3D modeler / CAD softwares

Let's start a list of useful softwares for 3D modelling / CAD, particularly free ones.

You can also refer to more specific approachs details in other howtos.

Which software to chose 

http://www.gliffy.com/go/publish/5271448 (thanks to RealizeBxl)

Easy/accessible softwares

• 123D :  http://www.123dapp.com/
  • By Autodesk. It's supposed to be easy, and I suppose it is for newcomers. If you've ever used a 3D modeling software you might find it.. weird in some way. But it's free and fabbing-oriented
  
• SketchUp : http://sketchup.google.com/
  • is VERY easy but therefore rather limited
  • There's a plugin for exporting in STL (Working fine!) or you can export to DAE (Collada) and convert it to STL with Meshlab or Netfabb
  • There is a plugin for exporting faces to SVG 
• 3DTin : http://www.3dtin.com/
  • Online, basic modeler, easy for 3D pixelart
  
  
  

• http://www.publishyourdesign.com/modeler
• 3D Slash https://www.3dslash.net Net, tablet, googlecardboard
• MakersEmpire https://www.makersempire.com/
• Tinkercad : https://tinkercad.com/   
  • Online, now Autodesk-owned, and has a free version!

Less easy

• Wings3D:  http://www.wings3d.com/
  • I find it a bit... dry. Not really inviting. Maybe I'm missing out.
• Blender: http://www.blender.org/
  • the famous free modeller. Full of features and plugins, but you have to get used to its absurdly counter-intuitive interface. Tip: use the "Maya" preset to avoid unnecessary frustration.
• HeeksCAD: http://heeks.net
  • It looks interesting, relatively easy, and powerful enough, but obviously the development is somewhat halted
  • The developer recommends...
• FreeCAD : http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/free-cad/index.php?title=Main_Page (10.7 only)
  • Allows for parametric modeling
  
  
  
• http://www.publishyourdesign.com/modeler
  • Another online 3D modeler
• Desing spark Mechanical : completly free modeler  http://www.designspark.com/eng/page/mechanical 
  
• NaroCAD http://narocad.com/

Different

• OpenSCAD : http://www.openscad.org/
  • Script-based CAD software, allows for parametric models
  • See : http://www.thingiverse.com/tag:openscad for parametric objects on Thingsiverse
  • See: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:167899/ to add autocomplete in notepad++ (a must have !)
  
  
  
• CoffeScad : Openscad in your browser. http://kaosat-dev.github.com/CoffeeSCad/
  
  
• http://stephaneginier.com/sculptgl/
  
• Sculptris http://www.pixologic.com/sculptris
  • A free digital sculpting software by the makers of ZBrush
• Processing + Modelbuilder : http://workshop.evolutionzone.com/tag/modelbuilder/ & https://github.com/mariuswatz/modelbuilder
  • A library by Marius Watz that helps building things in 3D with Processing (it's a terrible summary of what it does but you get the idea)
  • See also : http://www.imal.org/wikimal/tagged/modelbuilder
    
    
• Processing + HE_Mesh : http://hemesh.wblut.com/
  • "HE_Mesh is an imple­men­ta­tion of a half-edge datas­truc­ture for manip­u­lat­ing 3D meshes in Pro­cess­ing"
  • See also : http://www.imal.org/wikimal/howto/how-create-slices-hemesh-mesh-processing

3D scanning

• ReconstructMe : http://reconstructme.net 
  • Allows to 3D scan objects using a Kinect
  • See also: http://www.imal.org/wikimal/howto/3d-portrait
• 123Catch : http://www.123dapp.com/catch + iOS
  • Can reconstruct 3D models from a series of pictures
• Cubify Capture : http://www.cubify.com/products/capture/ 
  • Can reconstruct 3D models from a series of pictures or a video
• Agisoft Photoscan : http://agisoft.ru/products/photoscan/standard/   
  • Can reconstruct 3D models from a series of pictures (a bit more complex but said to be more precise)
• Strata Foto 3D CX : http://www.strata.com/products/strata_3d_cx_suite/strata_foto_3d_cx/  
  

Models processing/fixing

• NetFabb Studio Basic   
  • Ideal for processing dirty 3D scan files, fixing holes and stuff
• Meshlab : http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/   
  • Another mesh-processing software... seems very powerful, but I've had a lot of crashes with it.
  • Can import and export MANY formats

Other 3D tools

• VTk : http://www.vtk.org/
  • VTK is a very nice framework for 3D operations/visualization. You can use it as a pipeline of filter apply to input data to generate 3D meshes.
  • Allows among other things to process 3D models with Python scripts.
  • See for example : http://www.imal.org/wikimal/howto/simplifymeshblackbox
• Lithophane : images (greyscale) to 3d print or CNC mill as low relief ("bas-relief") or lithophane : http://3dp.rocks/lithophane/  (free, online software)
• HGT2STL, convert a picture (greyscale) to a 3d file. http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:110904
•  
• Pleasant3d:
  • a floss viewer and resizer of stl files and of the generated gcode files
• Pepakura (http://www.tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/)
  • Pakura Designer helps you easily create a paper craft model from your 3D data. Please create original works and respect others' copyrights and trademark. You can download and freely try the shareware version. (to be tested :-)) 

Commercial / Professional 3D tools 

• Anything by Autodesk?
  • AutoCAD of course
  • 3DSMax
  • Maya
• Solidworks http://www.solidworks.com/
• Sculpting software like Mudbox & ZBrush? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_sculpting#Sculpting_Programs
• This might be useful : How to export STL from major cad softwares (including Autocad) http://www.protocam.com/html/stl.html