Research guides: 3D Printing Resources and Tools: Software and Tools

3D Design and Modelling Software

If you would like to design your own 3D model, check out the following 3D modelling software:

Autodesk Meshmixer
Autodesk Meshmixer is a prototype design tool based on high-resolution dynamic triangle meshes. It is free and available for both Windows and macOS.
Blender
Blender is a free and open source 3D animation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, even video editing and game creation.
OpenSCAD
OpenSCAD is a free software for creating solid 3D CAD models available for Linux/UNIX, Windows and Mac OS X to create 3D models. It is a 3D-compiler that reads in a script file that describes the object and renders the 3D model from this script file. This enables you to easily change any step in the process or make designs that are defined by configurable parameters.
ZBrushCoreMini
ZBrushCoreMini is a free digital sculpting software designed for new artists of all ages. It has a streamlined interface that lets anyone jump right in and start sculpting immediately.

Prefer an in-browser online app for 3D design and modelling? Check out these free and easy-to-use apps:

SketchUp (for web)
SketchUp For Web is an all-in-one online 3D modelling platform.
Tinkercad
Tinkercad is a simple, online 3D design and 3D printing app for everyone.
Adobe Creative Cloud
Creative Cloud is a collection of 20+ apps for photography, video, design, web, UX, and social media — plus integrated essentials like colour palettes, font families, and the power to collaborate with anyone, anywhere.