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LibreCAD VS OpenFOAM

Compare LibreCAD VS OpenFOAM and see what are their differences

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LibreCAD logo LibreCAD

An open source 2D CAD application for Windows, Apple and Linux.

OpenFOAM logo OpenFOAM

OpenFOAM® - Official home of The Open Source Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Toolbox.
  • LibreCAD Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-18
  • OpenFOAM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-08-02

LibreCAD features and specs

  • Free and Open Source
    LibreCAD is completely free to use, and its open-source nature allows users to modify and improve the software according to their needs.
  • Cross-Platform
    The software is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring that users on different operating systems can utilize it without compatibility issues.
  • Lightweight
    LibreCAD is not resource-heavy, making it suitable for older computers and systems with limited hardware capabilities.
  • 2D CAD Focus
    Specialized for 2D design, making it easier for users who specifically need 2D drafting tools as it avoids the complexities associated with 3D modeling.
  • Customizable Interface
    Users can tailor the interface to better suit their workflow, enhancing productivity and ease of use.
  • Active Community Support
    An active community provides support, documentation, and forums for troubleshooting and advice, making it easier for users to solve problems and learn new features.

Possible disadvantages of LibreCAD

  • Limited 3D Capabilities
    LibreCAD is primarily a 2D CAD software and does not support 3D modeling, which can be a limitation for users needing advanced spatial design tools.
  • Steeper Learning Curve for Beginners
    While powerful, the software can be challenging for new users unfamiliar with CAD software, requiring a significant amount of time to learn.
  • Fewer Advanced Features
    Compared to some professional CAD packages, LibreCAD lacks some of the more advanced features and tools, which can limit its use in complex projects.
  • Limited File Format Compatibility
    LibreCAD primarily supports DXF format, and while it can read/write other formats, the compatibility is not as comprehensive as some other CAD software.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Some users have reported crashes and bugs, which can be problematic for those working on time-sensitive projects.
  • Sparse Documentation
    While there is community support, the official documentation can be lacking in detail, making it difficult for users to find thorough guidance on complex tasks.

OpenFOAM features and specs

  • Open Source
    OpenFOAM is free to use and its source code is openly available under the GPL license, allowing for extensive customization and transparency in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations.
  • Extensibility
    Users can extend and modify the functionality of OpenFOAM to suit specific needs or integrate new algorithms, making it highly adaptable to various projects and research requirements.
  • Community and Support
    A robust community of users and developers contributes to forums, documentation, and collaboration, providing substantial peer support and shared knowledge.
  • Versatility
    OpenFOAM supports a wide range of physical models and simulation types, from simple incompressible flow to complex multiphase flows and chemical reactions, making it suitable for diverse applications.
  • Parallel Computing
    Optimized for parallel processing, OpenFOAM can run efficiently on high-performance computing systems, thereby handling large-scale simulations effectively.

Possible disadvantages of OpenFOAM

  • Steep Learning Curve
    OpenFOAM requires a significant investment of time to learn and master, as it involves understanding complex physics, programming concepts, and software-specific syntaxes.
  • Limited GUI
    Unlike some commercial CFD software, OpenFOAM lacks a sophisticated graphical user interface (GUI), necessitating users to rely on command-line input and scripting for setup and execution of simulations.
  • Documentation Quality
    Although community-driven, the documentation can sometimes be incomplete or outdated, making it challenging for new users to find reliable and up-to-date instructions and tutorials.
  • Performance Variation
    Performance and stability can vary depending on the specific simulation setup and hardware used, which may require users to conduct extensive testing and optimization.
  • Dependency Management
    Installing and maintaining OpenFOAM and its dependencies can be complex, often requiring specific versions of libraries and compilers to ensure compatibility and optimal performance.

LibreCAD videos

+ Add

FreeCAD vs. LibreCAD

More videos:

OpenFOAM videos

+ Add

What is OpenFoam? | Skill-Lync

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to run your first simulation in OpenFOAM® - Part 1 - tutorial
  • Tutorial - CFD tutorial for beginners | What is OpenFOAM? | SKILL-LYNC

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to LibreCAD and OpenFOAM)

LibreCAD

OpenFOAM

3D
100 100%
3D
0% 0
Technical Computing
0 0%
Technical Computing
100% 100
Architecture
100 100%
Architecture
0% 0
Numerical Computation
0 0%
Numerical Computation
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using LibreCAD and OpenFOAM. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare LibreCAD and OpenFOAM

