-disciplinary challenge. An adaptable, hybrid modeling solution that lets users optimize their design approach for specific cases. You can leverage parametric, explicit, and derived modeling capabilities which are tailored to meet the needs of shipbuilders and other designers of very large, complex products. Creo CADDS 5 facilitates collaborative engineering. Its unique architecture enables hundreds of designers to work concurrently on a design project, enabling simultaneous design, documentation, assembly and machining. Helps Creo CADDS 5 customers using Creo CADDS 5 files, as well as other CAD data and non-CAD-related product development information, to improve their collaboration, management and control efforts. -
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nTop Platform
nTopology
Engineering software built for digital manufacturing The way we build parts has changed. Your engineering software needs to change too. A unifying technique for design, simulation, and manufacturing data. The nTop Platform approach removes geometry bottlenecks in design by achieving more efficient workflows, dramatically improving team collaboration with faster iteration, enabling smarter, more complex designs to meet performance demands. By utilizing nTop Platform’s breakthrough computational modeling techniques, design teams can process and evaluate more design concepts than ever before. Find the most optimal solution in a shorter amount of time. At nTopology we know that your engineering know-how is the most valuable asset in your organization. nTop Platform makes that know-how accessible, shareable and, most importantly, secure across your entire organization. -
20
EnSuite-Cloud ReVue
CADCAM-E
EnSuite-Cloud ReVue is a revolutionary secure real-time peer-to-peer CAD collaboration product that allows participants to conduct engineering design reviews using 3D multi-CAD data like CATIA, NX, SOLIDWORKS, Creo, NX... directly in the browser. No software installation or browser extensions required CATIA, NX, SOLIDWORKS, Creo...collaboration - no CAD licenses required No uploading of the native, proprietary design data No data footprint left after collaboration Integrated conference call facility Well-defined roles & privileges for participants for data protection -
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FreeCAD
FreeCAD
FreeCAD is an open-source parametric 3D modeler made primarily to design real-life objects of any size. Parametric modeling allows you to easily modify your design by going back into your model history and changing its parameters. FreeCAD allows you to sketch geometry constrained 2D shapes and use them as a base to build other objects. It contains many components to adjust dimensions or extract design details from 3D models to create high quality production ready drawings. FreeCAD is a multiplatfom (Windows, Mac and Linux), highly customizable and extensible software. It reads and writes to many open file formats such as STEP, IGES, STL, SVG, DXF, OBJ, IFC, DAE and many others, making it possible to seamlessly integrate it into your workflow. FreeCAD is designed to fit a wide range of uses including product design, mechanical engineering and architecture. Whether you are a hobbyist, a programmer, an experienced CAD user, a student or a teacher, you will feel right at home with FreeCAD. -
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Creo Simulation
PTC
Enhance your product design with simulation and analysis to reduce costly physical prototyping while increasing your products' durability, reliability, and safety. Using digital prototypes to understand how your designs perform in real-world conditions is vital to your product development process. Creo Simulation is designed uniquely for the engineer. It comes complete with structural, thermal, and vibration analysis solutions and a comprehensive set of finite elements analysis (FEA) capabilities. With Creo Simulation, you can analyze and validate the performance of your 3D virtual prototypes before you make the first part. We offer flexible and unique simulation solutions for our customers. Utilize this section to gain insights into what we offer to fit your needs. If you have any questions about our tool stack, feel free to contact a Creo representative. -
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Blender
Blender Foundation
Blender is the free and open source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, video editing and 2D animation pipeline. Cycles is Blender’s built-in powerful unbiased path-tracer engine that offers stunning ultra-realistic rendering. Blender’s comprehensive array of modeling tools make creating, transforming and editing your models a breeze. VFX professionals say: “Probably the best tracker in the market”. Blender includes production ready camera and object tracking. Allowing you to import raw footage, track the footage, mask areas and see the camera movements live in your 3D scene. Eliminating the need to switch between programs. Thanks to the high quality rigging and animation tools, Blender is being used for numerous short films, advertisements, TV series and feature films now. -
