After over a year of development, the release of the open system parametric 3D modeling software Freecad 0.21 has been published. Freecad 0.21 is known for its flexible capabilities of customization and extension of functionality through the connection of addons. The interface of Freecad 0.21 is built using the QT library, and addons can be created in Python. The software supports the preservation and loading of models in various formats, including STEP, Iges, and STL. The code of Freecad is distributed under the license LGPLv2 by Open Cascade. Ready-made assemblies of Freecad 0.21 will be prepared for Linux (Appimage), MacOS, and Windows. [1]
Freecad allows users to change the parameters of the model, explore various design options, and evaluate the work at different stages of model development. It can serve as a free alternative to commercial CAD software such as Catia, Solid Edge, and SolidWorks. While its main purpose is in mechanical engineering and product design, Freecad can also be utilized in other fields like architectural design. [2]
The main innovations of Freecad 0.21 include:
- Updated the interface “navigation cubes”, which is now not shown in the future if the orthogonal regime of the 3D shift is active. The corner edges have been enlarged and replaced by hexagonal shapes to simplify usage with a mouse. Frames have been added around the buttons. [3]
