100-year anniversary of Bauhaus and its everlasting influence

Established in 1919 in Weimar, German’s Bauhaus art and design school marked a turning point in the approach to design, aesthetics and mass production. The school’s founder, architect Walter Gropius, sought to unite craft and creation. This followed the idea that there should be no distinction between form and function. Students from diverse social and ethnic backgrounds were immersed in hands-on workshops ranging from metalwork to furniture making to typography.

The school later moved to a new base in Dessau—designed by Gropius—in 1925. By 1932, the school was forced to move yet again due to the Nazi Party’s growing control of Dessau. Their move to Berlin wasn’t long successful, however. Soon enough, political pressure against the Bauhaus reached an all-time high. The school was branded “un-German” and was believed to be a front for communists and social liberals. By 1933, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor and the school gave into the pressure to shut down.

Source: Bauhaus Dessau

The closure of the Bauhaus, however, didn’t have the impact intended by the Nazis. Instead of stomping out the movement, they simply aided in its rapid expansion. Key figures involved with the school—including teachers and students—emigrated to countries like the US and Israel. They were then able to spread key philosophies and, ultimately, inspire future generations of architects and designers across the world. Iconic works inspired by Bauhaus include Marcel Breur’s chair designs, Marianne Brandt’s teapot, and Wilhelm Wagenfield’s WA24 Lamp.

Even today, as we celebrate the Bauhaus Centenary, we can still see its influence on modern design and architecture around the world—from Tel Aviv’s White City to Ikea’s furniture to the iPhone. Although a century might have passed since its inception, it’s clear that the minimalist elegance and simplicity associated with Bauhaus is still as important as ever.

Rio de Janeiro named first World Capital of Architecture

On 18 January, UNESCO announced that the city of Rio de Janeiro will be the World Capital of Architecture for 2020. The Brazilian city will be the first to receive this designation from UNESCO. The heritage body worked with the International Union of Architects (UIA) to push for the designation in the hopes that it “will become a global forum for discussion on the pressing challenges of our world”, not to mention developing solutions for the benefit of future generations through culture. 

Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO’s assistant director-general, said that the initiative would not only “create new synergies between culture and architecture in an increasingly urban world”, but also ensure that “these cities are also perceived as open and creative spaces for exchange, invention and innovation”. UIA President Thomas Vonier added, “We want to highlight how architects, with the help of local governments and communities can play a key role in identifying solutions that benefit communities.”

UNESCO will designate the World Capital of Architecture every three years. This will coincide with the UIA’s World Congress event. The winning city will host the event and follow a chosen theme. Rio de Janeiro’s 2020 theme is “All the worlds. Just one world”, linking back to Goal 11 of UNESCO and UIA’s Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. 

Candida Höfer’s In Mexico: 600 years of architecture, culture and design

Source: Sean Kelly Gallery

Due to open in Sean Kelly’s New York Gallery next month, the In Mexico exhibition pulls together the collection of interior architectural photographs taken by German photographer Candida Höfer, during her trip across Mexico in 2015. Renowned for her large-scale color images of empty interiors and social spaces, Höfer toured Mexico as part of the Mexico-Germany Dual Year exchange programme.

During her trip, Höfer traveled across cities like Mexico City and Oaxaca, capturing the interiors of cultural and institutional buildings—including churches, libraries and museums—dating back to the 15th century. From the National Museum of the Viceroyalty of New Spain to the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Höfer was able to capture over 600 years’ worth of architectural history. The Sean Kelly Gallery praised Höfer’s works for documenting “not only the physical details of these interiors but also […] the spirit and essence of each space”.

Indeed, Höfer’s work is most notably devoid of people. By doing so, she instead draws our attention to the intricate architectural details of each space. When describing her work and the resounding absence of people, Höfer commented that “it became apparent to me that what people do in these spaces—and what the spaces do to them—is more obvious when nobody is present”.

The In Mexico exhibit will run from February 2 to March 16.

Autodesk successfully acquires BuildingConnected

We don’t seem to be able to go to more than a month or so without mentioning one particular CAD powerhouse: Autodesk. In December, Autodesk announced its planned acquisition of BuildingConnected in a move to further bolster their already impressive portfolio. This month, they completed their acquisition for $275 million net of cash acquired.