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Inventor Nastran
Autodesk
CAD-embedded finite element analysis software. Use a wider variety of study types and materials in your analysis. Inventor® Nastran® delivers finite element analysis (FEA) tools for engineers and analysts. Simulation covers multiple analysis types, such as linear and nonlinear stress, dynamics, and heat transfer. Inventor Nastran is available only in the Product Design & Manufacturing Collection. The Product Design & Manufacturing Collection delivers tools that work right inside Inventor—including advanced simulation, 5-axis CAM, and nesting, plus AutoCAD and Fusion 360. -
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Creo View
PTC
Creo View is a simple but powerful enterprise visualization technology that enables virtually effortless collaboration across local and global design teams. Access to multiple forms of engineering data including 3D CAD models, 2D drawings, electrical schematics, and printed circuit boards both interactively at your desktop or through augmented reality (AR) allows design authors, project managers and downstream suppliers to quickly and easily access and share information between themselves and other stakeholders. Creo View makes the comparison and validation process easy, with single-view interrogation of mechanical and electrical design, project and part data. With Creo View, you’re on the way to faster and higher quality design reviews, improved user and extended design team collaboration, and higher quality products at a lower cost. From our free-for-life Creo View Express viewer to lightning-fast and ultra-scalable viewers, PTC offers a range of commercial viewing options. -
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Alibre Design
Alibre
Alibre Design is a 3D modeling, analysis, manufacturing documentation, rendering, and publishing platform. It is used in every industry to take products from idea to revision to production. It can help your business to design everything from consumer products to wind turbines. An efficient and customizable user interface that lets you work like you want with helpful hints. A fast and precise sketching environment that captures design intent and makes changes easy. Robust and fully parametric 3D modeling tools and easy workflows speed up part creation. A dedicated sheet metal environment with tools just for sheet good design and easy flat pattern creation. A dedicated sheet metal environment with tools just for sheet good design and easy flat pattern creation. An automatically generated bill of materials that supports design data, physical properties, and dimensions. -
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Autodesk PD&M Collection
Autodesk
Accelerate your product design and manufacturing processes. The collection is an integrated set of professional-grade applications that connect everyone, from concept to production, with shared tools to streamline your product development process. Create high-performing product designs and production system layouts. Extend product capabilities and prevent product failures. Connect your team and your data from design to manufacture. See how the collection gives you the power to create your most ambitious ideas, collaborate more efficiently, automate busywork, and explore more design options than ever before. Increase win rates and deliver faster, with a connected and automated toolset, quickly configure and deliver products to customer spec. Use advanced simulation to validate and optimize products and manufacturing processes. Develop products and processes that optimize material use and minimize waste.Starting Price: $2,855 per year -
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Mastercam
CNC Software
CAD/CAM software is used to translate computer-aided design (CAD) to manufacturing workpieces with computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) on your CNC machine. Mastercam offers CAD/CAM software tools for a variety of CNC programming needs, from basic to complex. Due to our innovative, flexible solutions and top notch network of support, our software is a complete solution from the start of design through to manufacturing. Choose Mastercam to streamline your production process from job setup to job completion. Our CAD CAM software products take parts from design through to the production line. Program your manufactured parts with leading-edge features for precision and efficiency. Creating code to drive your CNC equipment is what Mastercam does best. Build your comprehensive CAD/CAM solution with Mastercam. -
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Autodesk Alias
Autodesk
Seamlessly collaborate across different workflows and personas. Increase productivity and eliminate the need to toggle between siloed systems. Use a single source for design from sketch through production surfacing. Create and reuse templates across design and surfacing teams—sharing surfacing language. Curve and Surface replace workflows with the History Visualizer tool, enabling automatic rebuild of geometry. Collaborate across teams and manage projects with a single suite of tools for faster decision-making. Allow Alias and non-Alias modelers to collaborate with Alias Assemblies and Master Alias Assembly Concept. Review design projects with Shotgun to keep creative teams focused.Starting Price: $585 per month -
