3Design CAD (pronounced Three Design) is the only jewellery CAD program that runs on Mac and Linux as well as PC. It offers a very different approach to modelling, involving working with solids rather than surfaces, deforming existing shapes, and combining them with a host of jewellery-specific commands such as pave and shank builders.
The ArchiCAD is a free CAD software for Mac that presents a design suite which manages both 2D and 3D designs and drafting, as well as provide proper viewing of the same, and is complete in both form and function. Sep 12, 2014 The total price for Jewelry Cad Dream software is US$4995.00 Webinar lessons and tutorials are $125.00 per month with special promotion code NZ1001. If you learn JEWELRY CAD DREAM software and look for a brighter future than what you currently have from the other jewellery cad programs then you can make this exciting commitment. 3DESIGN is the most innovative 3D Jewelry CAD Software Solution in the market and is aimed to Jewelry creators and Manufacturers, Watchmakers, Accessory Designers or Artisan Jewelers. 3DESIGN allows designing Jewelry models in 3D, present them, validate them, sell them and produce them. A 3D modeling free software and available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows, and Mac OSX. Unlike most of free 3D modeling Software (such as blender) OpenScad doesn’t have an interface for artistic aspects instead you have a 3D compiler that reads scripts of files that describes the object and render it’s in a 3D model form, in other words, you don.
3Design CAD’s Advantages and Weaknesses
3Design is a fully parametric CAD modelling program. That means you don’t store models as geometry, but rather as steps in a process. If you go back and change an earlier step, all later steps will be affected. While most CAD programs now have some limited parametric capability (often called History), the fact 3Design is designed entirely around parametric modelling makes it ideal for any workflow where the designer has to rework the design over and over again, such as size ranges or collections based on the same motif.
In practice, it also means you’re building objects based upon each other rather than just placing geometry in space. This can make creating complex mechanisms and assemblies a bit tricker conceptually than they might be in programs without full parametrics.
There’s more to it than just that. Contact me to discuss the advantages of 3Design relative to other jewellery CAD programs, and whether 3Design is the best jewellery CAD software package for you.
To Learn More About Jewellery CAD/CAM
If this whets your appetite for learning more about how to use 3Design software for your CAD/CAM jewellery design and manufacturing, I can provide you with three options:
I offer a short courses in 3Design CAD for beginner and intermediate users, focusing on using the program’s parametric functionality to help streamline the design and editing process for CAD jewellery design.
I offer bespoke training. Contact me directly to find out more about upcoming short courses or bespoke private tuition to suit your business needs and timetables.
You’ll find below a series of tutorial videos I’ve collected which can both help you get a feeling for what the software is like to use, and also how to perform certain key tasks in the software.
Alternatively, if you want to know more about price for the software or other resources, I would recommend contacting Sierra Consultancy, the UK distributor of 3Design jewellery CAD software.
Selected Tutorial Videos – 3Design CAD
Tutorial Videos of My Creation
Tutorial Videos From Other Users
3Design themselves have also made a series of Youtube videos of some of their Classic 3Design Basic Tutorials.
If you speak Spanish (or are good at following visuals), the Escuela de Joyeria CADJ channel on Youtube has numerous excellent tutorials on using the various tools in 3Design.
If you’re looking for CAD software for Mac, you’re not without options. We’ve found some standout Mac and cloud-based CAD platforms for you.
You’re likely to hit a wall if you’re searching for computer-aided design (CAD) software designed for Mac. There are plenty of CAD software options for Windows—you’ll see many of them in our list of the top AutoCAD alternatives—but only a handful offer support for Mac.
And, if you think you’ll bypass the issue by using a cloud-based CAD tool, you’ll quickly find that CAD vendors haven’t embraced the cloud as much as other types of software vendors have, so the offerings are still largely on-premise. According to Gartner’s Hype Cycle for IT Evolution (full content available to Gartner clients), cloud-native CAD applications still have five to 10 years before they reach mainstream adoption.
But fear not, Mac users. We’ve done some digging and have put together this list of the top-rated CAD software for Mac. Read more about our methodology at the bottom of this article.
5 Best CAD Software for Mac (presented alphabetically)
Jump to:
CorelCAD
FreeCAD
Fusion 360
LibreCAD
Onshape
1. CorelCAD
CorelCAD offers 2D drafting and 3D design capabilities, such as the drawing constraints feature for creating different geometric shapes faster and the push and pull feature for 3D direct modeling.
3D modeling in CorelCAD (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analyses of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of CorelCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
The short learning curve: Users mention that the tool is easy to use and beginners don’t have to spend a lot of time learning it.
Compatibility with multiple file types: Users like the fact that the tool is compatible with DWG, PDF, ACIS, DXF, STL, CDR, and other file formats.
What users think could be improved:
Software reliability issues: Some users mention that the software tends to crash at times.
Better dimension functionality: Some users would like a better dimensioning feature for more accurate drawings of angles and proportions.
