There’s a new open-source 3D CAD tool on the loose: Dune 3D.
This new tool was developed by Lukas K of carrotindustries, and attempts to rectify some of the deficiencies in current open-source 3D CAD tools. He explains:
“While FreeCAD technically does everything I need, the way it’s implemented isn’t quite to my liking. My biggest pain points with it are the modal sketcher that only works in 2D, no constraints in 3D for extrusions, and the perils of referencing things in the design.
Solvespace, on the other hand, gets the workflow part right but falls short by not importing STEP and the geometry kernel not supporting chamfers and fillets.”
And:
“Making FreeCAD parametric in 3D or putting Open CASCADE into Solvespace seemed to be too big a change to pull off as an outside contributor to either project. I also really like writing CAD software, so here we are.”
The software tool has been built primarily for use on Linux platforms but also works on both Windows and Mac OS platforms if you use the build instructions. These are not too difficult to follow, and most people should be able to get Dune 3D installed.
Note, however, that this is quite a new tool and it still has a long way to go. Lukas writes:
“With all of the building blocks available, I set out to glue them together to form a 3D CAD application. About three months later, it’s somewhat presentable.”
It is a basic system but does what it is intended to do. You can sketch shapes with common tools such as lines, Bézier curves, etc., and then use tools like extrude or lathe to transform them into fully 3D geometries.
As expected, Dune 3D offers the ability to create constraints, which is usually required when designing mechanical parts. This provides a way to force dimensional accuracy in designs.
There are also commands to perform fillets and chamfers, which can add both functional and aesthetic aspects to a part design.
There’s a pretty useful tutorial that one can follow along to learn how Dune 3D works. The tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to designing a simple part, and by the end, you should know more or less how to get around in Dune 3D.
Dune 3D does not provide a wide range of functions as the more popular 3D CAD tools, but it does perform the basics and is ideal for those wishing to avoid paying subscription fees or high one-time costs for powerful commercial 3D CAD packages.
