3D Slash CAD software works on a Raspberry Pi

Lead Image © Lyudmyla Kharlamova, 123RF.com

Stone Cutter

Historically, Linux has not had many CAD offerings. Now 3D Slash has stepped in to fill the void, and it even works well on a Raspberry Pi.

For a long time, computer-aided design (CAD) was the domain of powerful and expensive workstations. This state of affairs has changed considerably in the last few years. More and more CAD software is becoming available for standard PCs or as a web application. The French firm 3D Slash offers a program by the same name in several versions, including one for Linux. The company promises that the Linux version works without problem on the Rasp Pi. A trimmed down version with basic functionality starts directly from the web browser.

In this article, I look closely at the functionality and performance of 3D Slash [1] running on a Raspberry Pi 2 (RPi 2) outfitted with the current Raspbian "jessie" operating system. I also compare the 3D Slash to Tinkercad [2], the predominant CAD software offered by Autodesk, Inc.

Introduction

A user can gather first impressions of 3D Slash (Figure 1) by taking it for a spin on the provider's website. A trial run requires only that the user's system and web browser support WebGL.

[...]

Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF

Pages: 4

Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Raspberry Pi Geek

SINGLE ISSUES
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • Welcome

    Just more than four years ago the first Raspberry Pi was released to overwhelming response. Many people had to wait for their first-generation Pi while production was ramped up to meet the demand. Now you have an entire array of Pis from which to choose, and demand is still so high that you might have to wait for your computer on backorder immediately after a new model is released. Moreover, the quad-core Raspberry Pi 3 has broadened the possibilities of what you can accomplish with the little nanocomputer.

  • Exploring RISC OS on the Raspberry Pi

    Linux is great, but if you didn't want to experiment with new things, you wouldn't be hacking on a Raspberry Pi. Sometimes new things are old things: The venerable and much-loved RISC OS, which is older than Linux and was specifically designed to run on the ARM chipset, is finding a new audience with the rise of the Pi.

  • Create a customized, 3D-printed case for the Raspberry Pi

    The standard Raspberry Pi cases sold in the marketplace do not include space for accessories and add-ons. A DIY case built using a 3D printing service offers a good solution, but some planning is in order.

  • First steps with Python programming

    Take your first steps with Python programming and discover the turtle module for creating graphics.

  • Using a Raspberry Pi to synchronize data

    The Raspberry Pi is not powerful enough to support fully mature network storage. In situations involving smaller amounts of data, however, the little computer shines as a flexible data hub.