Free Mechanical engineering websites to learn from? yes please

As a mechanical engineer, I’ve explored numerous free online resources to support both learning and day-to-day problem-solving in my career. Over time, I’ve discovered — or been recommended — several websites that have proven invaluable. Now I don’t mind investing money in myself, but the internet is full of information and people who want to share but more importantly they want to create free mechanical engineering websites for people to use.

If you’re more electrical based, then check out my 6 free websites to learn about electrical circuits.

Here are six free mechanical engineering websites that I’ve personally used and highly recommend for students and young engineers looking to sharpen their knowledge in mechanical design, physics, and core engineering concepts.

1. MyPhysicsLab

Physics underpins much of mechanical engineering, but unless you use it daily, it’s easy to forget the details. MyPhysicsLab is a fantastic free resource that offers interactive simulations covering classical mechanics — from springs and pendulums to rigid body dynamics and molecular motion. What sets it apart is the live mathematical modelling behind the scenes, making it ideal for refreshing concepts or learning from scratch in a hands-on way.

2. LearnMech

LearnMech is a comprehensive blog-style resource that spans across various branches of mechanical engineering, including manufacturing, automobile, industrial, and production engineering. The site is filled with tutorials, project ideas, seminar topics, and handy posts on CAD software tips and tricks. It’s particularly useful for final-year engineering projects and gaining insight into practical applications of mechanical principles.

3. Engineer4Free

This site offers structured, free engineering courses covering calculus, statics, C++, thermodynamics, structural analysis, and more. Each topic links to YouTube videos that explain concepts clearly, making it ideal for visual learners. The inclusion of end-of-section practice problems enhances understanding and retention, making it a great tool for exam prep or brushing up on specific areas before interviews or job tasks.

4. Onshape Learning Center

OnShape is a modern, browser-based CAD platform that supports cloud collaboration — ideal for students who need flexible access without heavy software installation. Its free plan allows public design sharing, which is suitable for learning. The official learning centre provides structured tutorials, exercises, and courses to guide you from beginner to advanced CAD modelling. Registration is free and required to access the full learning path.

5. Autodesk Fusion 360 Self-Paced Learning

Fusion 360 by Autodesk is another powerful CAD/CAM platform, often favoured by start-ups and students for its blend of design, simulation, and manufacturing tools. The free personal license restricts active projects to 10 but is more than sufficient for learning. Autodesk offers a curated learning portal with self-paced tutorials covering sketching, modelling, assemblies, simulation, and more — all built into a downloadable application that syncs to the cloud.

6. GrabCAD

GrabCAD is both a collaborative engineering community and a toolset geared toward 3D printing and design sharing. Acquired by Stratasys, it offers access to tools like GrabCAD Print and Control, supporting professional additive manufacturing workflows. Its community features over 15 million engineers and a vast library of open-source CAD models, tutorials, and design challenges — making it a brilliant place to learn by doing and exploring others’ designs.

These are my personal picks for free mechanical engineering websites to learn from, but I’m sure there’s more out there, if you know of any great ones please add them in the comments for all to benefit from!

After more project that you can use to develop your engineering skills? then check out my blog post on that subject here. Or better yet if your interest has been peaked and you’re on your way to being an engineer, then check out my 20 engineering mindsets to develop to give you the best start in your career!

---