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Wilmington, North Carolina once had a thriving Black middle class and an elected interracial government. In 1898 white supremacists used violence to overthrow that government, kill Black residents and drive many others from the city.
MORE →Reflects the personal views, recollections, and perspective of the author, Mike Davis.
This is a personal recollection on the Move fire on May 13, 1985
| FreeCAD | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Screenshots from FreeCAD version 26.3 | |
| Original authors | Jürgen Riegel, Werner Mayer, Yorik van Havre[1] |
| Release | 29 October 2002 |
| Stable release | 1.1[2]
/ March 24, 2026 |
| Preview release | 26.3 (formerly known as 1.2)[3]
|
| Written in | C++, Python |
| Operating system | Linux macOS Unix Windows FreeBSD |
| Type | 3D modeling, CAD, CAM, BIM, FEM |
| License | LGPL-2.1-or-later |
| Website | |
| Repository | |
FreeCAD is a general-purpose parametric 3D computer-aided design (CAD) modeler and a building information modeling (BIM) software application with finite element method (FEM) support.[4] It is intended for mechanical engineering product design but also expands to a wider range of uses around engineering, such as architecture or electrical engineering. FreeCAD is free and open-source, under the LGPL-2.0-or-later license, and available for Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems. Users can extend the functionality of the software using the Python programming language.
FreeCAD features tools similar to CATIA, Creo, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, NX, Inventor, Revit, and therefore also falls into the category of building information modeling (BIM), mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD), PLM, CAx and CAE. It is intended to be a feature-based parametric modeler with a modular software architecture, which makes it easy to provide additional functionality without modifying the core system.
As with many modern 3D CAD modelers, FreeCAD has a 2D component to facilitate 3D-to-2D drawing conversion. Under its current state, direct 2D drawing (like AutoCAD LT) is not the focus for this software, and neither are animation or 3D model manipulation (like Blender, Maya, or Cinema 4D). However, the modular nature of FreeCAD allows the user to adapt its workflow for such environments via the use of plugins.
FreeCAD uses open-source libraries from the field of computing science; among them are Open CASCADE Technology[5][6] (a CAD kernel), Coin3D (an incarnation of Open Inventor), the Qt GUI framework, and Python, a popular scripting language. FreeCAD itself can also be used as a library by other programs.[7]
There are moves to expand FreeCAD into other sectors such as electrical engineering and architecture, engineering, & construction (AEC), and to add building information modeling (BIM) functionality with the Arch Module.[8]
 | This section needs more citations. (December 2025) |
FreeCAD has a modular structure built from a set of workbenches, where basic workbenches are bundled, and additional workbenches could be created and installed by users. For example, an Omniverse Connector Workbench Plugin enables direct read and write access between FreeCAD and NVIDIA Omniverse, allowing CAD geometry to be synchronised with a remote Nucleus server and shared with other Omniverse-compatible tools.[9]
Sketcher Workbench is a default workbench with a set of 2D drafting tools for drawing in specified 2D plane.
Part Design Workbench is a default workbench for constructing solid geometry (body) by 3D operations from 2D sketches and 3D geometry modification operations (Boolean, pattern, hole making, lathing, etc.).
In FreeCAD, it is possible to use both solid modeling paradigms: top-to-down or down-to-top — so, it is possible to create a cylinder from a circle sketch by extruding it, or by lathing a cube solid with a rectangular sketch turned around any cube axis.
Part Workbench is a default workbench for adding solid parts primitives and multibody solids, with a set of tools for solid Boolean operations.
Drafting Workbench is a default workbench with a set of tools for raw and advanced editing of 2D and 3D geometry. Its used in cases of complex geometry impossible to create or edit with Sketcher, Part Design or Part workbenches.
Assembly Workbench is a default workbench for assembling parts into multipart assembly connecting each part with various geometric constraints. Also, there are alternative 3rd party workbenches for assembly creating each with different logic and set of constraints.
Technical Drawing Workbench is a default workbench for generating 2D drawings from 3D view of parts or assembly, with a set of tools for post-processing generated drawing (scaling, views orientation and projection, line and fill editing, adding measurements, GD&T labels, etc.). This workbench is used for producing final shop drawings and specifications documents for printing or export to PDF.
