Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Inventor VS LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control)

Compare Inventor VS LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) and see what are their differences

Inventor logo Inventor

Inventor is a 3D CAD software that lets you quickly create 3D models with embedded intelligence, intuitive workflows, and optimized performance.

LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) logo LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control)

LinuxCNC: an open source CNC machine controller. It can drive milling machines, lathes, 3d printers, laser cutters, plasma cutters, robot arms, hexapods, and more.
  • Inventor Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-22
  • LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-21

Inventor features and specs

  • Comprehensive 3D Modeling
    Autodesk Inventor offers powerful, extensive 3D modeling capabilities, including parametric, direct, and freeform modeling, which allow for intricate and detailed designs.
  • Advanced Simulation Features
    The software features robust simulation and analysis tools, allowing users to perform stress tests, dynamic simulations, and optimize designs for performance and durability.
  • Integrated Collaboration
    Inventor facilitates seamless team collaboration with tools that support data sharing, version control, and integration with other Autodesk products, enhancing workflows and reducing errors.
  • High Customizability
    Users can highly customize their interface and workflow in Inventor to suit specific project needs, improving user efficiency and project management.
  • Extensive Documentation and Support
    Autodesk provides comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and customer support for Inventor, helping users to quickly learn the software and troubleshoot issues.

Possible disadvantages of Inventor

  • High Cost
    Autodesk Inventor is a premium software with a high subscription cost, which may not be feasible for small businesses or independent designers working on a tight budget.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    The software's extensive features and capabilities can be overwhelming for beginners, requiring significant time and training to master.
  • Resource Intensive
    Inventor demands high computing resources, which can slow down performance on less powerful hardware and increase the cost of maintaining suitable workstations.
  • Complex Licensing
    Autodesk's licensing and subscription models can be complex and difficult to navigate, which can be frustrating for users trying to ensure compliance or manage expenditures.
  • Update Issues
    New versions and updates can sometimes introduce bugs or compatibility issues, which can disrupt workflows and potentially cause project delays.

LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) features and specs

  • Open Source
    LinuxCNC is open-source, allowing users to access and modify the source code. This encourages community collaboration and enables users to tailor the software to their specific needs.
  • Cost-Effective
    Being open-source, LinuxCNC is free to use, which reduces the cost for individuals and organizations looking to implement CNC control systems.
  • Flexibility and Customization
    LinuxCNC offers a high degree of flexibility allowing users to design custom configurations and write personalized scripts for their machine operations.
  • Large Community Support
    With a dedicated user base, LinuxCNC has a wealth of forums and community-driven support which can be incredibly helpful for troubleshooting and exchanging best practices.
  • Real-Time Performance
    Utilizes real-time kernel extensions that provide precise control over machine operations, a necessity for CNC applications requiring high precision.

Possible disadvantages of LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control)

  • Steep Learning Curve
    LinuxCNC can be challenging to learn, especially for beginners unfamiliar with Linux operating systems or CNC machinery concepts.
  • Limited Commercial Support
    Being an open-source project, it lacks formal customer support which can be a disadvantage for commercial enterprises needing professional service.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some hardware compatibility issues may arise, particularly with newer or less common equipment, requiring additional troubleshooting or drivers.
  • Complex Setup
    The installation and configuration process can be complex, often involving custom setups and detailed understanding of both hardware and software components.
  • Less Intuitive Interface
    Compared to some commercial CNC software options, the graphical interface of LinuxCNC may feel dated or less intuitive to some users.

Inventor videos

Fusion 360 vs inventor which is Better

More videos:

  • Review - Autodesk Inventor Overview - What is Autodesk Inventor?
  • Review - Autodesk Inventor Overview

LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) videos

LinuxCNC for the bare bones beginner - Part 1

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Inventor and LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control))
3D
75 75%
25% 25
Technical Computing
100 100%
0% 0
Architecture
0 0%
100% 100
Numerical Computation
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Inventor and LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control). For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Inventor and LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control)

Inventor Reviews

Alternatives to SketchUp: Check out 10 free programs
Seen as a rich-featured system, Inventor has both 2D and 3D mechanical design software and provides a large amount of post-modeling tools for rendering, simulation, visualization, and documentation of projects. The program works with direct, parametric, and free-form modeling, meeting the needs of professionals in the area. Even though it doesn’t have SketchUp’s simplicity,...
Source: solidface.com
Looking for a SketchUp alternative? Check out the 10 best options
Rhino is a CAD program that sits in the middle of artistry and engineering. Unlike Fusion 360 or Inventor which are best suited for parametrically described models, Rhino allows more flexibility in the shapes you can create with curves and organic patterns. Many users prefer to model with its Grasshopper tool, which defines each model with commands and programs to create...
Source: all3dp.com

LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) Reviews

We have no reviews of LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 7 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Inventor mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Inventor yet. Tracking of Inventor recommendations started around Jan 2022.

LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control) mentions (7)

  • Real-time Linux is officially part of the kernel
    I played with it years ago, but it's still alive and well
        http://linuxcnc.org/.
    - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Real-time Linux is officially part of the kernel
    The only time I have used real-time linux was for CNC control through linuxcnc (formerly emc2). https://linuxcnc.org/ It works great, and with a bit of tuning and the right hardware it could achieve ~1us worse cast jitter numbers (tested by setting a 1ms timer and measuring how long it actually takes using the linuxcnc internal tooling). Sadly with modern machines there are so many low-level interrupts that you... - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Can anybody recommend a good CNC conversion kit?
    For a hobby machine, DIY might be the way to go. I did my sharp knee mill over several years. Ball screws from Rockford ball screws, were not cheap, but work well. Servo motors and gecko motor controllers from automationtechnologiesinc.com. Scales for feed back from dropros. Controller card from mesanet.com. All controlled with linuxcnc.org and a usb controller from vistacnc.com. Milled motor mounts for the... Source: over 2 years ago
  • CNC build
    I'm building a DIY-ish 3d printer, I know the Duet 3D boards can run spindles. https://www.machsupport.com/software/mach3/ Or Http://linuxcnc.org/ can run stepper driver boards with a spare desktop. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Questions from someone looking to build a desktop mill
    Good questions, I may be able to help with some of them but I know there are plenty of more experienced mill owners: 1. This is usually done manually or with indexing pins. If you look at the nomad flip jig you can see some techniques for physically re-aligning the part. Since you have skills in that area, a software solution could help, but I’m not aware of anything off the shelf in the hobby space. It could be... Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Inventor and LinuxCNC (the Enhanced Machine Control), you can also consider the following products

Autodesk Fusion 360 - Integrated CAD, CAM, and CAE featuring collaborative editing and cloud-based computation.

Mach3 - Mach3 is very popular among the Hobby CNC community.

Solid Edge - Solid Edge is an industry-leading mechanical design system with exceptional tools for creating and...

Vectric Aspire - The complete software solution for CNC Routing,

MATLAB - A high-level language and interactive environment for numerical computation, visualization, and programming

PyCAM - PyCAM is a toolpath generator for 3-axis CNC machining.