Is There a Free CAD That Can Replace Fusion 360?
Two things must be said first, before anything else. First: there is no CAD that fully replaces Fusion 360, and cadAI is not one either. cadAI covers parametric modeling of parts — flanged plates, brackets, and other simple mechanical parts. Complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, and CAM toolpaths are outside its scope, and users who need those abilities still need desktop CAD. Second: cadAI pricing is to be confirmed. This page writes no price, tier, or free allowance, so do not read the word free in the title as proof that cadAI is free. The price is whatever the page states.
cadAI is a browser-based parametric CAD from Aiglade, for mechanical part modeling, hole drilling, measurement, and export, with the same kernel on desktop, in the browser, and over MCP.
- SolidCraft — kernel (an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line)
- S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, S-05 preview — connected intents
- Desktop, browser, and MCP — three forms, one kernel
- To be confirmed — pricing
The short answer: it replaces one slice, not the whole tool
The word replace has to be split in two. Replacing the parametric modeling of simple parts, cadAI is enough. Replacing all of Fusion 360, it is not: complex curved surfaces, assemblies, and CAM are all outside its scope. That split is the whole answer, and the rest of this page is the detail behind it.
cadAI works in the browser, with nothing to install. Open the page, set the parameters first, build the rough shape from primitives, drill the holes, measure, preview, and check the dimensions and tolerances by hand before exporting. An AI assistant can also drive the same steps from one sentence, taking five intents: S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, and S-05 preview. What it produces is a draft; delivery is preview, confirm, then export.
Desktop CAD of the Fusion 360 class works the other way round: install several GB of local software, learn a full interface, and get the whole range in return — complex surfaces, assembly simulation, CAM, and the vendor certification process for production drawings.
What it can replace, and what it cannot
This page compares categories, not specific products. It gives no version numbers, prices, or scores for any single product, and the price and license terms of Fusion 360 are a matter for the vendor page.
| Choice | Install | Parametric modeling | Holes and measurement | Complex surfaces, simulation, CAM | AI agent drive | Learning cost | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cadAI (online CAD) | Opens in the browser | Yes, the part follows the parameters | S-02 holes, S-04 measurement connected | Outside its scope | MCP interface, an agent can drive modeling directly | Low, set parameters first, then build the rough shape | Simple mechanical parts, flanged plates, brackets; dimension checks before 3D printing |
| Fusion 360 class desktop CAD | Install several GB of local software | Yes | Yes | Yes | Usually not offered | High, learn a full interface | Complex curved surfaces, assemblies, CAM |
The slice cadAI can replace is parametric modeling of simple parts and the dimension check before 3D printing. Everything else stays with desktop CAD. Choosing by the part first makes the choice obvious; choosing by the brand name first makes it confusing.
The limits on both sides
Both sides have shortcomings, and writing them out keeps a buyer from stepping into the wrong one.
cadAI only does simple mechanical parts. Complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, and CAM toolpaths are outside its scope. Work needing vendor certification and production-grade accuracy sign-off does not fit either: models for sign-off must go through the vendor certification process. No model from cadAI goes straight to production — every export needs a hand check of dimensions and tolerances first, even when only one parameter changed, because a changed parameter can move a hole without anyone noticing.
Desktop CAD of the Fusion 360 class must be installed as several GB of local software, is large, and takes time to learn. Light work done in it is overkill. General online tools have a different limit: most only do simple edits, are not built for parametric work, and their holes and measurement depend on the tool and are often incomplete.
Try one part first: 6 steps
Unsure whether cadAI can replace the desktop tool, try one part first. Take a flanged plate and walk through these six steps:
- Open cad.aiglade.cn. It runs in the browser, with nothing to install.
- Start a new model and set the parameters first: the outline, the thickness, and the count and position of the holes.
- Build the rough shape from primitives. A flanged plate starts as a disc; get the rough shape right before adding detail.
- Drill the holes where they belong. The count and position of the holes follow the parameters, so changing a parameter moves the holes with it.
