RobotRobot: New page: CAD software comparison (2026 terms), workflow and combat-robot design tips

2026-10-17T06:34:20Z

New page: CAD software comparison (2026 terms), workflow and combat-robot design tips

New page

Designing your robot in CAD (computer-aided design) software lets you check that everything fits, keep track of weight, calculate your weapon's energy, and send files straight to a 3D printer or a cutting service. Most competitive robots today are designed in CAD first. This page compares popular software and gives tips for designing combat robots. See also '''[[OnlineTools]]''' for calculators and design tools.

''Software licenses and prices change often. The terms below were checked in October 2026; check the vendor's site before you choose.''

__TOC__

==Choosing software==
{| class="wikitable"
! Software !! Cost !! Notes
|-
| '''[https://www.onshape.com/en/pricing Onshape]''' || Free plan for non-commercial use; free education plan for students and teachers || Runs in a web browser, so it works on almost any computer. On the free plan, all your documents are public. The education plan allows private documents.[https://www.onshape.com/en/education/plans] Very popular with robot builders, and easy to share designs.
|-
| '''[https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/personal Autodesk Fusion]''' || Free for personal use; full version $680/year || The free personal-use version is limited to personal, non-commercial projects (under $1,000 a year in revenue), with limited CAM, drawings and export file types. Widely used, with lots of tutorials.
|-
| '''[https://www.freecad.org/downloads.php FreeCAD]''' || Free and open source || Version 1.0 (2024) and 1.1 (2026) fixed many long-standing problems and added a built-in assembly workbench. Runs offline on Windows, Mac and Linux.
|-
| '''[https://www.solidworks.com/solution/solidworks-makers SOLIDWORKS for Makers]''' || About $48/year || The industry-standard professional software, licensed for personal non-commercial use.
|-
| '''[https://www.shapr3d.com/pricing Shapr3D]''' || Free basic plan (2 projects, limited exports); Pro $299/year || Designed for tablets and touch, also on desktop. Free for students and teachers.
|-
| '''[https://www.tinkercad.com/ Tinkercad]''' || Free || Browser-based and very easy to learn. Great for simple printed parts and for beginners, but limited for complex designs.
|}
'''Blender''' is a powerful free 3D modeling program, but it's designed for art and animation rather than precise mechanical parts, so it's not a good fit for robot design.

==A typical workflow==
# '''Start with the parts you're buying''' – motors, battery, ESCs, wheels, weapon motor. Download CAD models where they exist, or model them from their datasheets.
# '''Arrange them''' to find the smallest, best-protected layout.
# '''Design the frame and armor''' around them, as sketches turned into 3D parts (extrudes, cuts and fillets).
# '''Assemble everything''' to check fit, wire routing, weapon clearance and how the robot sits when it's upside down.
# '''Check the weight''' by assigning materials to each part (see below).
# '''Export''' files for making the parts:
#* '''STL''' or '''3MF''' for 3D printing (see '''[[3D Printing]]''')
#* '''DXF''' (flat 2D outlines) for laser and waterjet cutting
#* '''STEP''' for CNC machining and for sharing models (see '''[[Fabrication Services]]''')

==Tips for combat robots==
* '''Use mass properties.''' Most CAD programs can calculate a part's or assembly's mass and moment of inertia once you assign materials. Onshape, for example, has a Mass Properties tool for parts and assemblies.[https://cad.onshape.com/help/Content/massprops-ps.htm] Use it to keep a running weight budget, and to calculate your weapon's moment of inertia and stored energy (see '''[[Spinner Design]]'''). Leave a margin for wires, screws and glue, which are easy to forget.
* '''Design in parameters.''' Base your sketches on dimensions you can change (like wheel diameter or plate thickness), so you can quickly adjust the design.
* '''Use real hardware models.''' McMaster-Carr has free '''[https://www.mcmaster.com/cad-models CAD models]''' for most of its parts, and Fusion can insert them directly.[https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/ENU/Fusion-Model/files/GUID-90FD5419-A8AF-4A7C-AB1E-75D027077709.htm] Community models of robot parts are on '''[https://grabcad.com/library GrabCAD]''', but check their dimensions against the real part.
* '''Design for repair.''' Make the parts that get damaged most (wedges, armor panels, weapon teeth) easy to replace, and design so you can reach the battery and switch quickly.
* '''Check the robot both ways up''' and from every side for exposed wheels, wires and weak points.
* '''Learn from others.''' Many builders publish their CAD – see the designs listed on '''[[3D Printing]]'''.

==Further reading==
* '''[https://repeat-robotics.com/pages/combat-handbook Repeat Robotics – Combat Robot Design Handbook]''' – a free guide to designing a beetleweight from scratch
* '''[[OnlineTools]]''' – calculators for weapons, drive and more
* '''[[Armor and Materials]]'''

CAD for Combat Robots - Revision history

RobotRobot: New page: CAD software comparison (2026 terms), workflow and combat-robot design tips