OpenCAD/CAE/CAM Project With Open API

Hey guys. Reprap is a revolution in printing of 3D projects, and allows us to bring 3D printing to the everyman. However, it seems hard to find a good 3D cad program that doesn't cost tons of money.

What we're aiming to do is create something along the lines of an open-source Inventor or Solidworks program... (Similar to how Open Office is a handy open source MS office clone) That has the ability to read ALL formats of 3D drawings. (

Similar to how VLC player handles every media format possible).

I feel that having the availability of the software and a universal toolkit with an Open API allows us to make the software as advanced as we like, but at the same time, should preserve the usability so that anyone who knows how to draw can use it. If any members are interested, please get back at me, and reply. I'll be posting this in several other forums (programming etc) but I'd like to really get an idea of what features, uses, and handy integrations can be made.

Have you checked out freecad: http://free-cad.sf.net ?
or
heekscad: http://code.google.com/p/heekscad/?

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-Sebastien, RepRap.org library gnome.

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Remember, you're all RepRap developers (once you've joined the super-secret developer mailing list), and the wiki, RepRap.org, [reprap.org] is for everyone and everything!

I think the open source hardware movement needs this in a bad way. The current state of open source 3D CAD is a lot of interesting, but still very awkward software.

Being able to read ALL formats is rather ambitious. Maybe not possible. Maybe only not practical. The proprietary CAD systems have had some level of file import ability, but none of them work really well. Some require purchase of a license of the other modeling kernel by the CAD software vendor. Only the few public formats are exchanged with good reliability. STEP, dwg, stl, etc. Exchange of parametric model files is almost non-existent.

The compatibility goals may not be necessary. If there existed an Open Source CAD such that OSCAD~SolidWorks as OpenOffice.org~MS Office, I'd gladly switch to the OSCAD for open source hardware projects. Just for the interoperability. Said another way, if there was something powerful and easy enough, it would become the de facto standard in open source hardware, and possibly even significantly penetrate industry.

Hi everyone!
FreeCAD community works about remodelling Reprap printers in FreeCAD. You can see some models on FC forum
[sourceforge.net]

FreeCAD models are truly solid (instead STL mesh) and parametric.

If you want start some collaboration, feel free. FreeCAD community is open to Reprap enthusiast!

Looks very good indeed.

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