BuildingConnected currently stands as one of the biggest digital networks in the construction industry—boasting over 700,000 professional users. It allows owners, contractors and subcontractors to streamline their businesses and communication with a suite of preconstruction software tools. Additionally, it enables users to quickly find and select subcontractors, not to mention respond to project opportunities. Notable customers of the platform include Turner Construction, StructureTone and AECOM.

Autodesk’s plan is to fully integrate workflows between BuildingConnected and Autodesk products including BIM 360, Revit and AutoCAD. By doing so, Autodesk hopes to increase construction productivity and make communication across project teams more efficient. Furthermore, they hope to offer a full construction solution that “addresses the critical processes and workflows across the project lifecycle from start-to-finish”.

Dassault Systèmes: life in the city of 2030

During the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the annual gathering for those in consumer technology, Dassault Systèmes unveiled a study on US consumer expectations in life in the city of 2030. Dassault conducted this study in partnership with CITE Research. CITE asked a series of questions to a sample of 1,000 American consumers on topics such as home, health, travel and retail. Looking at the results, it’s clear that consumers expect an increase of automation in almost every area of their lives.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a heavy role in consumer predictions, with 73% expecting to use remotely monitored appliances at home and 40% believing they’ll be using virtual home robots. When it comes to travel, 63% of consumers expect to be using an autonomous car, 51% expect to travel by hyperloop and 38% believe it’s likely that they’ll be using air taxis by 2030. The most expectation from consumers, however, seems to lie in healthcare, with a strong 83% expecting personalized preventative plans based on nutrition and behavior. Additionally, 81% expect to be using innovative devices to dispense treatments at home.

It’s safe to say that consumers are pretty confident in the upward trajectory of autonomous technology and breakthroughs. With its 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Dassault Systèmes hope to meet these consumer expectations and then some!

More stories we loved this month

Whilst we’d love to discuss every interesting story that caught our eye in January, we simply don’t have the time or space! We would, however, like to highlight a few extra stories that we loved from the world of CAD, architecture and design.

• Business of Architecture interviewed a managing partner of a Vancouver-based architecture firm, giving us a glimpse at how creating a multidisciplinary practice can bring in new opportunities and strengthen relationships with clients.
• We always love to hear about 3D printed-related news, especially when it revolves around improving lives. This month, Osseus Fusion System’s 3D printed titanium spinal implants were implemented successfully for the first time.
• In a particularly interesting opinion piece, Darran Anderson argues that we must develop a new form of architecture to adapt to major environmental changes. Instead of imagining Utopian landscapes based on optimism, “to survive, cities will have to embrace their environmental aspect“.
• We’ll finish off our list with a look to what 2019 might hold for interior design. According to Michelle Ogundehin’s trend report, interior design will see an increase in interest around well-being, comfort and more.

To make things nice and simple for you, Scan2CAD has put together an essential guide to learning SketchUp basics in 1 hour. We’ll look at everything from SketchUp’s interface to its drawing and editing tools to additional resources and much more!

And don’t forget the keyboard shortcuts for SketchUp which can help you navigate the interface and features more fluidly.

SketchUp basics: orientation

Image source: SketchUp Help

Whilst it might be incredibly tempting to just throw yourself into SketchUp straight away, you should first try to make sure you’ve gotten to grips with the basics. You can’t expect to become an expert in a software package if you’ve not got the basics sorted. After all, you won’t get far with creating a model if you don’t know where to find a specific tool or command! Fortunately, we’ve done most of the legwork for you—we’re going to take you through an overview of SketchUp’s interface. It should take you around 10-15 minutes to complete.

When you first open SketchUp, you’ll be met with the Welcome to SketchUp dialog box. There are three tabs: Learn, License and Template. Before you start, you should make sure you pick a template. This template will define aspects like unit of measurement and model background. As such, the template you choose will depend entirely on the type of model you’re creating. Take your time and select the option that’s best suited to your model. If you’re in a hurry to get started, you can opt for ‘Simple Template – Meters’. If you select ‘Always show on startup’, you can change the template whenever you open up SketchUp.