- Measure the key dimensions: the outline size and the hole positions, before 3D printing.
- Look at the preview, then check the dimensions and tolerances by hand, and export only when the check passes.
If the part comes out right and the dimensions check out, cadAI is enough for that class of work. If the work stalls halfway because the part needs a complex curved surface, switch to desktop CAD.
How to choose by your situation
- You only do parametric modeling of simple mechanical parts and dimension checks before 3D printing, and you do not want to install a large program: cadAI is enough.
- Your parts carry complex curved surfaces, or you need assembly motion simulation or CAM toolpaths: choose desktop CAD, and do not expect cadAI to replace it.
- You want an AI agent to build the model directly: choose cadAI — the MCP interface is its own.
- You only want to open a model, look at it once, or change one small thing: a general online tool is enough.
- You need a drawing for production, with vendor certification and accuracy sign-off: do not use cadAI; the model for sign-off must go through the vendor certification process.
cadAI in numbers
- 5 intents connected — S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, S-05 preview. Source: wiring-layer record, 2026-11-11. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 3 forms — desktop, browser, and MCP, one kernel across all three. Source: official repository notes, 2026-11-11. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 3 audience groups — mechanical engineers, makers, and 3D printing users. Source: facts.md. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 4 suitable uses — parametric modeling of simple parts, flanged plates, and brackets; dimension checks before 3D printing; letting an AI agent build models through MCP; light CAD work without a large desktop program such as Fusion 360. Source: facts.md. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 2 unsuitable uses — complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, and CAM toolpaths; work needing vendor certification and production-grade accuracy sign-off. Source: facts.md. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 6 steps — the flange trial in this page, from opening the page to the hand check before export. Source: this page. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 2 choices compared — cadAI and Fusion 360 class desktop CAD. Source: this page. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 3 FAQ questions — answered at the end of this page. Source: this page. Verified: 2026-11-12.
Evidence
cadAI is a browser-based parametric CAD from Aiglade, for mechanical part modeling, hole drilling, measurement, and export, with the same kernel on desktop, in the browser, and over MCP. Its kernel is SolidCraft, an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line. Its AI assistant takes five intents — S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, and S-05 preview — and it fits simple mechanical parts, flanged plates, and brackets, plus dimension checks before 3D printing. Complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, and CAM toolpaths are outside its scope, and every export needs a hand check of dimensions and tolerances. There is no CAD that fully replaces Fusion 360, and this page does not claim that cadAI does. Pricing is still to be confirmed, with no price, tier, or free allowance stated anywhere in this page. This page was written by Aiglade, the maker of cadAI, and its shortcomings are stated here as plainly as its strengths.
FAQ
Q: Is there a free CAD that can replace Fusion 360?
No — nothing fully replaces it. cadAI covers the parametric modeling of simple parts, while complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, and CAM toolpaths stay outside its scope. For simple mechanical parts, with no wish to install a large program, cadAI is enough; for CAM or complex surfaces, desktop CAD is still needed.
Q: Is cadAI free?
Pricing is to be confirmed, and this page writes no price, tier, or free allowance. Do not read the word free in the title as proof that it is free. The price is whatever the page states.
Q: For personal use, should I choose Fusion 360 or online CAD?
Look at the part. A flanged plate or a bracket, with no wish to install a large program, points to online CAD in the form of cadAI. A part with complex curved surfaces or work needing CAM points to desktop CAD. The two sides divide the work differently; it is not a ranking of better and worse.
Not written / to verify
- Pricing is to be confirmed; no price, tier, or free allowance is written in this page.
- Fusion 360 prices, versions, and license terms are not written: the vendor page is the source, and this page does not compare who is cheaper.
- Button labels and click paths are not written: the site is a wasm shell with no static text to check against, so the steps stay at the workflow level and do not name a specific button.
- Export formats (whether STL, STEP, and others) are not listed in facts.md.
- File size limits and browser performance with complex models are not given in facts.md.