1. Furniture Design Software For Mac
2. Cad Jewelry Design Software For Mac
3. Free Jewelry Design Software For Mac
4. Jewellery Design Software For Mac

Most Popular 3D Modeling Programs For Jewelry Designers

Jun 14, 2019  CounterSketch jewelry CAD software Source: Stuller CounterSketch is a jewelry-focused CAD tool that’s offered at US$5,995 for the standalone version and US$250 per month for the web-based version: “CounterSketch 2019 is an intuitive 3D design software that provides access to a range of customizable styles and manufacturing options. Aug 29, 2017  in this viideo I will show you how to design a Ring in Rhino3D(Mac). Jewelry Design with Rhino5(Mac) Apranik Jewelry Academy. Pat schmidts secrets to jewelry design using rhino software. 10 questions that will help you compare the different jewelry design software on the market. Today, our prospects are all facing the same question when it comes to choosing their 3D CAD Software.To the question « which is the best cad software? » we will provide key points for a complete jewelry design software comparison.

Before a 3D printer can start printing your jewelry object, it needs digital input from a computer, or a virtual 3D model. This blog post will explain which 3D modeling programs are perfect for jewelry designers who want to print their products in 3D. Once you have found a software to create your designs in 3D, we can print them in gold, silver, bronze, brass or 100+ other materials and finishes.

A 3D model holds all the information about what object the 3D printer is supposed to print. These 3D files are generated with special 3D modeling software. There are many different types of 3D modeling software, and it is difficult to pinpoint the “best” software for the job. In reality, it depends on what the designer is trying to create.

For example, if described in terms of traditional 2D printing it would be impossible to recommend the best software. Whether the user wants to print a text, draw something, or edit a photo, each software has its own strengths and weaknesses.

There is no single software that dominates the market and is the most suitable for everyone. Every designer has different needs, preferences, and objectives in mind.

When deciding what software to use, it is advisable to take the following into account:

• Whether to use free software or spend a substantial amount of money for a high end design programs
• Whether you prefer to create geometric items or more organic shapes
• Whether you want to use beginner-friendly software with less functionality or a very powerful, but also very complex program

As it is difficult to recommend the “best” software, this blog post will present several programs that are popular with most of the jewelry designers at i.materialise. Their respective strengths and weakness will also be indicated. You will also see an actual 3D print that was created with each software – sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

Tinkercad: This program is perfect for designers who are new to 3D modeling. The app is free and can be used directly in your internet browser when you go to Tinkercad.com. Although the program is not suitable for creating very complex designs, it is a good starting point.

ZBrush & Sculptris: Sculptris is free, with a strong focus on 3D sculpting. It is especially suited to creating organic shapes, and users have the option of upgrading to the premium version ZBrush, which includes even more design features and is by far the most popular 3D sculpting program out there.

SketchUp: This 3D modeling software is popular with scale modelers and architects due to its geometric look, but it can also be used to create edgy jewelry designs. It is free, and can be upgraded later.

Blender: This software is free and quite powerful, which makes it very popular with 3D modelers. However, it comes with a very steep learning curve and is therefore less suitable for beginners.

Rhinoceros: A professional, all-round solution, Rhinoceros (or Rhino) is ideal for the serious designer. It is a premium software that can be expanded with several high-quality, payable plugins, making it a versatile and powerful tool. The most popular plugins for jewelry designers are Grasshopper, TSplines, and Rhinogold. For all these reasons, Rhino is the most popular choice of our jewelry designers.

Moment of Inspiration: MoI is a cheaper alternative to Rhino. While the style of 3D modeling (curve modeling) is very similar to Rhino, MoI comes at a much lower price. This price difference comes with less functionality and less available plugins, however.

This list is by no means exhaustive, so if you are still in the process of looking for software, take a look at the 3D design tool section of our website to find out more about the best 3D modeling programs out there. If you already have created a 3D file, discover our 100+ available 3D printing materials and finishes and upload your design here to receive an instant price quote.

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:

Furniture Design Software For Mac

• 
  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:

Cad Jewelry Design Software For Mac

• 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.

Free Jewelry Design Software For Mac

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

Jewellery Design Software For Mac

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.

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).

Note: The content in this piece that provides opinions and points of view expressed by users. It does not represent the views of Capterra.

Looking for Construction Management software? Check out Capterra's list of the best Construction Management software solutions.