Once you’re happy, click ‘Start using SketchUp’ and you’ll be almost ready to start modeling!

Menus

SketchUp, like many other software packages, comes with plenty of menus and toolbars for you to sink your teeth into. For starters, you’ll undoubtedly recognize the menu bar at the top of the page, with standard Windows controls like File, Edit, View etc. Just below this menu is the Getting Started toolbar. This contains all the essential tools you’ll need at your disposal to start creating 3D models in SketchUp. We’ll discuss SketchUp’s menus and toolbars in more detail below. 

Drawing area & axes

One of the first things you’ll notice about SketchUp is the axes in the drawing area. These axes are red (X axis), blue (Z axis) and green (Y axis)—the point at which they intersect is the center of the drawing area. This enables users to get a sense of direction in their 3D workspace. You’ll also notice a 3D model of a person, further solidifying your sense of direction. The default angle setting on SketchUp is ‘ISO’ which enables you to view your drawings from above the right-front corner. If you’re drawing from this default angle, then you’re essentially drawing your project on the floor. If you need to change it, you can opt for a different view: top, bottom, front, back, left, right etc.

Before you get started on drawing, however, we’d advise you take a few minutes to get accustomed to SketchUp’s movement controls. 

To pan, simply select the pan icon  or press H on your keyboard. Then, it’s as simple as clicking and dragging your mouse to move your view. If you want to orbit, you can also select the icon  or press O on your keyboard. Then, click and drag to rotate the view. You can also zoom into your drawing by using the middle mouse button scroll. It’s important that you keep moving around your model every now and again—it will ensure you’re keeping everything centered.

Before you start drawing

Looking to create accurate models? The key to accuracy is using correct measurements. Fortunately, it couldn’t be any easier to sort out measurements with SketchUp. You can usually find the measurements box in the bottom right corner. This box will display dimensions as you draw. You can choose to work in any unit of your preference, and even use the box to manipulate selected entities, e.g., creating a line of a certain length. Can’t find your measurements box? Don’t worry—click the maximize button at the top. Alternatively, it will reappear once you’ve finished with the taskbar.

On the right-hand side of your screen, you’ll find the Default Tray. This contains a tray of panels that includes Entity Info, Materials, Components, Styles, Layers and so on. If you head to the basic ribbon toolbar at the top and click on Windows > Default Tray, you can customize the tray to suit your needs. One of the most useful tools found in this tray, however, is undoubtedly the Instructor.

Image source: SketchUp Help

As the name suggests, the Instructor teaches you how to use SketchUp. More specifically, it teaches you how to use the tools on offer. When you select a tool in SketchUp, you can turn on the Instructor—or click on the question mark icon in the status bar—to figure out how the tool works. Once you’ve done so, the Instructor will offer you:

• A basic description of what the tool can do
• An animation showing the tool in action
• A step-by-step process on how to use it
• Modifier keys that can be used in conjunction with the tool
• A link to further resources in the Help Center

If you’re not interested in it, you can close by clicking the Close button—head to Window > Default Tray if you’d like to find it again.

Tool palettes

Image source: SketchUp Help

If it’s your first time using SketchUp, you’ll find the default Getting Started toolbar at the top of your screen. This toolbar will contain all of the basic tools you need to get started on your first model in SketchUp. If you’re looking for more capability, you can opt to display additional toolbars by heading to View > Toolbars. Once you’ve done so, a dialog box will appear, showing all of the toolbars you have at your disposal. Examples include:

• Advanced Camera Tools
• Construction
• Getting Started
• Large Tool Set
• Layers
• Standard
• Warehouse

If you’ve got the time, it’s certainly worth playing about with each toolbar and customizing your workspace to suit your modeling needs and preferences. To start with, however, you might want to opt for the Large Tool Set—it’s great for when you need an all-purpose toolbar.

Remember, if you don’t recognize an icon or you’re not entirely sure what it does, use the Instructor feature to get to grips with it. You should also keep an eye on the important status bar at the bottom of the screen. It allows you to undo, redo, select help, change language and look at feedback/status.