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Simpleware
Synopsys
Unlock the power of Simpleware software to seamlessly process 3D & 4D image data from MRI, CT, and micro-CT. Dive into your data with advanced visualization, detailed analysis, and accurate quantification. Create precise models ready for design, simulation, and 3D printing workflows. The Simpleware W-2024.12 release advances Simpleware software's further adoption of AI-assisted segmentation tools and streamlined design features to accelerate all your 3D image processing and analysis workflows. Our industry-leading 3D image processing and model generation platform allows you to create products and workflows from 3D & 4D image data and integrate seamlessly with design and simulation tools. Intuitive interface with quick-and-easy access to all tools and features. Comprehensive analysis of even the most complex 3D image data. Generate design and simulation-ready models of the highest quality. -
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ICEM Surf
Dassault Systèmes
Often described as the reference system for the creation of Class-A surfaces, ICEM Surf is the industry-leading curve and surface explicit geometry modeling tool for defining, analyzing and performing high-end visualization of complex free-form shape CAD surface models to the highest quality. Used in product design processes throughout automotive, aerospace, consumer goods and press-tool design industries, providing solutions for direct surface modeling, refinement, reconstruction and scan modelling. Advanced tools such as Global modelling and industry-defined analysis tools enable designers to detect subtle surface problems and check for compliances with regulations, whilst simultaneously performing high precision surfacing and experiencing real-time 3D visualization. With the core module you can define complex free-form shapes of a desired aesthetical high end Class-A quality, create, modify and diagnose surfaces and existing designs. -
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Emulate3D
Rockwell Automation
You don’t want to waste time troubleshooting after implementation. Create testing models and put them through their paces in a virtual environment directly within SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk Inventor, or PTC Creo. Make changes quickly and perfect kinetic sequences and timing without wasting hours experimenting on a physical prototype. Combine your mechanical CAD information with real control system logic to create a Dynamic Digital Twin, then view and verify system operation. Once you have built and perfected your twin, use it to train your operators without disrupting your operations so you can remain as profitable as possible. Decrease the time it takes to test incremental changes and Thorough logic sequence and timing verification. -
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FLOW-3D
Flow Science
Optimize product designs and reduce time to market with FLOW-3D, a highly-accurate CFD software that specializes in solving transient, free-surface problems. FLOW-3D‘s complete multiphysics suite includes our state-of-the-art postprocessor, FlowSight. FLOW-3D provides a complete and versatile CFD simulation platform for engineers investigating the dynamic behavior of liquids and gas in a wide range of industrial applications and physical processes. FLOW-3D focuses on free surface and multi-phase applications, serving a broad range of industries including microfluidics, bio-medical devices, water civil infrastructure, aerospace, consumer products, additive manufacturing, inkjet printing, laser welding, automotive, offshore, energy and automotive. A uniquely powerful, multiphysics tool, FLOW-3D provides the functionality, ease-of-use and power that helps engineers advance their modeling objectives. -
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Civil 3D
Autodesk
Civil 3D® civil engineering design software supports BIM (Building Information Modeling) with integrated features to improve drafting, design, and construction documentation. Conduct grading design studies based on project constraints. Grading Optimization is available in Civil 3D only as part of the Architecture, Engineering & Construction Collection. Transform how you navigate, visualize, and interact with Civil 3D design models. Project Explorer is an extension available in Civil 3D only through the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Collection. Experience more efficient workflows for surface modeling, corridor modeling, site design, storm and sanitary, and plan production and documentation with Civil 3D® civil engineering design software. Securely access Civil 3D files, data shortcuts, and xrefs from multiple locations and companies, all in a common data environment.Starting Price: $2,430 per year -
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Fibersim
Siemens