LibreCAD Reviews

15 Best Sketchup Alternatives 2022
Also, it is a CAD program so the created files can work on other CAD software programs, even if 3D based. Sketchup supports up to 11 languages, but LibreCAD beats that with support for more than 30 languages.
Source: rigorousthemes.com
Alternatives to SketchUp: Check out 10 free programs
Just like Blender, you can help develop and enhance the platform by editing the code base and adding even more features to the software. So, if you’re looking for a more simple, perfect for beginners program, LibreCAD can be the best out of the alternatives to SketchUp for you. Being a fully free system, you can only gain.
Source: solidface.com
9 Free CAD Software to Download
Here’s another high quality 2D-CAD modeling platform, LibreCAD, an easy-to-use software with a lot of high quality features included in it. LibreCAD has features such as snap to grid for drawing, usage of layers, measurements inside your drawing and plenty others to make your life easier when you’re drawing on a 2D-CAD platform.
Source: www.hongkiat.com
Looking for a SketchUp alternative? Check out the 10 best options
LibreCAD is a 2D CAD software that serves as a great way to learn and practice 2D modeling. It’s completely free and open-sourced, with a healthy user base around it to boot.
Source: all3dp.com

OpenFOAM Reviews

We have no reviews of OpenFOAM yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

OpenFOAM might be a bit more popular than LibreCAD. We know about 19 links to it since March 2021 and only 19 links to LibreCAD. 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.

LibreCAD mentions (19)

  • Looking for a poor man's AutoCad
    LibreCAD, OpenSCAD (more script based and more for solids), FreeCAD. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • If I don't use Windows or Mac and only use Linux, will I run into a lot of compatibility issues?
    CAD options on Linux are more limited than windows or mac but they do exist. The industry standard for 2d CAD files is the .dxf file format. I use LibreCAD. https://librecad.org/ The UI is a little clunky and eccentric in places but it is feature complete for 2d CAD drawings. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Windows / MacOS - Home/garden design
    You could also try out free AutoCAD alternatives like libreCAD (2D), or brlCAD (2D&3D, I believe). Source: about 2 years ago
  • Everything you need to know about CAD humble bundle
    It seems like a low risk purchase for $1, however, there are free options available too such as https://librecad.org/ . Or see https://www.reddit.com/r/humblebundles/comments/117ki1c/comment/j9v0v37/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 for an older Autocad clone. Beckercad 2D seems like a niche product so I would probably invest my time learning something that is more mainstream. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Architectural Software
    For 2d stuff I tend to use Libra cad Https://librecad.org/. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

OpenFOAM mentions (19)

  • OpenFOAM on Debian 12
    In openfoam.org, there is not compiled binaries for Debian (any version). So one should install it using docker (I prefer to do not use it) or by compiling the code from the source. I consider compiling from source, but I do prefer binaries. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Please help me get running OpenFOAM
    Hello I am a mechanical engineering student in my last year. So I made the wisest decision to learn OpenFOAM. But there is the catch. I have no idea how to use Linux or how to emulate Linux on Windows 10. I found a lot of videos on Youtube how to download an start OpenFOAM but every one of them was using different methods each time so I got confused. Can anyone please help or direct me? Thank you for your answers... Source: about 2 years ago
  • Step by Step (Written not Video) Tutorial for FEM with Air
    As far as air flow simulation, I got slightly farther with Open Foam than I did in FreeCAD directly. Still, I got in way over my skill level and stopped before getting anything useful. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Open source FEA tools instead of ANSYS Workbench and APDL
    There are two versions of openfoam, one closed source (which is the one I linked to in my original comment, my apologies about that) and the open source version. But what you're describing makes it sound like fenics might be your best option. Source: over 2 years ago
  • command not found and looping
    I suggest you install per the instructions at openfoam.com or openfoam.org instead of using apt. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing LibreCAD and OpenFOAM, you can also consider the following products

FreeCAD - An open-source parametric 3D modeler

ANSYS Fluent - ANSYS engineering simulation and 3D design software delivers product modeling solutions with unmatched scalability and a comprehensive multiphysics foundation.

SketchUp - 3D for Everyone

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

Autodesk AutoCAD - Autodesk AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software application.

Wolfram Mathematica - Mathematica has characterized the cutting edge in specialized processing—and gave the chief calculation environment to a large number of pioneers, instructors, understudies, and others around the globe.

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