Have you ever tried to quickly open and inspect a CAD file, only to find yourself stuck installing bloated, expensive software?
If so, you know it's difficult because many CAD programs require large installations, costly subscriptions, or unnecessary editing tools.
So, what do you do?
Many people have found success with free CAD viewers designed specifically for the metalworking and sheet metal industries.
However, there are a few things you should know before downloading and implementing a free CAD viewer to ensure you get the right balance of features without the bloat.
This post will guide you in selecting a reliable, lightweight 3D CAD viewer that allows you to effortlessly open, inspect, and analyze metalworking CAD files.
What to Look for in a 3D CAD Viewer?
If you’re searching for a CAD viewer that performs well in metalworking and sheet metal shops, ensure smooth performance by considering these factors:
✅ Ensure your viewer supports the right file types. The most common are STEP, IGES, DWG, DXF, and STL. Without support for these, you'll have trouble opening industry-standard files.
✅ Check that the viewer allows for basic measurements. Being able to check distances, angles, and dimensions is critical in any manufacturing workflow.
✅ A good viewer should let you section and rotate models. This is important for inspecting internal features and analyzing how parts fit together.
While not necessary, some great bonus features of a high-quality CAD viewer include:
🔹 PMI/MBD support – Displays Product Manufacturing Information for model-based definition workflows.
🔹 Cross-sectioning tools – Helps view internal structures of parts.
🔹 Browser-based access – Allows easy sharing of files with non-CAD users.
Further reading on MBD:
Luke van Enkhuizen
The 10 Best Free 3D CAD Viewers for Metalworking and Sheet Metal Shops
1. eDrawings Viewer
Released by Dassault Systèmes, eDrawings Viewer is widely used by manufacturers, engineers, and sheet metal fabricators to open and inspect SolidWorks, STEP, and IGES files. It’s favored for its comprehensive measurement and cross-sectioning tools. Notably, it facilitates collaboration through eDrawings files viewable on mobile devices without additional software.
🔹 Best for: Widely used free CAD viewer for STEP, IGES, DWG, DXF, and SolidWorks files.
🔹 Features: Measurement tools, cross-sections, markup, PMI/MBD support.
🔹 Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
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2. Autodesk Viewer
Developed by Autodesk, this web-based viewer is popular among designers, engineers, and manufacturers requiring a no-installation solution for viewing and sharing CAD files. It supports over 80 file formats and operates seamlessly in any browser. Users can annotate and collaborate on designs without needing an Autodesk account.
🔹 Best for: Viewing STEP, IGES, DWG, DXF, STL files online without installation.
🔹 Features: Supports over 80 formats, includes simple measuring tools, and offers online collaboration.
🔹 Platforms: Web-based (accessible on any device)
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3. ShareCAD Online Viewer
Offered by CADSoftTools, ShareCAD Online Viewer serves fabricators and engineers needing a quick, installation-free method to view CAD files. It supports formats like STEP, IGES, and DWG directly in the browser. A key feature is its ability to handle files up to 50MB without requiring user registration.
🔹 Best for: Quick, online CAD viewing without installation.
🔹 Features: Supports STEP, IGES, DWG, DXF, STL; includes basic measuring tools.
🔹 Platforms: Web-based (any device)
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4. CAD Assistant by Open Cascade
Created by Open Cascade, this tool is utilized by engineers working with STEP and IGES files in mechanical and metalworking applications. It offers offline support, measurement tools, and PMI visualization for model-based definition workflows. Additionally, it’s available on Android devices, providing mobile-friendly CAD viewing.
🔹 Best for: Offline STEP, IGES, BREP, STL viewing with MBD/PMI support.
🔹 Features: Measurement, sectioning, and interactive 3D navigation.
🔹 Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
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5. Solid Edge Free Viewer
Released by Siemens, Solid Edge Free Viewer is commonly used by fabricators, machinists, and manufacturers handling Solid Edge, STEP, and IGES files. It provides high-quality visualization with rotation, zoom, and markup tools. Importantly, it doesn’t require a Solid Edge license and is entirely free for viewing purposes.
🔹 Best for: Viewing STEP, IGES, DWG, and DXF files with rotation, zoom, and markup tools.
🔹 Features: Interactive navigation and simple collaboration tools.
🔹 Platforms: Windows
🔗 Download Solid Edge Free Viewer
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6. FreeCAD
An open-source project developed by a global community, FreeCAD is favored by engineers, educators, and makers seeking a free alternative to professional CAD software. It supports various formats, including STEP, IGES, and STL, and offers parametric modeling capabilities. Uniquely, it allows both viewing and basic modifications of 3D models.
🔹 Best for: Open-source CAD software with robust viewing capabilities.
🔹 Features: Supports STEP, IGES, STL, DXF; includes cross-sectioning and measurement tools.
🔹 Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
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7. SolveSpace
As an open-source project, SolveSpace is popular among hobbyists, engineers, and professionals desiring a lightweight CAD tool. It provides constraint-based parametric modeling while remaining simple and efficient. Notably, its installer is only a few megabytes, making it one of the most lightweight CAD viewers available.
