Free Aircraft Design Software Download

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Posted By Lucie Gaget on Jan 10, 2018

Model Aircraft Design software for Windows PC. Model Air Design is the new, quick and easy way to create airplane models. It's a modern software tool for model aircraft design.

3D Modeling software is useful for engineers in all sectors. They are becoming an essential tool for the aeronautics and aerospace industries. More and more engineers are using 3D design software in order to 3D print, for prototyping or production. But it can also be used for the visualization of a project. For aircraft design, engineers need to create technical 2D drawings and 3D models. A lot of specific features have to be offered by this kind of software to allow the creation of mechanical designs and reliable aircrafts.

In this blogpost, we will see why 3D modeling is becoming so important for aeronautics. And as we know that finding the right Computer-Aided Design software can be a real challenge, we decided to help you with a selection of the best aircraft design software.

Why is 3D design becoming an essential tool for aeronautics?

Additive manufacturing as a new major asset

The 3D printing technology is taking more and more space in the aeronautics sector. Indeed, additive manufacturing is becoming a great asset for this industry. If you want more details, you can read our blogpost about the future of 3D printing in aerospace and aeronautics, and see how an online 3D printing service such as Sculpteo could help you. Indeed, the way parts are designed and produced is progressively evolving thanks to additive manufacturing. Engineers are now able to create parts with intricate or conceptual designs at the same costs as parts with simple geometries. In order to change the manufacturing process and start using 3D printing, engineers have to find the right software to design those kind of complex projects.

Aircraft design software: the perfect and most efficient tool

Aerodynamics and aircraft designs are requiring tools with a high level of efficiency and accuracy. Moreover, airplane designers need a lot of analysis features and design tools in order to create an aircraft with optimized flight conditions. That is precisely where CAD software is becoming an interesting tool. It can be used for the visualization of a project, for analysis, but also to do some rapid prototyping or directly for production. 3D modeling software is great to understand the structural mechanics and aerodynamics properties of aircrafts.

These projects require programs able to use the finite element method in order to resolve problems linked to structure or fluid flow for example. In aircraft engineering, you have to be able to get aerodynamic analysis, to modify geometries and get accurate views. In order to help you in you researches for the best aircraft design program, we made a top of the best software for aeronautics.

Software dedicated to 3D modeling for aeronautics

Aeronautics require accuracy and efficiency. Here are the design software made for aeronautics, that will allow you to create reliable 3D models.

SharkCAD Pro

SharkCAD Pro is a professional modeling software allowing to design for 3D printing, rendering, drawing or animation. With this software you will find a wide range of design tools, for surface, curve, solid and mesh modeling. This program is a good tool for aeronautics and aerospace engineers

This program is not made for the aeronautic industry, but you can add an interesting plug-in. Indeed, there is a special package available and specifically made to design for aircraft. It is called AeroPack and it is developed by DARcorporation. Aircraft designers will be pleased by these amazing modeling tools With this CAD software and its dedicated plug-in AeroPack you will be able to work on professional 3D files with a great accuracy. Also, it allows to make good 2D drawings.

ADS

ADS (Aircraft Design Software) is a design software developed by OAD (Optimal Aircraft Design). This program is perfect for aircraft designers and builders amateurs . If you are a beginner and you are just getting started with building aircraft, this design software will be perfectly adapted to your needs. It is great to work on aerodynamics and aircraft designs and it has a lot of tools to optimise the configuration of your aircraft.

Cart3D

Cart3D is an efficient software powered by NASA, specially made for aerospace and aeronautics. If you are specifically looking for a program to help you with aircraft design, you have to take a look at the tools offered by Cart3D called GoCart. It is made for aircraft aerodynamics analysis and design. It will allow to deal with geometry inputs and mesh preparation. GoCart has perfect visualisation possibilities and includes a lot of post processing options. Thanks to this design program you will be able to work on computational aerodynamics and control your aircraft stability.

http://www.desktop.aero/

OpenVSP

OpenVSP (Vehicle Sketch Pad) is a parametric aircraft geometry tool that will allow you to create 3D models for aircraft. This modeling tool is an open source aircraft design software developed by NASA. It is an intuitive tool, allowing to create models quite quickly. You can also take a look at VSP Hangar, the database of the community, where you can check other 3D models to get some inspiration.

