Blender for Cad is possible, I’ve been imputting car parts. I wouldn’t clain it is autocad quality, but it will create files direct to 3d printing.
Also, just as important is being able to do 3D joint animations, as in a trapezoidal hinge.
The reason I bit the bullet and went this way is I’m an odd bird, my degree is mechanical engineering but I do a lot of political stuff and media. Blender has a video editor, 3D Text, animation, etc.
It is open source but backed in part by (I think) the Netherlands. My guess is that they will upgrade the cad with time because it isn’t that big a leap and it will make Blender much more powerful and open to acceptance.
I software plan on a two decade time frame - what will still be solid and usable 2 decades now. I bet on LAMP and Java and I think I won there. My code developed over the last decade will be good for another 20 years at least. So that’s my guess with Blender. A bitch to learn though.
“My guess is that they will upgrade the cad with time because it isn’t that big a leap and it will make Blender much more powerful and open to acceptance.”
It makes sense that, eventually, Blender will have real CAD features. I’m amazed you can use it for 3d printing!
I’ve tried to learn Blender several times before. That interface is something else.