🔹 Best for: Lightweight, open-source CAD viewer with basic modeling features.
🔹 Features: Constraint-based parametric tools, STEP, DXF, STL support.
🔹 Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
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8. IDA-STEP Viewer Basic
Developed by LKSoft, IDA-STEP Viewer Basic is used by engineers and manufacturers working with STEP files containing PMI and MBD data. It’s specialized for STEP AP242 files, supporting modern model-based definition workflows. Unlike many free STEP viewers, it fully supports geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) annotations.
🔹 Best for: Viewing detailed STEP files with PMI and MBD support.
🔹 Features: Advanced STEP file viewing, PMI annotations, model inspection tools.
🔹 Platforms: Windows
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9. Creo View Express
Released by PTC, Creo View Express is known among engineers and manufacturers utilizing Creo, STEP, and IGES files. It offers robust PMI/MBD visualization and sectioning tools for analyzing CAD models. It’s the free version of Creo View, widely used in professional Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) environments.
🔹 Best for: PMI/MBD visualization in STEP, IGES, and Creo formats.
🔹 Features: Measurements, section views, and annotations.
🔹 Platforms: Windows
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10. NIST STEP File Analyzer and Viewer
Although not a classic viewer, this advanced tool is offered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Engineers and compliance specialists primarily use it to validate STEP files. The tool analyzes and reports on STEP file structures, aiding in debugging and ensuring compatibility with industry standards. It can also generate spreadsheets of STEP entity data for detailed analysis. Of course, it can also view 3D models.
🔹 Best for: STEP file validation and data analysis.
🔹 Features: Checks manufacturing data integrity, exports reports, supports PMI/MBD.
🔹 Platforms: Windows
You might also want to read further on various other systems you might need.
Luke van Enkhuizen
Top Free 3D CAD Viewers Supporting Model-Based Definition (MBD) for Metalworking Applications
These top three free viewers support PMI (Product Manufacturing Information) inside 3D CAD models, making them ideal for MBD workflows in manufacturing.
1. eDrawings Viewer – Best for Viewing & Inspecting PMI on 3D Models
✅ PMI Features:
• Displays annotations, GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing), dimensions, and manufacturing notes embedded in STEP, IGES, and SolidWorks files.
• Supports viewing PMI data on mobile devices, making it ideal for shop floor and supplier collaboration.
✅ MBD Capabilities:
- Enables cross-sectioning, rotation, zooming, and interactive measurement of PMI data.
- Compatible with SolidWorks MBD models and STEP AP242 files that include PMI annotations.
- Dynamically highlights PMI elements when features are selected.
🔹 Why It’s Great for MBD: eDrawings provides a clean and structured view of PMI data without needing to open a full CAD system, making it ideal for manufacturing reviews and supplier communication.
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2. IDA-STEP Viewer Basic – Best for PMI on STEP AP242 Files
✅ PMI Features:
• Fully supports STEP AP242-based PMI, including feature control frames, tolerances, and material condition modifiers.
• Reads GD&T annotations, reference dimensions, and welding symbols from the 3D model.
• Displays metadata linked to PMI, enabling deeper inspection of manufacturing information.
✅ MBD Capabilities:
- PMI elements are structured in a tree view, making it easy to navigate dimensions, annotations, and tolerances.
- It allows visibility toggling of PMI elements, ensuring a clear view of only the relevant data.
- It works well with STEP files exported from CAD systems with MBD data (e.g., NX, CATIA, SolidWorks, Creo).
🔹 Why It’s Great for MBD: IDA-STEP is one of the few free viewers that fully supports PMI within STEP AP242, making it valuable for MBD-based manufacturing and compliance.
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3. NIST STEP File Analyzer and Viewer – Best for PMI Validation & Debugging
✅ PMI Features:
• Extracts PMI data from STEP files, identifying dimensions, tolerances, and notes.
• Generates spreadsheets of PMI entity data to help check compliance with industry standards.
• Verifies if PMI elements are correctly structured within a STEP file.
✅ MBD Capabilities:
- Validates that PMI information is present and correctly formatted in STEP AP203 and AP242 files.
- Detects missing or misinterpreted annotations before sending files to manufacturing.
- Functions as a QA tool rather than an interactive viewer.
🔹 Why It’s Great for MBD: Ideal for companies needing to ensure PMI compliance in STEP files before production, reducing errors in downstream manufacturing processes.
In short:
• eDrawings Viewer excels at everyday PMI inspection and collaboration.
• IDA-STEP Viewer Basic is ideal for viewing PMI in STEP AP242 files.
• NIST STEP File Analyzer is perfect for validating PMI compliance in STEP files.
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Final Thoughts
Now that you know which free CAD viewers work best for metalworking and sheet metal applications, you’re ready to open, inspect, and analyze your 3D files without worrying about expensive subscriptions or bloated software.
Which CAD viewer do you use most? Let us know in the comments! 🚀
Do you need advice for your digital factory, check out my Digital Factory Program:
Luke van Enkhuizen
