Tips and tricks
Free 2D CAD software
SOLID EDGE 2D DRAFTING
Whether you are using 2D across your company or for a specific 2D design process, Solid Edge 2D Drafting will give you an immediate advantage with production-proven capabilities including drawing layout, Goal Seeking, diagramming, and dimensioning. It is fully compliant with ISO, ANSI, BSI, DIN, JIS and UNI, and it's absolutely FREE to download and use.
Solid Edge 2D Drafting eases the transition from 2D AutoCAD with import wizards, matched fonts and color schemes, XREF support, paper/model space support and much more. Get up to speed faster with a built-in Command Finder - never look for AutoCAD equivalent command again.
Solid Edge 2D Drafting requires Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 and now includes the Free Solid Edge Viewer. Make sure you have Internet Explorer version 6.0 or later for the download.
Solid Edge Free 2D Drafting
DESI-III
DESI-III is a freeware 2D CAD program running under the DOS operating system. It was written during 1980 - 2001 by Hugo Mariën. It has features needed for making two-dimensional technical drawings. The user interface is based on menus, and is translated into English, Dutch, French, German and Ukrainian.
DESI-III is a powerful and userfriendly 2D CAD system with a lot of profeesional features: associative hatching, dimensioning, associative text attributes to lines and symbols, multiple (up to hundreds) lines or line chains and curves. Automatic interruption of lines on user definable boundaries of symbols AND repairing if the symbols is moved or deleted. Adaptive and powerfull line pattern definitions, macro's etc....
DESI - III Homepage
POWERDRAW
PowerDraw is a 2D vector draw application. You can download this drawing application free of charge and use it with no limitation.
Features:
Using mouse actions or control methods to handle drawings.
Drawing line, polyline, rectangle, polygon, bezier, circle, ellipse, arc, pie, chord and text on the Designer Canvas.
Modifying the drawed figures.
Using layers and layer operations like merging.
Using all colors possible.
Using different style of pens with diffrent widths.
Using different style of brushes (including hatches) to paint drawings.
Creating text objects with any font installed in the system.
Saving the drawing as file and opening the file as drawing.
Printing the file to the printer and/or plotter.
Making unlimited Undo.
Cutting, copying, pasting and deleting the figures.
Grouping and ungrouping the figures.
Ordering the figures (SendToBack, BringToFront, etc.)
Rotating, scaling and mirroring the figures.
Making polar and rectangular figure arrays.
Aligning the figures in any style.
Inserting bitmaps or jpeg pictures to the drawing.
Scaling, rotating, mirroring,skewing and flipping bitmaps.
Inserting WMF/EMF files as editable objects.
Exporting the drawing as WMF file.
Using plugins developed as DLL in a special structure(documented).
Making macros in pascal-like language and running them in the designer.
Using trace guides(in several angles) when drawing.
Zooming and panning, viewing the drawing in any scale.
Using page formats like (A4,letter, etc.) or custom sizes.
Making block from figures and adding it to the librarry.
Using block librarries, inserting blocks.
Snapping the mouse actions to grids, guidelines or the current objects.
Using grids and guidelines.
Using vertical and horizontal rulers.
PowerDraw Download Page
HYCAD
HYCAD is an user friendly 2D CAD program, green and small but powerful. It can export multiple format files,such as BMP JPG PNG DXF XMG WMF EMF DWG EPS SLD CGM SVG PDF etc. It is easy to be learn and use.
HyCAD download page
A9CAD
A9CAD is a general purpose two-dimensional CAD program. It supports industry standard DWG & DXF drawing formats.
- 2-dimensional CAD drawing viewing and editing.
- Support DWG and DXF format up to DWG/DXF 2000.
- Familiar Windows graphical user interface.
- Command window to input coordinates.
- View and edit entity attributes via properties window.
A9CAD Homepage
CAD X11
CAD X11® Free is a general CAD system ideally suited for drafting (strengths in mechanical drafting) and light wireframe and surfacing modeling on Windows XP, 2000, NT 4.0, ME, 98 or 95.
CAD X11® include 3-D wireframe modeling, surfacing, OpenGL, Direct3D and Gouraud smooth shading, custom IGES and DXF, 2-D drafting with ANSI, ISO and JIS dimensioning, geometric tolerancing, TrueType Font support, undo/redo, multiple views, data verification, geometric analysis, crosshatching, layering, CGM format I/O, PDF output, Gerber format I/O and on-line HELP.
