# Ep. 12 - Improving FreeCAD ft. Brad Collette from Ondsel

- Show: [Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast)
- Published: 2024-01-18
- Length: 1h 19m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-01-18-ep-12-improving-freecad-ft-brad-collette-from-ondsel
- Listen: http://opulo.io

## Summary

Brad Collette, cofounder and CTO of Ondsel, explains how his company uses an open-core model to fund and improve the open-source CAD software FreeCAD. He details the technical challenges of solving the topological naming problem and building a robust assembly workbench, which are critical for commercial viability. Collette discusses the strategic decision to focus on enterprise features like version control and cloud collaboration to subsidize core improvements for hobbyists, while navigating the complex relationship with the FreeCAD Project Association (FPA).

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-01-18-ep-12-improving-freecad-ft-brad-collette-from-ondsel#t=0) Introduction: Brad Collette and Ondsel's Mission
- [2:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-01-18-ep-12-improving-freecad-ft-brad-collette-from-ondsel#t=124) Brad's Background and Entry into FreeCAD
- [7:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-01-18-ep-12-improving-freecad-ft-brad-collette-from-ondsel#t=448) The FreeCAD Project Association (FPA) and Funding
- [12:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-01-18-ep-12-improving-freecad-ft-brad-collette-from-ondsel#t=776) Founding Ondsel with OpenCore Ventures
- [21:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-01-18-ep-12-improving-freecad-ft-brad-collette-from-ondsel#t=1266) Open-Core Business Model and Public Benefit Corporation
- [36:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-01-18-ep-12-improving-freecad-ft-brad-collette-from-ondsel#t=2194) Current Development: Topological Naming and Assembly
- [45:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-01-18-ep-12-improving-freecad-ft-brad-collette-from-ondsel#t=2702) The Topological Naming Problem Explained
- [51:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-01-18-ep-12-improving-freecad-ft-brad-collette-from-ondsel#t=3062) Balancing Community Feedback and Commercial Decisions
- [56:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-01-18-ep-12-improving-freecad-ft-brad-collette-from-ondsel#t=3399) The Future of FreeCAD and Open Hardware

## Topics

- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Open-source hardware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/open-source-hardware)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- FreeCAD (other)
- Ondsel (company)
- Fusion 360 (other)
- SolidWorks (other)
- Open Cascade (other)
- HeeksCAD (other)
- GitLab (other)
- Blender (other)
- KiCad (other)
- OpenSCAD (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Jon Hirschtick | Founding & Developing the Solidworks and Onshape CAD Systems](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-02-10-jon-hirschtick-founding-developing-the-solidworks-and-onshape-cad-systems) (Being an Engineer)
- [353: Red for the Ones That Might Blow Up](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-11-26-353-red-for-the-ones-that-might-blow-up) (Embedded.fm)
- [S5E52 Jon Hirschtick | Founding & Developing the Solidworks and Onshape CAD Systems](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-27-s5e52-jon-hirschtick-founding-developing-the-solidworks-and-onshape-cad-systems) (Being an Engineer)
- [Don't Turn It On, Don't Take It Apart](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-05-13-dont-turn-it-on-dont-take-it-apart) (The Amp Hour)
- [Open Source and Capitalism with Ashley Williams and Adam Jacob](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-10-24-open-source-and-capitalism-with-ashley-williams-and-adam-jacob) (Oxide and Friends)

## Citing this page

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