Who can use CorelCAD
CorelCAD can be used by construction businesses for collaborative editing on multiple devices. It offers native iOS applications, which makes it easy for field crews to add annotations in graphics and share files using their iPhones and iPads. Additionally, the tool allows team members to leave recorded messages and instructions for colleagues embedded in the graphics using a voice note tool.
2. FreeCAD
FreeCAD is an open source CAD tool that works on Mac as well as Windows and Linux. It reads many common file formats such as STEP, IGES, STL, SVG, DXF, OBJ, IFC, and DAE.
It offers different modules, including a drawing sheets module that converts 3D models into 2D views, a rendering module that can export 3D objects, and an architecture module for a BIM-like workflow.
3D model of a building in FreeCAD (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of FreeCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
Feature-richness for a free tool: Users mention that, although it’s free, the tool comes with a full set of features.
Reliability: Users mention that the tool does not demand a lot of CPU power and works well on devices with low RAM.
What users think could be improved:
Steep learning curve: Users mention that the tool is not the most user-friendly solution and can be difficult for beginners to learn.
Dependent on community for updates: Users mention that modules ignored by the community tend to become outdated quickly.
Who can use FreeCAD
FreeCAD appears to be best for hobbyists and home users. It’s also good for users who don’t have a high budget for software but still want to tinker with CAD modeling.
FreeCAD could also be a good choice for businesses on a budget looking for a free and open-source option.
3. Fusion 360
Fusion 360 is a CAD tool from Autodesk with design functionalities such as sketching and 3D modeling. It also supports project management with features such as task management, document management, and collaborative image editing.
Document management in Fusion 360 (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of Fusion 360 they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
Comprehensive design features: User mention that the tool offers all the functionalities necessary for 2D and 3D designing.
Availability of training resources: Users like the fact that the tool comes with ample documentation and tutorials.
What users think could be improved:
System crashes: Users mention that the tool tends to crash, especially when designing and rendering large files.
Steep learning curve: Users mention that it can take a lot of time to learn the advanced functionalities of the tool.
Who can use Fusion 360
Fusion 360 is part of the Autodesk ecosystem designed for the AEC industry. This makes the tool suitable for construction businesses that are already using, or intend to use, other Autodesk solutions. Using a software vendor that offers multiple solutions will especially benefit larger businesses that invariably need software that can scale with their growing requirements.
4. LibreCAD
LibreCAD is an open source CAD tool that supports Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. The tool comes with 2D drawing features such as a snap tool, dimensioning, and annotations. It also supports multiple file imports and exports.
2D drawing in LibreCAD (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of LibreCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
Ease of use: Users mention that the tool offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface.
Lots of tutorials: Users like the fact that there are ample video tutorials that help them get started with the tool.
What users think could be improved:
Software speed: Users mention that the software tends to lag, especially when trying to print designs.
Add support for 3D design: Users would like to see functionalities for creating 3D designs.
Who can use LibreCAD
LibreCAD is an exclusively 2D CAD tool for drawing and designing blueprints of buildings, layouts of parks, and the like. As a free tool, the solution can be used by small and midsize businesses across different industries, including manufacturing, engineering, architecture, and construction.
5. Onshape
Onshape is a cloud-only CAD solution that comes with features such as document management with version control, collaborative design creation/editing capabilities, and reporting dashboards to understand project status.
Importing documents in Onshape (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of Onshape they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
Document version control: Users like the document management features of the tool, such as version history.
Intuitive interface: Users mention that the tool comes with an intuitive interface for easy image editing.
What users think could be improved:
Performance issues: Some users mention that the tool does not function well on non-Chrome browsers and has file loading issues.
Lack of features: Users mention that the tool should improve certain features such as 2D drawing and 3D surfacing.
Who can use Onshape
As a fully-cloud based tool, Onshape is ideal for businesses that need to manage design documents collaboratively with multiple stakeholders. The tool’s collaboration functionalities include document sharing, document editing, comments, and file downloads in multiple CAD formats, such as Parasolid, ACIS, STEP, and IGES.
Next steps
This report offers a mix of Mac CAD solutions—from free tools that can help you with basic 2D drawing to advanced solutions offering extensive 3D modeling functionalities.
If these tools don’t meet your needs, expand your search and check out more options. To help you, we’ve created a CAD software comparison page where you can explore products using different filters, such as features offered and pricing options.
Jewelry Cad Software For Mac Free
If you’re looking to understand the CAD software market better, we also recommend that you read the articles listed below:
Methodology
To be shortlisted, products had to fulfill the following criteria:
Products had to be compatible with Mac and offer core CAD software capabilities, such as:
2D drawing or 3D modeling features
Collaborative editing of drawings
Products needed a minimum of 20 user reviews on Capterra (published in the last two years).
Products had to have a high overall rating (an average of at least 4 out of 5 on Capterra).
Jewelry Cad Software For Mac Desktop
Note: The content in this piece that provides opinions and points of view expressed by users. It does not represent the views of Capterra.
Autocad Software For Mac
Looking for Construction Management software? Check out Capterra's list of the best Construction Management software solutions.