All drafting features of CAD X11® Professional are supported making this free version a production class CAD tool for any company. This software can be completely standalone supporting several drafting standards, files up to 500 kb in size and outputting the results onto Windows based printers or into PDF files. Or, CAD X11® FREE can be intermixed with other CAD software via the DXF CAD communication format.
This is truly a free program, no time limits and it can be used for commercial purposes.
CAD X11 Product page
DOUBLE CAD
DoubleCAD XT is a great companion with AutoCAD -- and if you are a Google SketchUp user wanting to go from concept-to-construction drawings -- or have an older copy of AutoCAD LT that can't read the latest AutoCAD files -- DoubleCAD XT is an invaluable companion to SketchUp and AutoCAD LT, too.
With so many new, innovative features, you might even think DoubleCAD XT is an upgrade for AutoCAD LT:
Better drafting
Better detailing
Self-healing walls (ADT compatible)
Self-aligning blocks
Transparent fills
Draw order by layer
Bezier curves
Flatten 3D to 2D views
Hatch pattern editor
Advanced polyline editing
Automatic scaling of units between drawings
Parametric variable palette
Embed/bind image files in drawing
Input multiple unit types on-the-fly
Snap prioritization
Brush editor
Smart dimensions
Special line, arc, and circle tools
Multiline and fixed ratio ellipses tools
Meet-Two-Lines and Convert-to-Curve modify tools
Import xrefs
Superior workflow with Google™ SketchUp™ and SketchUp™ Pro (including new v7)
Open & save .DWG, .DXF, and .DWF formats from AutoCAD® R14 to 2009
... and more
Double CAD Product page
Whether you are using 2D across your company or for a specific 2D design process, Solid Edge 2D Drafting will give you an immediate advantage with production-proven capabilities including drawing layout, Goal Seeking, diagramming, and dimensioning. It is fully compliant with ISO, ANSI, BSI, DIN, JIS and UNI, and it's absolutely FREE to download and use.
Solid Edge 2D Drafting eases the transition from 2D AutoCAD with import wizards, matched fonts and color schemes, XREF support, paper/model space support and much more. Get up to speed faster with a built-in Command Finder - never look for AutoCAD equivalent command again.
Solid Edge 2D Drafting requires Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 and now includes the Free Solid Edge Viewer. Make sure you have Internet Explorer version 6.0 or later for the download.
Solid Edge Free 2D Drafting
DRAFTSIGHT
DraftSight is a free*, professional-grade 2D CAD product centered upon an open business model. Available for download at DraftSight.com, DraftSight provides users with a better way to create, edit and view DWG files. Based on an advanced architecture, DraftSight generally takes a few minutes to download and runs on multiple operating systems, including Microsoft® Windows XP®, Windows Vista®, Windows® 7, the Mac®, and Linux® (Mac® and Linux® currently in Beta). DraftSight is available for all users, including CAD professionals, students and educators.
DraftSight can be used to:
- Create 2D drawings
- Update and maintain.dwg and .dxf files
- Create PDF files
- Exchange files with companies who either provide or require data saved in either.dwg or .dxf file formats.
Draftsight product page
DraftSight is a free*, professional-grade 2D CAD product centered upon an open business model. Available for download at DraftSight.com, DraftSight provides users with a better way to create, edit and view DWG files. Based on an advanced architecture, DraftSight generally takes a few minutes to download and runs on multiple operating systems, including Microsoft® Windows XP®, Windows Vista®, Windows® 7, the Mac®, and Linux® (Mac® and Linux® currently in Beta). DraftSight is available for all users, including CAD professionals, students and educators.
DraftSight can be used to:
- Create 2D drawings
- Update and maintain.dwg and .dxf files
- Create PDF files
- Exchange files with companies who either provide or require data saved in either.dwg or .dxf file formats.
Draftsight product page
DESI-III
DESI-III is a freeware 2D CAD program running under the DOS operating system. It was written during 1980 - 2001 by Hugo Mariën. It has features needed for making two-dimensional technical drawings. The user interface is based on menus, and is translated into English, Dutch, French, German and Ukrainian.
DESI-III is a powerful and userfriendly 2D CAD system with a lot of profeesional features: associative hatching, dimensioning, associative text attributes to lines and symbols, multiple (up to hundreds) lines or line chains and curves. Automatic interruption of lines on user definable boundaries of symbols AND repairing if the symbols is moved or deleted. Adaptive and powerfull line pattern definitions, macro's etc....
