{"id":228,"date":"2025-02-13T10:09:32","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T09:09:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/?p=228"},"modified":"2025-04-09T10:30:48","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T08:30:48","slug":"astocad-announcing-a-polished-freecad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/13\/astocad-announcing-a-polished-freecad\/","title":{"rendered":"AstoCAD: Announcing a polished FreeCAD"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">FreeCAD has long been celebrated as a powerful, open-source CAD tool, but its steep learning curve and cluttered interface have left many users frustrated. Enter&nbsp;<strong>AstoCAD<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a sleek, intuitive evolution of FreeCAD designed to transform how we interact with open-source CAD. Built&nbsp;<em>on top of<\/em>&nbsp;FreeCAD, AstoCAD combines the software\u2019s core strengths with a polished experience, all while fueling FreeCAD\u2019s long-term growth. This is the story of how AstoCAD aims to make FreeCAD the best CAD software ever \u2013 with your help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is AstoCAD?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AstoCAD isn\u2019t a traditional fork of FreeCAD. Instead, it\u2019s a&nbsp;<strong>\u201csoft-fork\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a layer of enhancements that sits atop the latest FreeCAD version. Think of it as FreeCAD\u2019s stylish, forward-thinking sibling. AstoCAD introduces streamlined workflows, cleaner toolbars, and cutting-edge features. Over time, these innovations will flow back into FreeCAD, ensuring the entire community benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why a soft-fork?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Stay aligned<\/strong>: AstoCAD avoids fragmenting the FreeCAD ecosystem.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accelerate progress<\/strong>: New features debut in AstoCAD first, then merge into FreeCAD.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sustainable development<\/strong>: Subscriptions fund ongoing improvements for&nbsp;<em>both<\/em>&nbsp;platforms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Man Behind the Mission<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meet&nbsp;<strong>Pierre<\/strong>, a core FreeCAD contributor with over 300 pull requests to his name. His story explains why AstoCAD exists:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cI started as a user, designing the RetroStone2 retro gaming console. FreeCAD 0.20 was\u2026 painful. The UI was cluttered, tools were confusing. So I began contributing \u2013 first a small fix, then major features in sketcher, in core and in techdraw.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Ondsel hired him full-time, Pierre\u2019s work accelerated and the Assembly workbench appeared. However today Ondsel closed, leaving behind the question of &#8220;What&#8217;s next?&#8221;. And so sustainability became a challenge:&nbsp;<em>\u201cTo work on FreeCAD full time, I need to make a living. AstoCAD lets me earn a living while giving back.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Roadmap: What\u2019s Next for AstoCAD (and FreeCAD)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AstoCAD\u2019s roadmap reads like a wishlist for frustrated CAD users:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Reduce Frustration<\/strong>: Smoother Sketcher, PartDesign, and Assembly workflows by fixing bugs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Additional features<\/strong>: Like Assembly array and fasteners tools, reworking sketcher&#8217;s polyline tool.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>UI Overhauls<\/strong>: TechDraw and FEM workspaces are next in line for decluttering.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MBD Integration<\/strong>: Bring physics-based simulations to Assembly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every AstoCAD subscription directly fuels these projects \u2013 meaning your support accelerates FreeCAD\u2019s evolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Your Support Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For just&nbsp;<strong>\u20ac4\/month<\/strong>, an AstoCAD membership unlocks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Early access to features before they hit FreeCAD.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A seamless, frustration-free CAD experience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The satisfaction of funding open-source innovation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cYour subscription isn\u2019t just about AstoCAD,\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;Pierre emphasizes.&nbsp;<em>\u201cIt\u2019s about building a future where FreeCAD rivals commercial software \u2013 without the price tag.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion: Join the Movement<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AstoCAD isn\u2019t just a tool \u2013 it\u2019s a bridge between FreeCAD\u2019s potential and its future. By subscribing, you\u2019re not just getting a better CAD experience today; you\u2019re ensuring FreeCAD becomes the powerhouse it deserves to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Ready to create, innovate, and shape the future of open-source CAD?<\/strong><br>\ud83d\udc49 Visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/astocad.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">astocad.com<\/a>&nbsp;to become a member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Together, let\u2019s make FreeCAD \u2013 and AstoCAD \u2013 unstoppable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FreeCAD has long been celebrated as a powerful, open-source CAD tool, but its steep learning curve and cluttered interface have left many users frustrated. Enter&nbsp;AstoCAD&nbsp;\u2013 a sleek, intuitive evolution of FreeCAD designed to transform how we interact with open-source CAD. Built&nbsp;on top of&nbsp;FreeCAD, AstoCAD combines the software\u2019s core strengths with a polished experience, all while [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-non-classe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1130,"href":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228\/revisions\/1130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astocad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}