VariCAD Viewer

VariCAD Viewer is a free, compact, fast, easy-to-use and cross-platform graphical software implemented in Java and designed from the ground up to provide users with a comprehensive viewer of CAD (Computer-aided design) files.

The application is powered by the commercial and powerful VariCAD application (a separate review can be found on Softoware), a 3D/2D CAD solution for mechanical engineering that features high performance and powerful tools to ease mechanical design tasks.

Features at a glance

Key features include support for drawing and editing 2D CAD files, support for exporting both 2D and 3D CAD files, 3D modeling support, calculations of 2D sections and 3D objects, plotting support, printing support, title block and BOM support, as well as support for mechanical parts and symbol libraries.

It also supports wires, pipelines and shell modeling, supports crash tests, groups and 3D assemblies, supports surface development, and supports parameters and geometrical constraints, but optional. Its users interface is modern, intuitive and feature rich, designed to look the same on all supported OSes.

In addition, the software can interchange files with other CAD systems, which means that you will be able to import STEP (3D), DWG (2D), DXF (2D) and IGES (2D) files, as well as to export STEP (3D), DWG (2D), DXF (2D) and IGES (2D and 3D) files.

Supported operating systems

VariCAD Viewer is a cross-platform software and has been tested with a wide range of GNU/Linux distributions, supporting both 32-bit and 64-bit architectures. Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Debian and openSUSE are recommended, as well as their derivatives.

For your convenience, the software is available for download as native installers for the aforementioned distributions of Linux in the DEB and RPM file formats. While VariCAD Viewer is free, the price for a standard VariCAD license is 599 EUR (750 USD) and you will get one-year support and upgrade.

What is new in this release:

• More information:
• Support of multi-level assemblies
• You can define a sub-assembly created from multiple objects. It is similar as a definition of single part. The sub-assembly can be further inserted into assemblies, where it behaves as a single object. A sub-assembly itself can contain also inserted parts or other sub-assemblies, so you can create a complex structure of mechanical design.
• Support of relative paths in assembly - sub-assembly - part links:
• Optionally, it is possible to use relative paths. This allows you to maintain situation, where various computers have access to server, and the access is mapped differently. Or, if some computers work under Windows and some computers work under Linux. All users can now access common data at server without problems. Another advantage may be in exchanging of files between different users - if these files are only copied as directory structures.
• Changes in BOM, allowing you to select various possibilities of data processing, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• If 3D contains sub-assemblies, a BOM can be created by various methods. You can select whether to create a BOM from highest level only (as it was previously), or if to process complete structure of all levels of inserted parts and sub-assemblies. If a BOM is created at one single level, you can select creation from highest level only or from all parts from all levels. Then, you can obtain complete list of all parts necessary for completion of the highest assembly.
• Changes in definition and maintenance of solid attributes, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• Changes in geometrical constraints in 3D, especially more legible listing of removed degrees of freedom (fixed movements or rotations along or around axes).
• Now, behavior of geometrical constraints is simpler. All constraints remove degrees of freedom (fix movement along or rotation around axes). This information is legible listed in tables, or in constraint panel. Before removing some constraint related to fixed axis, you are acknowledged. Also, you can see a complete list of possible collisions between new and existing constraints, if you create a colliding constraint. This prevents possibility of unexpected behavior later.
• Further improvements in STEP input
• Minor changes in DWG/DXF input
• Minor changes in 3D kernel

What is new in version 2015-3.01:

• More information:
• Support of multi-level assemblies
• You can define a sub-assembly created from multiple objects. It is similar as a definition of single part. The sub-assembly can be further inserted into assemblies, where it behaves as a single object. A sub-assembly itself can contain also inserted parts or other sub-assemblies, so you can create a complex structure of mechanical design.
• Support of relative paths in assembly - sub-assembly - part links:
• Optionally, it is possible to use relative paths. This allows you to maintain situation, where various computers have access to server, and the access is mapped differently. Or, if some computers work under Windows and some computers work under Linux. All users can now access common data at server without problems. Another advantage may be in exchanging of files between different users - if these files are only copied as directory structures.
• Changes in BOM, allowing you to select various possibilities of data processing, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• If 3D contains sub-assemblies, a BOM can be created by various methods. You can select whether to create a BOM from highest level only (as it was previously), or if to process complete structure of all levels of inserted parts and sub-assemblies. If a BOM is created at one single level, you can select creation from highest level only or from all parts from all levels. Then, you can obtain complete list of all parts necessary for completion of the highest assembly.
• Changes in definition and maintenance of solid attributes, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• Changes in geometrical constraints in 3D, especially more legible listing of removed degrees of freedom (fixed movements or rotations along or around axes).
• Now, behavior of geometrical constraints is simpler. All constraints remove degrees of freedom (fix movement along or rotation around axes). This information is legible listed in tables, or in constraint panel. Before removing some constraint related to fixed axis, you are acknowledged. Also, you can see a complete list of possible collisions between new and existing constraints, if you create a colliding constraint. This prevents possibility of unexpected behavior later.
• Further improvements in STEP input
• Minor changes in DWG/DXF input
• Minor changes in 3D kernel