FreeCAD's own main file format is FreeCAD Standard file format (.FCStd).[10] It is a standard zip file that holds files in a certain structure.[10] The Document.xml file has all geometric and parametric objects definitions.[10] GuiDocument.xml then has visual representation details of objects.[10] Other files include brep-files for objects and thumbnail of drawing.[10]
Besides FreeCAD's own file format, files can be exported and imported in DXF, SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), STEP, IGES, STL (STereoLithography), OBJ (Wavefront), DAE (Collada), SCAD (OpenSCAD), IV (Inventor) and IFC.[11]
FreeCAD's support for the proprietary DWG file format has been problematic due to software license compatibility problems with the GNU LibreDWG library. The GNU LibreDWG library started as a real free alternative to the source-available OpenDWG library (later Teigha Converter and now ODA File Converter) and is licensed under the GPLv3. As FreeCAD (and also LibreCAD) has dependencies on Open Cascade, which prior to version 6.7.0 was only compatible with GPLv2,[12] it couldn't use the GNU LibreDWG library as GPLv2 and GPLv3 are essentially incompatible.[13][14] Open CASCADE technology was contacted by Debian team in 2009, and 2012 got a reply that Open CASCADE technology was considering dual-licensing OCCT (the library), however they postponed that move. A request also went to the FSF to relicense GNU LibreDWG as GPLv2 or LGPLv3, which was rejected.[15]
As of 2014 the 0.14 release of FreeCAD, including the new LGPL release of Open Cascade, the BSD-licensed version of Coin3D, and the removal of PyQT, FreeCAD is now completely GPL-free.[16] However, LibreDWG has not been adopted. FreeCAD is able to import and export a limited subset[17] of the DWG format via the ODA File Converter (the former OpenDWG library).[citation needed]
FreeCAD was notably presented at FISL 16 in 2015, in Porto Alegre,[18] as well as at the Libre Graphics Meeting in London in 2016.[19] These two exhibitions can bring together both developers and users. In 2020, it was during FOSDEM in Brussels that two of these developers, Yorik Van Havre and Brad Collette made the presentation.[20] On 29 March 2025, Aleksander Sadowski, Altair and the German space agency (DLR) have collectively organised an event, where they showed, how a Mars rover is build and simulated using open-source engineering software, including FreeCAD, PrePoMax, OpenRadioss and ParaView.[21][22] Aleksander Sadowski has presented FreeCAD in his talk Fully Open-source Workflow for FEM Crash Simulations in Automotive and Aerospace to executives and engineers in R&D from Dassault Systemes, Volkswagen AG, Altair, BMW AG and RWTH Aachen University on 19 April 2025[23][24] and on 15 October 2025 at the Konstruktionsleiter-Forum 2025 in his talk Product development process in mechanical engineering using open-source software, organised by Vogel Communications Group, as the last talk of the event to executives from Bechtle PLM and PTC Onshape.[25][26] Aleksander presented FreeCAD to engineers in a Webinar, organised with the VDI (Association of German engineers) multiple times.[27] Aleksander Sadowski has presented FreeCAD at the OpenChain and Friends 2026 event on March 25th 2026 at Bosch in Stuttgart, Germany, which was organised by Bosch, Mercedes-Benz, The Linux Foundation and the German state Baden-Württemberg.[28] On April 24th 2026 Aleksander presented FreeCAD at the Hannover Messe 2026 trade.[29][30] On May 20th 2026, Aleksander has presented the talk Product Development with FreeCAD at the "Open Source @ Siemens" event in Zug, Switzerland.[31] The talk recording from the Siemens event is available publicly on the "Siemens Knowledge Hub" Youtube channel.[32]
The FreeCAD 1.0 version includes several new features, such as the new assembly workbench; fixes for many bugs, including the topological naming problem; unification and correction of many workbenches; very diverse changes and improvements in the user interface and user experience (UI/UX);[33] and a new logo, chosen from five finalists of the public contest created to renew the brand.[34] It was released on November 18, 2024.[35][36]
With the release of FreeCAD 1.0 on the horizon, it was decided to make a logo and branding change. At the request of the project managers, the intent of the update was to iterate on the current branding, rather than completely replace it.[37] There is an official guideline for the use of the logo in its short, long and mono version; the recommended and prohibited uses, all available in FPA/images/logos/guidelines/guidelines.pdf at main · FreeCAD/FPA · GitHub.[38]
