Fusion360 runs just fine under WINE on linux. OpenSCAD will create whatever level of part complexity you can mathematically describe. If you have a part with many b-splines or freeform curves, yes, you will spend a long time describing them. However, the mathematical precision with which you must think about your part can make the production of CAM files or meshes much simpler and/or with less "stepping" It is worth mentioning that FreeCAD exports to OpenSCAD natively. Should you want to produce a part on an older Fanuc, for example, you may have difficulties with larger meshes.
*Ryan McIntosh* E4F Designs (204)770-3682 [email protected] On Wed, Sep 30, 2026 at 4:04 PM Chris Albertson <[email protected]> wrote: > My test to see if a CAD/CAM system is usable is to try to make a Milwaukee > battery-powered drill housing. Note that the drill on the outside has > no flat parallel surfaces, as it is all compound curves and freeform. > Except there is bilateral symmetry and, in some places, radial symmetry. > Then, if you look on the inside, it is very geometric and has places for > mechanical gears and PCB mounting holes, threaded blind holes, and is very > “mechanical.” A good CAD system should allow you to design something like > a drill or a car that is both mechanical and a sculpted shape. > > FreeCAD is open source and passed the above test. Autodesk’s Fusion 360 > is free to use and has a better user interface and is faster to use. Both > have a CAM systems. FreeCAD’s CAM is really only 2.5D and basically > works. Autodesk Fusion’s CAM is 100% professional quality, but the free > version is limited. You need a paid license for 5-axis support. Both > work well for making 3D-printed parts with very complex part shapes up to > and including motorcycle engines and similar. > > About Gene’s comment: I can’t understand how someone with good mechanical > skill can not learn either of these two CAD systems. OK, Fusion 360 is > easier. But anyone reading this should be able to do basic work after a > week or two of study and after 6 weeks, make complex parts like the > Milwaukee drill. > > About OpenSCAD, I challenge anyone to make a Milwaukee battery drill in > OpenSCAD. Or a car or a motorcycle engine. It is, however, good for any > shape that can be described by an algorithm; gears are a good example. > > Summary: if making complex parts and wanting a free CAD/CAM system, use > Fusion 360. If it must also be open source, use FreeCAD. > > Your operating system might help you decide. Fusion 360 runs only on > macOS and Windows. FreeCAD runs on these but also runs on Linux. > Fusion360 can run on Linux if you run a virtual machine with Windows. > > > > > > > On Sep 30, 2026, at 8:14 AM, maurice e heskett <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > On 9/30/26 09:41, andy pugh wrote: > >>> Agreed.. Off topic, is there a CAM that's both open src and free? > >> FreeCAD? > >> > >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVz2p_ze3yc > > > > A near vertical learning curve for my aging wet ram. I've made probably > 20 passes at it, haven't gotten past the 1st page of examples w/o gaining > any real insight as to how it works. Openscad is a piece of tasty cake. The > link above gave me a prostate commercial I had to sit thru, but got bored > after about 2 minutes and killed FF. Never saw the freecad demo. went > back again, 'skip"ped about 3 commercials, then got lost in the speakers > accent. As Winston Churchill once said, 2 great countries separated by a > common language... The chances I'd get anything out of that are quite slim. > > > > Thanks, Gene > > > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Emc-users mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