Drawing and editing

Once you’ve got all of the basics sorted out, you can finally move onto the more fun aspect of SketchUp—the drawing! It’s safe to say that it will take you a few days or more to actually get to grips with every tool and capability at your disposal. If you’ve used software like DraftSight or AutoCAD, however, you’ll already be familiar with most of the drawing tools available. Let’s take a look at the some basic drawing concepts (feel free to skip if you’re already comfortable!).

Drawing a line…

Select the Line icon  from your toolbar or press the L key. Your cursor will then automatically change to a pencil. All you’ve got to do is click to set the starting point of your line. Clicked on the wrong place? Just hit the ESC key and you’ll be able to start over. If you look at the Measurements box, you’ll notice that it displays your line length. You can specify precise lengths by simply typing a value here and pressing Enter. Once you’re happy with the length, click again to set the end point.

Drawing a rectangle…

Select the Rectangle icon  or simply press the R key. Your cursor will then change to a pencil with a rectangle. Click to select the first corner point of your rectangle, using the drawing axes as a point of reference, and move your cursor diagonally until you reach your desired size. If you’d like to draw your rectangle with accurate dimensions, use the handy Measurements box—you can set the length and width here. Once you’re happy, click again to set the second corner point of your rectangle.

Drawing a circle…

Find the Circle icon on your toolbar  or press the C key. Your cursor will change to a pencil with a circle and your Measurements box will automatically show you the default number of sides—you can change the number at any time by typing a new value. Simply click to select the center point of your circle. If you’d like to align the plane of your circle with an axis, just use the arrow key that corresponds with your desired alignment, e.g., up for the blue axis. Then, move your cursor out to define the circle radius, clicking once you’re happy.

It’s not all drawing tools at SketchUp, though. You can also take advantage of modification tools such as…

• Push/Pull: drags a face in 3D space so that it either expands or disappears.
• Follow Me: creates an entity along a specific path
• Offset: creates an entity that’s offset a specific distance from another entity
• Outer Shell: leaves the outer faces of overlapping solids

Of course, we’re just scraping the surface here. SketchUp has a huge selection of tools on offer. With them, users can create just about anything in 2D and 3D. We’d certainly recommend you spend at least an afternoon or so trying out all the drawing and editing tools you can get your hands on!

You might find it especially useful to check out SketchUp’s resources:

• Introducing Drawing Basics and Concepts
• Drawing Lines, Shapes, and 3D Objects
• Creating a 3D Model

SketchUp’s 3D Warehouse

Image source: SketchUp Help

We wouldn’t be able to finish a guide to SketchUp basics without mentioning the incredibly handy 3D Warehouse. If you’re not familiar with SketchUp’s 3D Warehouse, it’s a source for finding models ranging from furniture to buildings to construction materials. What’s more, many manufacturers and suppliers have shared their own products in a 3D format for SketchUp. If you’re modeling a building, for example, you could download Bosch appliances, Marvin windows or even Sherwin-Williams paint colors.

Meanwhile, you can upload your own models to 3D Warehouse. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner, professional or hobbyist, you can share all of your models for others to download. You can even receive feedback from those who have downloaded your models. 3D Warehouse is also a great way to get to know other users and network. It’s also a great way to improve your own skills—if you’re curious about how someone went about creating a model, for example, you can ask the creator directly.

To get started with 3D Warehouse, simply head to File > 3D Warehouse > Get Models. A window will pop up, connecting you to the main page. Then, it’s as simple as browsing through what’s on offer. If you already know what you’re on the lookout for, type a keyword into the Search 3D Warehouse text box, e.g. chair. Once you’ve found what you’re looking for, simply click to download it and use it to your heart’s content!

To get more information, head on over to SketchUp’s resource page for Getting Started with 3D Warehouse.

Extra resources

And there you have it. We’ve finished covering the main basics of SketchUp. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by what we’ve covered, remember that we’ve plowed through quite a lot. Don’t worry if you feel like you need a bit longer to get to grips with everything. That’s to be expected, after all! Whilst we’d definitely recommend testing out everything SketchUp has to offer, we’d also advise you look towards additional tuition.

