Computer Aided Design (CAD) Software for Students
Autodesk
Autodesk offers almost all its software free to students, including AutoCAD, Fusion 360, Inventor, Maya and Revit. See the full list of available Autodesk software with links and instructions for the free student license on personal devices.
Fusion 360 includes a function that will slice a 3D object into 2D planes for laser cutting.
Solidworks
Solidworks Education Edition is available to all students and educators for download via the Solidworks Community Download page. For full installation instructions and license keys for Carnegie Mellon affiliates, visit the Solidworks page in the Computing Services Software Catalog.
Note that each version of Solidworks Education is valid for a single academic year, with the new year’s license keys typically becoming available in early September. The downloads are several gigabytes in size: Please make sure you have sufficient time, disk space, and bandwidth.
Effective 14 October 2019, IDeATe no longer independently hosts or supports Solidworks Education Edition licenses. Please visit the Solidworks page in the Computing Services Software Catalog and contact it-help@cmu.edu if you are having issues.
Ansys
Free student licenses are available for special student versions of Ansys software simulation packages. The following blurbs are extracted from their descriptions of the packages:
- ANSYS AIM Student – The next generation academic simulation experience. Has integrated geometry modeling based on ANSYS SpaceClaim technology, structural, fluids and electromagnetics solvers.
- Choose ANSYS AIM Student if: You are new to simulation and seek an intuitive, cutting edge simulation tool.
- ANSYS Student – ANSYS Workbench based bundle of ANSYS Mechanical, ANSYS CFD, ANSYS Autodyn, ANSYS SpaceClaim, and ANSYS DesignXplorer.
- Choose ANSYS Student if: You are already familiar with the ANSYS Workbench platform from a courses.