DESI - III Homepage
POWERDRAW
PowerDraw is a 2D vector draw application. You can download this drawing application free of charge and use it with no limitation.
Features:
Using mouse actions or control methods to handle drawings.
Drawing line, polyline, rectangle, polygon, bezier, circle, ellipse, arc, pie, chord and text on the Designer Canvas.
Modifying the drawed figures.
Using layers and layer operations like merging.
Using all colors possible.
Using different style of pens with diffrent widths.
Using different style of brushes (including hatches) to paint drawings.
Creating text objects with any font installed in the system.
Saving the drawing as file and opening the file as drawing.
Printing the file to the printer and/or plotter.
Making unlimited Undo.
Cutting, copying, pasting and deleting the figures.
Grouping and ungrouping the figures.
Ordering the figures (SendToBack, BringToFront, etc.)
Rotating, scaling and mirroring the figures.
Making polar and rectangular figure arrays.
Aligning the figures in any style.
Inserting bitmaps or jpeg pictures to the drawing.
Scaling, rotating, mirroring,skewing and flipping bitmaps.
Inserting WMF/EMF files as editable objects.
Exporting the drawing as WMF file.
Using plugins developed as DLL in a special structure(documented).
Making macros in pascal-like language and running them in the designer.
Using trace guides(in several angles) when drawing.
Zooming and panning, viewing the drawing in any scale.
Using page formats like (A4,letter, etc.) or custom sizes.
Making block from figures and adding it to the librarry.
Using block librarries, inserting blocks.
Snapping the mouse actions to grids, guidelines or the current objects.
Using grids and guidelines.
Using vertical and horizontal rulers.
PowerDraw Download Page
HYCAD
HYCAD is an user friendly 2D CAD program, green and small but powerful. It can export multiple format files,such as BMP JPG PNG DXF XMG WMF EMF DWG EPS SLD CGM SVG PDF etc. It is easy to be learn and use.
HyCAD download page
A9CAD
A9CAD is a general purpose two-dimensional CAD program. It supports industry standard DWG & DXF drawing formats.
- 2-dimensional CAD drawing viewing and editing.
- Support DWG and DXF format up to DWG/DXF 2000.
- Familiar Windows graphical user interface.
- Command window to input coordinates.
- View and edit entity attributes via properties window.
A9CAD Homepage
CAD X11
CAD X11® Free is a general CAD system ideally suited for drafting (strengths in mechanical drafting) and light wireframe and surfacing modeling on Windows XP, 2000, NT 4.0, ME, 98 or 95.
CAD X11® include 3-D wireframe modeling, surfacing, OpenGL, Direct3D and Gouraud smooth shading, custom IGES and DXF, 2-D drafting with ANSI, ISO and JIS dimensioning, geometric tolerancing, TrueType Font support, undo/redo, multiple views, data verification, geometric analysis, crosshatching, layering, CGM format I/O, PDF output, Gerber format I/O and on-line HELP.
All drafting features of CAD X11® Professional are supported making this free version a production class CAD tool for any company. This software can be completely standalone supporting several drafting standards, files up to 500 kb in size and outputting the results onto Windows based printers or into PDF files. Or, CAD X11® FREE can be intermixed with other CAD software via the DXF CAD communication format.
This is truly a free program, no time limits and it can be used for commercial purposes.
CAD X11 Product page
DOUBLE CAD
DoubleCAD XT is a great companion with AutoCAD -- and if you are a Google SketchUp user wanting to go from concept-to-construction drawings -- or have an older copy of AutoCAD LT that can't read the latest AutoCAD files -- DoubleCAD XT is an invaluable companion to SketchUp and AutoCAD LT, too.
With so many new, innovative features, you might even think DoubleCAD XT is an upgrade for AutoCAD LT:
Better drafting
Better detailing
Self-healing walls (ADT compatible)
Self-aligning blocks
Transparent fills
Draw order by layer
Bezier curves
Flatten 3D to 2D views
Hatch pattern editor
Advanced polyline editing
Automatic scaling of units between drawings
Parametric variable palette
Embed/bind image files in drawing
Input multiple unit types on-the-fly
Snap prioritization
Brush editor
Smart dimensions
Special line, arc, and circle tools
Multiline and fixed ratio ellipses tools
Meet-Two-Lines and Convert-to-Curve modify tools
Import xrefs
Superior workflow with Google™ SketchUp™ and SketchUp™ Pro (including new v7)
Open & save .DWG, .DXF, and .DWF formats from AutoCAD® R14 to 2009
... and more
Double CAD Product page