Bug#797997: RFP: solvespace -- SolveSpace is a parametric 2d/3d CAD
Package: wnpp
Severity: wishlist
* Package name : solvespace
Version : 2.1
Upstream Author : Jonathan Westhues
* URL : http://solvespace.com/
* License : GPLv3
Programming Lang: C++
Description : SolveSpace is a parametric 2d/3d CAD
SolveSpace is a parametric 2d/3d CAD program. Applications include:
* modeling 3d parts — draw with extrudes, revolves, and Boolean (union /
difference) operations;
* modeling 2d parts — draw the part as a single section, and export DXF, PDF,
SVG; use 3d assembly to verify fit;
* 3d-printed parts — export the STL or other triangle mesh expected by most 3d
printers;
* preparing CAM data — export 2d vector art for a waterjet machine or laser
cutter; or generate STEP or STL, for import into third-party CAM software for
machining;
* mechanism design — use the constraint solver to simulate planar or spatial
linkages, with pin, ball, or slide joints;
* plane and solid geometry — replace hand-solved trigonometry and spreadsheets
with a live dimensioned drawing.
My own description here:
solvespace has a very straightforward constraint/parametric modeling system.
The interface, after learning a few basics, is far better than FreeCAD and many
other (static!) modelers currently available in Debian. It's impressive how
streamlined the GUI/modeling is, and shows how much the developer has put
thought into it. I find FreeCAD, by UI/interaction comparison, complete
garbage.
It's also very stable, and while the kernel is definitely not as sophisticated
as OCE, the current limits of solvespace allow it to build pretty impressive
models. It also hasn't failed as frequently as OCE on me yet.
solvespace is a little software gem, and I cannot thank Jonathan Westhues
enough for first making it available and then making it open source.
There's already a working PPA (and debian packaging) maintained by whitequark
<whitequark@whitequark.org> at https://github.com/whitequark/solvespace
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