| Version | Release date | Information | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0.1 | October 29, 2002 | Initial release | |
| 0.1 | January 27, 2003 | ||
| 0.2 | August 9, 2005 | ||
| 0.3 | October 31, 2005 | ||
| 0.4 | January 15, 2006 | ||
| 0.5 | October 5, 2006 | ||
| 0.6 | February 27, 2007 | ||
| 0.7 | April 24, 2009 | ||
| 0.8 | July 10, 2009 | ||
| 0.9 | January 16, 2010 | ||
| 0.10 | July 24, 2010 | ||
| 0.11 | May 3, 2011 | Sketcher, Part, 2D and Robot modules[40] | |
| 0.12 | November 20, 2011 | Architecture Module[41] | |
| 0.13 | January 29, 2013 | Ship Design module, Openscad module, 3D mice support[42] | |
| 0.14 | July 1, 2014 | License changed to LGPLv2+, spreadsheet module, render to LuxRender[17] | |
| 0.15 | April 8, 2015 | Oculus Rift support, updated ifc importer in Architecture module[43] | |
| 0.16 | April 18, 2016 | FEM workbench, Path module[44] | |
| 0.17 | April 6, 2018 | Addon manager, Surface module, TechDraw module[45] | |
| 0.18 | March 12, 2019 | New Start view, extended Arch module, many improved modules[46] In 0.18.5 Addon-Manager broken, so 0.18.4 is stable release. | |
| 0.19 | March 20, 2021 | Modules to Python 3 and Qt5 mostly ported,[47] actual 0.19.4 | |
| 0.20 | June 14, 2022 | Completely rewritten Addon Manager, more than 30 new tools in TechDraw, persistent section cuts, many improvements of existing tools[48] | |
| 0.21 | August 2, 2023 | Planned as the final release before patches for the topological naming problem introduce performance regressions. Various user interface and workbench improvements.[49][50] | |
| 1.0 | November 18, 2024 | Addressed the topological naming problem. New integrated Assembly workbench, integrated BIM workbench, new material system, and many new features in Sketcher, FEM, PartDesign, and other modules, as well as overall UI improvements.[51][52] | |
| 1.1 | March 24, 2026 | New Core Datum objects, three-point lighting, and a Clarify Selection tool. PartDesign gains transparent feature previews, interactive draggers, and a redesigned Hole tool. Sketcher adds Projection and Intersection for external geometry. Animations for joints in Assembly and results in FEM, a new tool library for CAM, and many more improvements.[53] | |
| 26.3 | Not yet determined | First release under the new three-per-year calendar versioning scheme. Multi-document editing with background and fine-grained recomputes, a new Mass Properties tool, Defeaturing and start offsets in PartDesign, a text tool in Sketcher, snapshots, rigid groups and link arrays in Assembly, a machine library in CAM, automatic hexahedral meshing in FEM, OCC 8, and TechDraw improvements.[54] | |
| 27.1 | Not yet determined | Development version with weekly builds.[55] | |
Legend: Unsupported Latest version Preview version Future version | |||
FreeCAD's popularity is on the rise, reflected in the number of downloads through Github (approx. 20 million, December 2025)[56] and the number of times getting searched for in search engines seen on Google Trends (200% increase from 2020 to 2025).[57] FreeCAD is utilized in the maker space, including by Linus Torvalds, who integrated printed circuit board enclosures into his guitar pedal side project.[58] This guitar pedal project was showcased at KiCon Europe 2025 on 12 September 2025 by Aleksander Sadowski[59] and in a video on the Youtube-channel Linus Tech Tips, where Linus Torvalds was a guest. (see 12:00)[60] Two large companies that have at least partially integrated FreeCAD into their manufacturing process, are Hettich, a furniture fittings company for IKEA, and Melexis, a semiconductor company.[61] FreeCAD is also used in open-source hardware projects such as STEMFIE, an open-source construction toy system for 3D printing[62][63], and LumenPnP, a pick and place machine for manufacturing printed circuit boards.[64][65]
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Source: Wikipedia. Article content is retrieved live through the MediaWiki API.
FreeCAD is a general-purpose parametric 3D computer-aided design (CAD) modeler and a building information modeling (BIM) software application with finite element method (FEM) support. It is intended for mechanical engineering product design but also expands to a wider range of uses around engineering, such as architecture or electrical engineering. FreeCAD is free and open-source, under the LGPL-2.0-or-later license, and available for Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems. Users can extend the functionality of the software using the Python programming language.
