Software Tools

Free/OpenSourced Software (FOSS) Tools

In the 'open' spirit of the RepRap project, we prefer tools that are free and for which the source code is openly available and which work on a range of different operating systems.

The following tools are usable in at least Windows and Linux and can be downloaded for free and legally shared with other people (typically under the GPL):

• AdMesh - A tool for checking, repairing and other manipulations of STL files.
• Blender - A complex - yet very popular - 3D modeller that supports importing and exporting in many formats (including STL and PLY).
• Art of Illusion (AOI) - A graphics-oriented 3D modeller that's written entirely in Java. can be used to output STL files. or add Skeinforge to output GCode.
• AOI plugins and scripts - Using these scripts to AOI adds STL support and some mesh repair capabilities.
• MeshLab - A 3D modeller that's oriented to cleaning up meshes created from 3D scanners. It has many features useful for STL mesh cleanup.
• Wings3D - A fairly simple 3D modeller. It does not support STL so you'd need to use one of the other packages listed here to convert files as needed.
• K3D - Another simple 3D modeller with no STL support.
• Free-CAD - A CAD-oriented 3D modeller - appears to be incomplete at this time.
• BRL-CAD - A CSG-oriented 3D modeller. This tool has been used for over 20 years for military CAD applications. It appears to support STL.