The nature of fiber-reinforced plastic products require rapid changes in the way analysis, design and manufacturing is traditionally performed. Unravel the complexities of these materials with the Fibersim portfolio of software. Experience a concurrent engineering process where analysis and design are performed in the context of the manufacturing process, which is key to developing optimal designs. The open architecture of Fibersim provides a specialized engineering environment to create a composite digital twin in NX, CATIA, or CREO. Siemens Digital Industries Software solution enables complex design and analysis to help optimize sailboat performance for one of the world’s most revered sailing prizes. -
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Bechtle PLM
Bechtle PLM
Bechtle PLM is a comprehensive product-lifecycle-management solution and service concept that helps businesses accelerate their time-to-market by strengthening the network of individual business segments and optimizing how they work together. It goes beyond core PLM components of design, production, and replacement parts management by offering a holistic approach that considers the entire IT landscape, including hardware, infrastructure, software, business applications such as BI, CRM, ERP, CAD, PDM, CAM, DMS/ECM, and AI, to create an integrated, turnkey PLM environment. The solution supports all lifecycle phases from beginning-of-life (product and design development), through middle-of-life (supplier collaboration, warranty, and product information management), to end-of-life (recycling, disposal, remarketing) and enables parallel development stages, improved information quality, reduced reliance on physical prototypes, and faster response times. -
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Fictiv
Fictiv
Get high quality parts manufactured on-demand, to accelerate innovation cycles from prototype to launch. Fictiv gives you access to a wide range of capabilities through a single, easy-to-use platform so you spend less time sourcing parts and more time on design innovation. No more waiting days or weeks to get quotes back. Fictiv gives you pricing instantly or within an hour for complex parts. We’ll analyze your parts for manufacturability, giving you full visibility into cost drivers and potential manufacturing risks. Get on-demand production status updates for your orders, including access to part photos and inspection data before delivery. -
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AutoCAD Mechanical
Autodesk
Design faster with an industry-specific toolset for mechanical engineering, including 700,000+ intelligent parts and features. Isolate and restore layer groups and specify linetypes and lineweights. Update geometry automatically when changes occur. Minimize manual redraws. Produce accurate drawings with standard components. Efficiently analyze designs, including shaft, spring, belt, chain, and cam generators. Detail native Inventor part and assembly models. Use intelligent drafting tools made for mechanical design. Custom content library and publishing. Create and save custom content. Preview fillet, chamfer, and offset commands. Take the power of AutoCAD® wherever you go. Smart mechanical engineering dimensions. Create dimensions using abbreviated dialog boxes. 2D DWG with a view of the standards tab on the open options panel. Support for international drafting standards. Deliver standards-based design documentation.Starting Price: $220 per month -
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DFMPro
DFMPro
DFMPro is a design-for-manufacturability software suite that integrates into major CAD environments (e.g., Creo Parametric, SOLIDWORKS, NX, CATIA V5) and helps engineers detect and resolve manufacturability issues early in the design process. It applies real-time design checks and recommendations for manufacturing, assembly, geometry, and cost, thus reducing rework and optimizing tolerances before parts reach production. The tool also includes a cost add-on module that continuously estimates expenses as designs evolve, evaluating materials, features, geometry, and manufacturing regions, and offers suggestions for cost reduction, standardization, and component reuse. DFMPro supports multiple manufacturing processes (injection molding, machining, casting, sheet metal, assembly) and industries (automotive, aerospace, medical devices, high-tech electronics). -
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Alibre Atom3D
Alibre
The best 3D design tool for hobbyists. Precision is built-in, things will fit together every time. Whether your design has one part or 1000, you can make it. Export your design in STL, STEP, SAT, DWG, or DXF for whatever your 3D printer or CNC software needs. Create 2D drawings with dimensions that you can print out to help you build it. A simplified yet powerful toolset doesn't bombard you with options, get up and running fast. No subscription nonsense, own your tools and use them offline. Design precision components for miniature machinery or full-scale awesomeness. The most epic pinewood derby car or elegant works of art, if it can be milled, it can be designed. Make fully custom projects for your router table. Design simple parts or push it to the limit with exotic geometry, whatever your project calls for. Output any design to a 3D printer. Start simple with a basic sign, model a replacement for something that broke, or go wild and make a new robot. -