What is new in version 2015-2.06:

• More information:
• Support of multi-level assemblies
• You can define a sub-assembly created from multiple objects. It is similar as a definition of single part. The sub-assembly can be further inserted into assemblies, where it behaves as a single object. A sub-assembly itself can contain also inserted parts or other sub-assemblies, so you can create a complex structure of mechanical design.
• Support of relative paths in assembly - sub-assembly - part links:
• Optionally, it is possible to use relative paths. This allows you to maintain situation, where various computers have access to server, and the access is mapped differently. Or, if some computers work under Windows and some computers work under Linux. All users can now access common data at server without problems. Another advantage may be in exchanging of files between different users - if these files are only copied as directory structures.
• Changes in BOM, allowing you to select various possibilities of data processing, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• If 3D contains sub-assemblies, a BOM can be created by various methods. You can select whether to create a BOM from highest level only (as it was previously), or if to process complete structure of all levels of inserted parts and sub-assemblies. If a BOM is created at one single level, you can select creation from highest level only or from all parts from all levels. Then, you can obtain complete list of all parts necessary for completion of the highest assembly.
• Changes in definition and maintenance of solid attributes, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• Changes in geometrical constraints in 3D, especially more legible listing of removed degrees of freedom (fixed movements or rotations along or around axes).
• Now, behavior of geometrical constraints is simpler. All constraints remove degrees of freedom (fix movement along or rotation around axes). This information is legible listed in tables, or in constraint panel. Before removing some constraint related to fixed axis, you are acknowledged. Also, you can see a complete list of possible collisions between new and existing constraints, if you create a colliding constraint. This prevents possibility of unexpected behavior later.
• Further improvements in STEP input
• Minor changes in DWG/DXF input
• Minor changes in 3D kernel

What is new in version 2015-2.04:

• More information:
• Support of multi-level assemblies
• You can define a sub-assembly created from multiple objects. It is similar as a definition of single part. The sub-assembly can be further inserted into assemblies, where it behaves as a single object. A sub-assembly itself can contain also inserted parts or other sub-assemblies, so you can create a complex structure of mechanical design.
• Support of relative paths in assembly - sub-assembly - part links:
• Optionally, it is possible to use relative paths. This allows you to maintain situation, where various computers have access to server, and the access is mapped differently. Or, if some computers work under Windows and some computers work under Linux. All users can now access common data at server without problems. Another advantage may be in exchanging of files between different users - if these files are only copied as directory structures.
• Changes in BOM, allowing you to select various possibilities of data processing, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• If 3D contains sub-assemblies, a BOM can be created by various methods. You can select whether to create a BOM from highest level only (as it was previously), or if to process complete structure of all levels of inserted parts and sub-assemblies. If a BOM is created at one single level, you can select creation from highest level only or from all parts from all levels. Then, you can obtain complete list of all parts necessary for completion of the highest assembly.
• Changes in definition and maintenance of solid attributes, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• Changes in geometrical constraints in 3D, especially more legible listing of removed degrees of freedom (fixed movements or rotations along or around axes).
• Now, behavior of geometrical constraints is simpler. All constraints remove degrees of freedom (fix movement along or rotation around axes). This information is legible listed in tables, or in constraint panel. Before removing some constraint related to fixed axis, you are acknowledged. Also, you can see a complete list of possible collisions between new and existing constraints, if you create a colliding constraint. This prevents possibility of unexpected behavior later.
• Further improvements in STEP input
• Minor changes in DWG/DXF input
• Minor changes in 3D kernel

What is new in version 2015-2.03:

• More information:
• Support of multi-level assemblies
• You can define a sub-assembly created from multiple objects. It is similar as a definition of single part. The sub-assembly can be further inserted into assemblies, where it behaves as a single object. A sub-assembly itself can contain also inserted parts or other sub-assemblies, so you can create a complex structure of mechanical design.
• Support of relative paths in assembly - sub-assembly - part links:
• Optionally, it is possible to use relative paths. This allows you to maintain situation, where various computers have access to server, and the access is mapped differently. Or, if some computers work under Windows and some computers work under Linux. All users can now access common data at server without problems. Another advantage may be in exchanging of files between different users - if these files are only copied as directory structures.
• Changes in BOM, allowing you to select various possibilities of data processing, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• If 3D contains sub-assemblies, a BOM can be created by various methods. You can select whether to create a BOM from highest level only (as it was previously), or if to process complete structure of all levels of inserted parts and sub-assemblies. If a BOM is created at one single level, you can select creation from highest level only or from all parts from all levels. Then, you can obtain complete list of all parts necessary for completion of the highest assembly.
• Changes in definition and maintenance of solid attributes, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• Changes in geometrical constraints in 3D, especially more legible listing of removed degrees of freedom (fixed movements or rotations along or around axes).
• Now, behavior of geometrical constraints is simpler. All constraints remove degrees of freedom (fix movement along or rotation around axes). This information is legible listed in tables, or in constraint panel. Before removing some constraint related to fixed axis, you are acknowledged. Also, you can see a complete list of possible collisions between new and existing constraints, if you create a colliding constraint. This prevents possibility of unexpected behavior later.
• Further improvements in STEP input
• Minor changes in DWG/DXF input
• Minor changes in 3D kernel

What is new in version 2015-2.02:

• More information:
• Support of multi-level assemblies
• You can define a sub-assembly created from multiple objects. It is similar as a definition of single part. The sub-assembly can be further inserted into assemblies, where it behaves as a single object. A sub-assembly itself can contain also inserted parts or other sub-assemblies, so you can create a complex structure of mechanical design.
• Support of relative paths in assembly - sub-assembly - part links:
• Optionally, it is possible to use relative paths. This allows you to maintain situation, where various computers have access to server, and the access is mapped differently. Or, if some computers work under Windows and some computers work under Linux. All users can now access common data at server without problems. Another advantage may be in exchanging of files between different users - if these files are only copied as directory structures.
• Changes in BOM, allowing you to select various possibilities of data processing, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• If 3D contains sub-assemblies, a BOM can be created by various methods. You can select whether to create a BOM from highest level only (as it was previously), or if to process complete structure of all levels of inserted parts and sub-assemblies. If a BOM is created at one single level, you can select creation from highest level only or from all parts from all levels. Then, you can obtain complete list of all parts necessary for completion of the highest assembly.
• Changes in definition and maintenance of solid attributes, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• Changes in geometrical constraints in 3D, especially more legible listing of removed degrees of freedom (fixed movements or rotations along or around axes).
• Now, behavior of geometrical constraints is simpler. All constraints remove degrees of freedom (fix movement along or rotation around axes). This information is legible listed in tables, or in constraint panel. Before removing some constraint related to fixed axis, you are acknowledged. Also, you can see a complete list of possible collisions between new and existing constraints, if you create a colliding constraint. This prevents possibility of unexpected behavior later.
• Further improvements in STEP input
• Minor changes in DWG/DXF input
• Minor changes in 3D kernel

What is new in version 2015-2.01:

• More information:
• Support of multi-level assemblies
• You can define a sub-assembly created from multiple objects. It is similar as a definition of single part. The sub-assembly can be further inserted into assemblies, where it behaves as a single object. A sub-assembly itself can contain also inserted parts or other sub-assemblies, so you can create a complex structure of mechanical design.
• Support of relative paths in assembly - sub-assembly - part links:
• Optionally, it is possible to use relative paths. This allows you to maintain situation, where various computers have access to server, and the access is mapped differently. Or, if some computers work under Windows and some computers work under Linux. All users can now access common data at server without problems. Another advantage may be in exchanging of files between different users - if these files are only copied as directory structures.
• Changes in BOM, allowing you to select various possibilities of data processing, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• If 3D contains sub-assemblies, a BOM can be created by various methods. You can select whether to create a BOM from highest level only (as it was previously), or if to process complete structure of all levels of inserted parts and sub-assemblies. If a BOM is created at one single level, you can select creation from highest level only or from all parts from all levels. Then, you can obtain complete list of all parts necessary for completion of the highest assembly.
• Changes in definition and maintenance of solid attributes, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• Changes in geometrical constraints in 3D, especially more legible listing of removed degrees of freedom (fixed movements or rotations along or around axes).
• Now, behavior of geometrical constraints is simpler. All constraints remove degrees of freedom (fix movement along or rotation around axes). This information is legible listed in tables, or in constraint panel. Before removing some constraint related to fixed axis, you are acknowledged. Also, you can see a complete list of possible collisions between new and existing constraints, if you create a colliding constraint. This prevents possibility of unexpected behavior later.
• Further improvements in STEP input
• Minor changes in DWG/DXF input
• Minor changes in 3D kernel

What is new in version 2015-1.08:

