this post was submitted on 04 Jul 2023
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And no one was truly surprised. Autodesk is like Adobe + Oracle of engineering.
Which is why I'm always amazed the semi-pro and hobbiest community standardized on fusion. They've already pulled that rug multiple times but fanboys don't learn.
I'm open to suggestions for alternatives for functional part 3D modeling.
I use Fusion 360 because it's free for hobbyists and it's features for functional 3D modeling blow away any other software I've tried in the open source/free/low cost market.
Fusion 360 handles parameters beautifully, has a very flexible timeline editing system, and generally is very forgiving about how you use the software.
I'd happily pay up to $120/year for hobby use. It's that good. I can't afford $600 a year for a hobby tool though.
The closest alternative I know is FreeCAD. It has a notable following, but compared to Fusion it's slow, clunky, buggy, and fights you every step of the way you use it. In FreeCAD, there is usually one right way to do something, and dozens of wrong ways that all end up with you having to redo tons of work.
TLDR: I've created all sorts of useful things in Fusion. All I've created in FreeCAD is tears.
FreeCAD works if you work on learning the workflows. In my own experience the number of ways to accomplish a simple task can be overwhelming. The last two years the development pace has really picked up. If it's been a while since you've tried I'd advise trying again.
As for other alternatives, SOLIDWORKS is a great contender. It's inexpensive or free for hobbiests, has everything you need and the kitchen sink, interoperates with industry standard formats well, is generally fast and stable.
I've also heard good things about Siemens Solid Edge, which has a great set of features for free and is hobby friendly.