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What is the best 3D modelling/CAD software?

I've been using Google Sketchup Pro for just over a year and I think I'm ready to move onto a better, more professional software. What do you recommend?

Public Comments

1. Auto cad or corel 3d works.
2. For Professional use try Autocad, for home use try TurboCad
3. Hey! It depends what you plan to do with it and how much you want to spend. Architecture: AutoCAD by Autodesk 3d Modeling & Animation: 3d Studio Max, Maya (both also by Autodesk) Detailed 3d modeling: Mudbox(Autodesk), ZBrush (Pixologic) These programs are the industry standards, used by top game and animation firms. Some companies have their own in-house tools written by their own programmers, but these are the next best thing. Licenses for them are very expensive, but Blender is open source and free: http://www.blender.org/ I use the expensive commercial software in school labs where I have free access to them, but at home for many years I've used Blender since it's free. It's a bit weird compared to the others (workflow and UI), but it is powerful. This year, Autodesk is offering a bunch of its stuff for free to students. You might want to check it out: http://students.autodesk.com/?nd=register&und=624
4. Revit Architecture 2010. Friend, have u played Grand theft Auto ? well. You can just put your 2d design in this software and Revit will generate a 3d view with High resolution and approximately 99% natural view. And ...this can also create an animation of your Building from room to room and doors inside doors, Note that This software needs a very high speed RAM, external Graphics Card and a good processor. Cheers CYBERSUNNY
5. Fields such as engineering make use of a number of different professional CAD packages, each catering to different niche markets. Unfortunately these types of CAD packages tend to be expensive. Here are few 3D CAD packages: Pro/ENGINEER http://download.ptc.com/products/proengineer/wildfire5/interactive-tour/en/index.html CATIA http://www.3ds.com/products/catia/mid-market/catia-for-design/overview/#vid1 Solidworks http://www.solidworks.com/sw/products/cad-software-3d-design.htm NX http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/products/nx/index.shtml A number of types of analyses can be performed on the CAD parts & assemblies you create. This video shows structural FEA on 3D CAD models http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geUCvKayhHE Here is an example of CFD in use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SpOnitUTGc The 3D CAD models can be rendered to produce photo-realistic images using software such as: Bunkspeed Shot http://bunkspeed.com/gallery/ Keyshot http://www.keyshot.com/keyshot/ This video shows Keyshot in use http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ianMNs12ITc