Alternatives to BRL-CAD
Constructive solid geometry modelling system with ray tracing and analysis. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
BRL-CAD
Constructive solid geometry modelling system with ray tracing and analysis.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as BRL-CAD.
OpenSCAD
A 3D modeller you write rather than draw: a script describes the object, and the program compiles it into a solid.
OpenSCAD also uses constructive solid geometry, described in scripts, and targets 3D printing parts, but lacks BRL-CAD's ray tracing and analysis tools.
FreeCAD
A parametric 3D modeller for real objects: design by sketching constrained 2D shapes, then change the parameters later.
FreeCAD provides interactive parametric modeling, production drawings and FEM under LGPL-2.1, with a more conventional CAD workflow.
CQ-editor
Build parametric CAD models with Python scripts in CQ-editor.
CQ-editor builds parametric models from Python scripts under Apache-2.0, focusing on scripted part design rather than ray tracing and analysis.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
SolveSpace
A tiny parametric 2D and 3D CAD program built around a constraint solver, for designing real parts.
MeshLab
The standard tool for cleaning up messy 3D scan data: fill holes, remove noise, simplify and convert between mesh formats.
Blender
The free 3D creation suite: modelling, sculpting, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and video editing.
Gmsh
An open-source 3D finite element mesh generator with a built-in CAD engine and post-processor.
SALOME
An open-source platform for CAD modeling, meshing and visualizing results of numerical simulations.
Mayo
An open-source 3D CAD viewer and converter for STEP, IGES, STL and other formats.