Even if this 3D software is very easy to use, you might want a little help to make your first steps. So, if you’re getting started with this software, here is a video tutorial that will surely help you with your 3D design:

Other CAD software that you can use for aeronautics

Some other modeling software available on the market could help you with aircraft design. Here are the best software for aeronautics:

CATIA

CATIA is a software that Dassault Systèmes developed in house, for their own needs. The modeling software is used in many industries by engineers, including aeronautics. CATIA is a program that allows to create complex and accurate 3D models. A cloud version of this professional software is now available. It could clearly improve the collaborative aspect of the aircraft design process.

If you want more information about CATIA, check out our tutorial.

Solidworks

Isuzu 6sd1tc service manual 2016. Solidworks is a modeling software mainly used by engineers. This design program is efficient and practical for almost every industries. It allows to create everything from quick designs to compex rendering. These software tools could really help you with your aircraft designs.

You are looking to 3D print your model and you’re using Solidworks? Check out our Solidworks tutorial to prepare your file for 3D printing.

Solid Edge

Solid Edge is a great software providing solid modeling, 2D and 3D views. It is a CAD software dedicated to mechanical designers, and it allows to create technical 3D models. It uses synchronous technology, allowing engineers to deal with parametric design and direct modeling. This software can do powerful engineering simulations and you can totally use it to design your 3D aircraft project.

Here is a demonstration of assembly modeling with Solid Edge:

NX

NX is a modeling software that can be used for you aircraft design projects. Airplane designers can use this efficient tool for their development process in aeronautics. NX and its various advanced features will help you to design the best 3D models, using parametric solid modeling. You will be able to create accurate mechanical designs.

If you are getting started with this program, here is a video tutorial that might help you:

Inventor

Inventor is a CAD software developed by Autodesk. This professional tool is great to work on 3D mechanical designs. You can create technical 2D drawings, preliminary designs but also 3D designs, dynamic simulations and great visualisation for your aircraft design projects. These software tools are efficient enough to work on 3D aircraft designs.

You can find a tutorial on our website to learn how to prepare a 3D model for 3D printing with Inventor.

PTC Creo

PTC Creo (formerly known as Pro/Engineer) is a design software providing solid modeling and assembly modeling, but also good 2D views and useful analysis. It is a good program if you need to work on product design or surface modeling. Indeed, this package will be perfect to optimize your aircraft models. It is possible to use direct modeling or parametric modeling with PTC Creo.

You can watch a demonstration in the video below:

SketchUp

SketchUp is known to be an intuitive program. This free 3D modeling software can be used for many different applications, from architecture to medical, but it can totally fit an engineering project, such as aircraft design. If it is possible to use SketchUp for various 3D projects. It is also ideal for scaled and accurate 2D drawings.

If you are just beginning with Sketchup, check out our Sketchup tutorial series.

As you can see, there are various possibilities when it comes to modeling programs. But we hope that this selection helped you to find the right CAD software to develop your engineering projects.

You are an aeronautics or aerospace engineer and you want to try 3D printing? You can totally 3D print some of the parts that you designed on one of these software, upload them to our online 3D printing service. And if you want more informations about 3D printing, subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

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Description

Who knew extracting stability derivatives and aerodynamic loads data was as easy as connecting the dots? With little more than a picture and one known dimension, surfaces CFD Software can scale an image on screen. All that is left to do is drop points along the perimeter of the aircraft and connect the dots to create surfaces. Now with your model created you can do an infinite number of analysis by varying control positions, altitude, airspeed, thrust settings, weight, etc. Surfaces makes use of sweep scripts and batch processing to allow you to plot virtually any stability derivative versus any other derivative. As an example, you could tell Surfaces to run your model from -15 degrees angle of attack to 15 degrees angle of attack. You can then tell Surfaces to plot Cd versus AOA or any other stability derivative or load desired versus AOA. With Surfaces aircraft design software, you can obtain the data you need in minutes instead of months.