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BricsCAD
Bricsys
BricsCAD the first all-in-one CAD design solution in .dwg that answers all your needs; 2D drafting, 3D modeling, mechanical design, and BIM. The BricsCAD® family of products brings a cost-effective, multi-platform CAD solution to Windows, macOS, and Linux. BricsCAD is available as a permanent/perpetual license, for networked or stand-alone computers. You can also add All-In Maintenance for ease of keeping up-to-date. • BricsCAD® is available on a rental (a.k.a. “Subscription”) plan if you wish. • Familiarity for other CAD users and full LISP support can help reduce a new BricsCAD® users’ learning curve to a day or less. • Advanced multi-threading takes advantage of today’s high-performance processor chips • Innovative machine learning tools increase drawing accuracy while saving time • The small install footprint and high performance of BricsCAD® point to our constant focus on quality and modern software design.Starting Price: $330/user/year -
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Shapr3D
Shapr3D
Shapr3D is an intuitive, cross-platform 3D modeling app for iPadOS and macOS that is compatible with all major desktop CAD software. You can import projects and export work directly to your rendering, manufacturing, drafting, or splicing tools. Shapr3D’s tech stack and software combine the industrial power of desktop CAD tools and intuitive user experience. Shapr3D users get battle-tested Siemens™ geometric Parasolid™ modeling kernel and D-Cubed™ sketch engine. CAD-compatibility with hi-res X_T, STEP, STL, OBJ, 2D DXF, 2D DWG, USDZ export support. SLDPRT, SLDASM, STL, STEP, IGES, X_T, 2D DWG, 2D DXF, JPG, PNG import support. Offline functionality and local storage with all officially supported Macs running on Big Sur (11.0) or later. A modeling experience designed for fluid mouse and keyboard input. Get tangible results with 2D Drawings: prepare your models’ technical drawings, and start prototyping right away.Starting Price: $25/month/user -
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SelfCAD
SelfCAD
SelfCAD is a 3D modeling for users of all levels. There is an online as well as downloadable versions for Windows and Mac. Most of the CAD programs available are either expensive or don’t generally provide all the necessary 3D modeling and printing tools. Some take months or years to learn and are meant for specific industries. SelfCAD has bridged this gap as it’s affordable, easy to learn and it targets all the industries. It has a simplified user interface too making it a perfect tool for novice users. SelfCAD is fully-featured including modeling, Sculpting, rendering, simple animations, and 3d print slicer, but the aggregate amount of tools is much less than any compatible software package because of its brilliant UX. The in-built slicer of SelfCAD is handy as it helps prepare the designs for printing without having to switch to another program. SelfCAD is very affordable. There are interactive tutorials available that helps one learn 3D modeling with much ease.Starting Price: Free -
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EQUINOX-3D
EQUINOX-3D
The 3D modeler with the fastest, fully integrated ray-tracer. Because "rasterization is so 20th century™" 3D modeling, animation, photorealistic rendering, photorealistic VR content creation, CAD/CAM, 3D printing, laser-cutting and much more! Why is EQUINOX-3D better? As our artist said: "all engineers should be forced to use the software they write". I use EQX many hours a day and there is no need to force me! Super-fast photorealistic renderer, the first fully integrated interactive ray-tracer in a modeler. You can do full editing/modeling on ray-traced windows! Powerful subdivision surface modeling. Powerful CAD/CAM features, 3D printing and laser-cutting support. Universal rendering API that allows full modeling on any renderer and fully integrated Cg renderer with a quality that closely matches the ray-tracer. HDR texture support and HDR rendering output. Super fast importance-sampled HDR environment light support. -
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PTC Mathcad
PTC
Engineering calculations are at the heart of product design. They are essential to every step of the design process. To achieve excellence in engineering, teams need a comprehensive yet intuitive application that performs calculations with accuracy and precision, enables traceability, protects intellectual property, and shows their work. PTC Mathcad has all your engineering notebook’s ease-of-use and familiarity with live mathematical notation and units intelligence. Most importantly, the calculation capabilities produce far more accurate results than a spreadsheet can provide. Using PTC Mathcad’s rich array of mathematical functionality, you can document your most critical engineering calculations as easily as you can write them. Show your work using rich formatting options alongside plots, text, and images in a single, professionally formatted document. Nobody needs specialized skills to create or consume PTC Mathcad data.Starting Price: $230 -