CalculiX is a free and open-source finite-element analysis application that uses an input format similar to Abaqus. It has an implicit and explicit solver (CCX) written by Guido Dhondt and a pre- and post-processor (CGX) written by Klaus Wittig. The original software was written for the Linux operating system in 1998. Convergent Mechanical has ported the application to the Windows operating system. The pre-processor component of CalculiX can generate grid data for the computational fluid dynamics programs duns, ISAAC and OpenFOAM. It can also generate input data for the commercial FEM programs Nastran, Ansys and Abaqus. The pre-processor can also generate mesh data from STL files. There is an active online community that provides support at Discourse. Convergent Mechanical also provides installation support for their extended version of CalculiX for Windows. There is a friendly CalculiX Launcher with CCX wizard for both Windows and Linux. Also possible is the Installation in Windows 10 Fall Creator (1709) with the new Linux Subsystem WSL. A Python library, pycalculix, was written to automate the creation of CalculiX models in the Python programming language. The library provides Python access to building, loading, meshing, solving, and querying CalculiX results for 2D models. Pycalculix was written by Justin Black. Examples and tutorials are available on the pycalculix site. FreeCAD has developed a FEM workbench that automates the creation of CalculiX models. There is a lot good examples of use of CalculiX by Prof. Martin Kraska, Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences. The preCICE (software) adapter for CalculiX allows coupling it to other solvers to form partitioned multi-physics simulations. The source code is distributed as archives on Guido Dhnond's website and via GitHub. The GitHub project includes an issue tracker. Contributions via pull requests are not directly merged, but the suggestions are incorporated manually by the maintainers, suggesting that the primary development takes place on a different repository.
Loft is a method to create complicated smooth 3D shapes in CAD and other 3D modeling software. Planar cross-sections of the desired shape are defined at chosen locations. Algorithms find a smooth 3D shape that fit these cross-sections. Designers can modify the shape through choice of fitting algorithm and input parameters. The method is used in packages such as Onshape, 3D Studio Max, Creo*, SolidWorks, NX, Autodesk Revit, and FreeCAD. To visualise the process, consider the lofting process in boat building: the planar sections are defined by boat ribs spaced along its length, and the final shape is produced by placing planks over the ribs to form a smooth skin. In PTCs Creo and in Autodesk Revit it is referred to as a Blend or Swept Blend.
Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or workstations) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve communications through documentation, and to create a database for manufacturing. Designs made through CAD software help protect products and inventions when used in patent applications. CAD output is often in the form of electronic files for print, machining, or other manufacturing operations. The terms computer-aided drafting (CAD) and computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) are also used. Its use in designing electronic systems is known as electronic design automation (EDA). In mechanical design it is known as mechanical design automation (MDA), which includes the process of creating a technical drawing with the use of computer software. CAD software for mechanical design uses either vector-based graphics to depict the objects of traditional drafting, or may also produce raster graphics showing the overall appearance of designed objects. However, it involves more than just shapes. As in the manual drafting of technical and engineering drawings, the output of CAD must convey information, such as materials, processes, dimensions, and tolerances, according to application-specific conventions. CAD may be used to design curves and figures in two-dimensional (2D) space; or curves, surfaces, and solids in three-dimensional (3D) space. CAD is an important industrial art extensively used in many applications, including automotive, shipbuilding, and aerospace industries, industrial and architectural design (building information modeling), prosthetics, and many more. CAD is also widely used to produce computer animation for special effects in movies, advertising and technical manuals, often called DCC digital content creation. The modern ubiquity and power of computers means that even perfume bottles and shampoo dispensers are designed using techniques unheard of by engineers of the 1960s. Because of its enormous economic importance, CAD has been a major driving force for research in computational geometry, computer graphics (both hardware and software), and discrete differential geometry. The design of geometric models for object shapes, in particular, is occasionally called computer-aided geometric design (CAGD).
Before the 1921 destruction of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, Black residents had created a remarkable center of business and community life. The district included stores, professional offices, entertainment venues and homes owned by Black citizens. Understanding Greenwood means learning what was built—not only what was burned.
MORE →Mae Jemison, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.