SURFACES is the ultimate tool for anyone designing aircraft. Whether a professional aerospace engineer or a designer of homebuilt aircraft, SURFACES is not just user friendly, it provides you with extremely powerful features to help design your aircraft. Are you designing a monoplane or a quadplane? Flying wing or a canard? T-tail or an X-tail? Single engine or a multiengine? Symmetric or asymmetric? Conventional or not, SURFACES is the tool for you.

SURFACES uses a three-dimensional Vortex Lattice Method (VLM) to determine airflow around your aircraft, allowing you to extract an incredible amount of information from the solution. Ranging from elementary plotting of the flow solution to sophisticated extraction of loads and stability derivatives, you will find yourself resorting to using SURFACES for more aspects of your design than you thought possible.

SURFACES is the perfect solution in any preliminary design environment, or to reverse engineer existing airplanes. It allows you to quickly extract loads and stability and control data.

SURFACES allows you to swiftly model any aircraft. Do you have a three-view drawing of your favorite aircraft? Simply import it in to the environment and scale it up. No pencils, rulers, or calculators are needed for scaling up the model. You do it all from within SURFACES. It’s as easy as clicking a mouse button.

SURFACES determines most stability derivatives and allows you to perform very sophisticated dynamic stability analysis. Plot your aircraft’s Short Period, Phugoid, Spiral Stability, Rolling Convergence, and Dutch Roll modes. You can even simulate the dynamic response of the aircraft in real time! Study the impact of changing selected stability derivatives on these critical modes or create a movie (AVI) of the dynamic motion and insert into presentations (see a sample below).

SURFACES allows you to incorporate all the details of your design, such as airfoils, wing twist, dihedral, multiple lifting surfaces, asymmetric geometries, winglets, deflection of control surfaces and high lift devices. SURFACES even allows you to account for engine forces as functions of angle-of-attack, airspeed and altitude, whose properties are taken into account when determining trim or stability derivatives.

SURFACES allows you to extract surface pressures, forces and moments, force and moment coefficients, distributed loads, section lift coefficients, hinge moments, and create shear, moment and torsion diagrams on the model. View the shear and moment diagrams on the model for greater clarity!

SURFACES comes with video tutorials. You will be working on your own airplane in 30 minutes or less

Features

  • Use the built-in inertia modelling to determine moments and products of inertia. It’s extremely easy. In fact, you will probably never resort to using statistical estimation again.
  • Use the Math Objects to unleash a symbolic computational power, making SURFACES completely unique as a symbolic Vortex-Lattice solver.
  • Use the Math Objects to determine performance and stability derivatives, as well as geometric properties.
  • Use the Math Objects to automatically compute properties by using model geometry directly, Vortex-Lattice results, and others. Use these as you would any other variable. When you change your model, so will all the derived properties.
  • Use the Virtual Wind Tunnel to study design changes or create lookup tables for your favorite flight simulator. Sweep Angle-of-Attack, Angle-of-Yaw, P, Q, R rotation rates, and airspeed.
  • Use the Force Integrator to determine shear and moments about 3-axes on any surface in any orientation.
  • Account for aerodynamic loads due to landing gear or missiles using your own algebraic formulations. Allow these to reflect dependency on speed, altitude, angle-of-attack and angle-of-yaw, or whatever else you can think of.
  • Account for thrust, symmetric or asymmetric, single engine or any number of engines. SURFACES allows you any number of powerplants. Mix jets with props or JATO. Enter forces and moments about 3-axis in an algebraic format.
  • Determine Neutral Point with the click of a mouse.
  • Incorporate flaps, slats, ailerons, elevators, and rudders into your design. Then, trim your aircraft about the three axes, at any speed, any altitude, any CG, and any power setting, symmetric or not.