46
Abaqus
Dassault Systèmes
Today, product simulation is often being performed by engineering groups using niche simulation tools from different vendors to simulate various design attributes. The use of multiple vendor software products creates inefficiencies and increases costs. SIMULIA delivers a scalable suite of unified analysis products that allow all users, regardless of their simulation expertise or domain focus, to collaborate and seamlessly share simulation data and approved methods without loss of information fidelity. The Abaqus Unified FEA product suite offers powerful and complete solutions for both routine and sophisticated engineering problems covering a vast spectrum of industrial applications. In the automotive industry engineering work groups are able to consider full vehicle loads, dynamic vibration, multibody systems, impact/crash, nonlinear static, thermal coupling, and acoustic-structural coupling using a common model data structure and integrated solver technology. -
47
CADdy++
DataSolid
All the needs of professional designers. A professional 2D/3D-Mechanical Design solution for the highest requirements. All basics for the CAD-beginner or semi-professional user for an unbeatable price. All three performance levels are based on the identical data structure and so the user is certain that there will always be an unbroken link between 3D models and 2D drawings when they are worked on and processed. Even at the lowest performance level CADdy++ Mechanical Design basic the further processing of fully parametric 3D models and 2D drawings completed either with the economy or the professional version, is guaranteed without loss of data or information. Shaded 3D models can be displayed more quickly in CADdy++ Mechanical Design by using a high-performance graphics card with Open GL interface 1280 x 1024 pixels and 32768 colours, for example the PNY graphic boards. -
48
Ansys Discovery
Ansys
Ansys Discovery features the first simulation-driven design tool combining instant physics simulation, high-fidelity simulation and interactive geometry modeling in a single easy-to-use experience. By combining interactive modeling and multiple simulation capabilities in a first-of-its-kind product, Discovery allows you to answer critical design questions earlier in the design process. This upfront approach to simulation saves time and effort on prototyping as you explore multiple design concepts in real time with no need to wait for simulation results. Ansys Discovery answers critical design questions early in your process with speed and accuracy. Boost productivity and performance by eliminating long waits for simulation results. Discovery lets engineers focus on innovation and product performance. By answering critical design questions early in the process, thus decreasing engineer labor and physical prototyping costs, Ansys Discovery allows for a ROI boost across your organization. -
49
SolveSpace
SolveSpace
SOLVESPACE is a free (GPLv3) parametric 3d CAD tool. Modeling 3d parts, drawing with extrudes, revolves, helixes and Boolean (union/difference/intersection) operations. Modeling 2d parts, draw the part as a single section, and export DXF, PDF, SVG; use 3d assembly to verify fit. 3D-printed parts, export the STL or other triangle mesh expected by most 3d printers. Preparing CAM data, export 2d vector art for a waterjet machine or laser cutter; or generate STEP or STL, for import into third-party CAM software for machining. Mechanism design, use the constraint solver to simulate planar or spatial linkages, with pin, ball, or slide joints. Plane and solid geometry, replace hand-solved trigonometry and spreadsheets with a live dimensioned drawing. Sketch sections using lines, rectangles, datum lines and points. Sketch circles, arcs of a circle, datum circles, cubic Bezier segments, C2 interpolating splines, and more. -
50
Meshmatic
VRSQUARE
Convert your 3D CAD files into optimized mesh content for different visualization projects such as rendering, AR, VR, web, and game engine development, and 3D printing, No need to have extensive 3D knowledge. Just choose your end goal and Meshmatic will automatically convert and optimize your file in just a few clicks. Meshmatic’s key feature are: - Read and write Solidworks, CATIA, STEP, FBX, OBJ, 3ds Max, STL, SKP, Creo, GLTF, Datasmith, and other 3D formats. -Meshmatic has one of the most accurate tessellation algorithms in the market. -Automated algorithms optimize and prepare your file for the next step in your 3D pipeline. These tools include: mesh cleanup, hierarchy cleanup, duplicate instantiation, small parts removal, internal part deletion, LOD generation, and UV unwrapping. -Meshmatic is desktop application so your files stay on your PC or local network. -Fully automated optimization means you don’t need extensive 3D knowledge. -No programming skills required.Starting Price: $60
