How to choose a 3D software for 3D printing: Experts give their advice!

Over the last few months we have provided you with the advice from experts in different fields of additive manufacturing on multiple 3D printing topics: from choosing a 3D printer, filament, scanner to choosing an appropriate 3D technology. Today, we come to you with an expert advice about choosing the right 3D design software to fit your needs. We spoke to three experts, Simon Indrele, 3D Printing and Scanning Application Engineer at Fisher Unitech – the company that provides 3D design software tools and 3D printers across the US, we also spoke to Raymond Wang, Lead Product Engineer at PrintAWorld – the company is based in New York and provides additive manufacturing services for clients, including 3D printing, 3D scanning, 3D modeling, etc. And last but certainly not least, we spoke to Giovanni Avallone, the Founder of the design studio Caracol, based in Italy, which investigates new production possibilities derived from access to 3D printing technologies.

So what 3D software should you be using?

First, you have to consider what you are using the 3D design software for. In general, 3D design software falls into two categories, the first is CAD software and the second is 3D modeling software. Even though we use these terms interchangeably, they are not the same tools. Both can be used for 3D printing, however CAD software is often used in fields such as automotive, aerospace, aeronautics, architecture, or anywhere where the mechanical properties of the final part are important. It is not necessarily a question of the technicality of the project you are trying to model, but rather what sort of part you are trying to print. 3D modeling allows more artistic freedom, as designs do not need to work mechanically, be functional or fit to a real world device.

The first thing you should consider is which industry or application you are using 3D software for

Simon Indrele explains, “The first thing I would recommend is to take a look at what software is used by the particular industry you are in. Whether it’s manufacturing, jewelry design, toy design, etc. the industry will typically use a particular type or set of software. Evaluating those makes sense, as it’s possible you’ll have to transfer files between your vendors and clients. Being able to provide the type of files and file formats they’re accustomed to is good practice.”