• More information:
• Support of multi-level assemblies
• You can define a sub-assembly created from multiple objects. It is similar as a definition of single part. The sub-assembly can be further inserted into assemblies, where it behaves as a single object. A sub-assembly itself can contain also inserted parts or other sub-assemblies, so you can create a complex structure of mechanical design.
• Support of relative paths in assembly - sub-assembly - part links:
• Optionally, it is possible to use relative paths. This allows you to maintain situation, where various computers have access to server, and the access is mapped differently. Or, if some computers work under Windows and some computers work under Linux. All users can now access common data at server without problems. Another advantage may be in exchanging of files between different users - if these files are only copied as directory structures.
• Changes in BOM, allowing you to select various possibilities of data processing, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• If 3D contains sub-assemblies, a BOM can be created by various methods. You can select whether to create a BOM from highest level only (as it was previously), or if to process complete structure of all levels of inserted parts and sub-assemblies. If a BOM is created at one single level, you can select creation from highest level only or from all parts from all levels. Then, you can obtain complete list of all parts necessary for completion of the highest assembly.
• Changes in definition and maintenance of solid attributes, if 3D contains multi-level assembly:
• Changes in geometrical constraints in 3D, especially more legible listing of removed degrees of freedom (fixed movements or rotations along or around axes).
• Now, behavior of geometrical constraints is simpler. All constraints remove degrees of freedom (fix movement along or rotation around axes). This information is legible listed in tables, or in constraint panel. Before removing some constraint related to fixed axis, you are acknowledged. Also, you can see a complete list of possible collisions between new and existing constraints, if you create a colliding constraint. This prevents possibility of unexpected behavior later.
• Further improvements in STEP input
• Minor changes in DWG/DXF input
• Minor changes in 3D kernel

What is new in version 2013-1.03:

• Changes in 3D kernel, allowing you to read multiple shape representations from STEP:
• For instance, you can load open shells (shells with zero thickness), or solids with missing patches and work with them. This improvement significantly reduces number of solids, previously refused to load. Until now, VariCAD refused to load a solid, if an error was detected at a single patch. Now, the solid is loaded with missing patch only. Moreover, there are other improvements in opening of STEP files.
• Support of DWG/DXF format of Autocad 2013
• Tools for working with open solids (mostly loaded from STEP, see above):
• Now, VariCAD can work not only with closed surfaces, but also with objects with missing patches (originally, a closed surface where a patch was deleted due to error or, optionally in VariCAD). Other supported shape representations are set of patches and especially, open shells. The open shells may be often used in various libraries of mechanical parts.
• You can convert objects from one representation to another, with certain limitations. If necessary, you can also convert solids into open shells (for instance, if such type is demanded by other systems).
• Tools for working with such objects and for displaying information about them are accessible from pull-down menu or from optional toolbar. Also, you can right-click open solid and select tools from pop-up menu.
• New reparation tools:
• Reparation tools are accessible from pull-down menu, or from a new toolbar. Apart from already existing tools, there are possibilities to handle erroneous surfaces, if they were loaded from STEP.
• Completely rebuild working with construction lines in 2D:
• You can conveniently define directions, where new construction lines will be created, or optionally, drag construction lines by cursor at a defined step. These new features are especially useful, if you draw 2D objects in 3D space.
• Other minor improvements in 3D kernel:
• They affect filleting, shell creation, rounded corners or working with surfaces, created by lofting of one profile to another profile.
• A few changes in user interface:
• There is a new possibility to open pop-up menu within command (for instance, during solid transformation, selecting objects etc...) by simultaneous pressing left and right mouse button. Also, you can turn on/off some information messages. Run "cfg" command to configure these options.

What is new in version 2010 3.03:

• Minor improvements were made.

What is new in version 2010 2.08:

• Minor feature improvements.

What is new in version 2010 2.06:

• geometric constraints among entire solids
• improvements in geometric constraints among solid elements
• advanced tools for working with Boolean trees
• significantly improved user interface
• improved DWG import

What is new in version 2009 2.05:

• The latest technical enhancements focus on further productivity gains. They include geometric constraints among entire solids, improvements in geometric constraints among solid elements, advanced tools for working with Boolean trees, improved DWG import, etc.

What is new in version 2009 1.03:

• support for parameters
• support for geometric constraints
• enhanced possibilities for insertion and transformation of solids
• new possibilities for editing shells
• improved work with true-type fonts in 2D
• improved STEP file compatibility
• improved DWG file compatibility and more
• and more

What is new in version 2008 3.01:

• The new VariCAD 2008 3.0 uses Unicode, and supports fonts from another languages (e.g. Japanese, Chinese, Russian etc.) and special characters. This new version also brings improved DWG and DXF compatibility, more convenient system settings, improved BOM, and more. The updated 2008 3.01 version brings another minor improvements.

Requirements:

• Oracle Java Standard Edition Runtime Environment

Limitations:

• 30-day free trial