The best way to get to grips with software, is to first look at whether there are any official resources or blogs. SketchUp is keen on helping its users become pros, which is why they’ve got videos, books and a thriving community to answer all of your questions:

• Getting Started Videos
• SketchUp Community
• SketchUp Books
• Skill Builder
• SketchUp Blog

More of a hands-on learner? YouTube is a great resource for finding tutorials for software. SketchUp is an incredibly popular 2D/3D modeler, so you won’t struggle with finding a tutorial for whatever area you’re struggling in. Examples include:

• SketchUp
• The SketchUp Essentials
• MasterSketchUp
• Designer Hacks

Looking to master the basics of other software packages? Check out our other guides:

• AutoCAD basics
• SolidWorks basics
• Vectorworks basics
• DraftSight basics

Since AutoCAD’s inception in 1982, Autodesk has been a large and resounding presence in the CAD industry and beyond. A key player in the evolution of CAD, Autodesk has since released a range of top software packages. None, however, have really been able to surpass the popularity and power of Autodesk’s flagship product, AutoCAD. Offering solutions to a range of industries—from architecture to engineering to entertainment—there’s simply no way of avoiding it. In a measure to broaden its customer base further, Autodesk created a ‘lite’ version in the form of AutoCAD LT. 

In this guide, we’ll be examining AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT—looking at the differences in functionality, capability and much more. 

What is AutoCAD?

History

As one of the front-running products in the CAD industry, we’d like to think you’re already relatively familiar with Autodesk’s flagship product, AutoCAD. Then again, if you’re anything like us, you’ve probably spent most of your time getting to grips with AutoCAD’s capabilities, rather than its history. Before we get stuck into its incredible features, therefore, we’re going to give you a quick overview—looking at how one of the CAD industry’s favorite products came to be. 

Although first released in 1982, AutoCAD was conceived much earlier. It was derived, in fact, from a program called Interact CAD—sometimes referred to as MicroCAD—before it was developed further by Mike Riddle. It was then acquired by Autodesk—a move that proved to cement Autodesk’s reigning status in the CAD industry. The first version was demonstrated at the 1982 Comdex, and was released later that year in December. The release proved to be earth-shattering for the CAD industry, with AutoCAD being one of the first CAD packages on the market to run on PCs. As one of the first CAD programs to be so commercially available to customers worldwide, it’s no surprise that it was such a hit. 

With no fewer than 33 versions since its first release, AutoCAD certainly hasn’t rested on its laurels. The latest release, AutoCAD 2019, brought in key updates including a change in the way AutoCAD is packages, the launch of the first AutoCAD web app—joining CAD in the cloud—and the introduction of the handy DWG Compare.

What it does

AutoCAD is one of the most flexible software packages available on the CAD market, used by drafters, engineers and architects worldwide. At the time of its inception, it came with only 2D capabilities. As the program evolved, however, it added 3D design and drafting to its long list of capabilities. Although surpassed by programs like SolidWorks, in terms of pure 3D CAD functionality, users can still take advantage of solid, surface and mesh modeling. Available on Windows, Mac and web/mobile apps, AutoCAD facilitates workflows from anywhere in the world. It’s little wonder, then, that its user base is so large.

Although it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking of AutoCAD as a single program, it should instead be thought of as a software suite. As we’ve said, AutoCAD offers solutions to a broad range of industries across the world. In the past, it did this by offering standalone products, ranging from AutoCAD Architecture to AutoCAD Mechanical. Now, with the release of AutoCAD 2019, AutoCAD is packaged as a single product that offers specialized toolsets.

Industry solutions offered by AutoCAD:

• Architecture: including features for architectural drawings, documentation and schedules. Users can create floor plans, sections and other building designs, not to mention use over 8,000 intelligent objects and styles.
• Electrical: comes with electrical design features to allow users to create and modify electrical control systems. Users can take advantage of consistent project standards and a library of over 65,000 electrical symbols.
• Map 3D: incorporates GIS topology, to allow users to use CAD and GIS data in planning, design and data management. Users can access spatial data, use standard data schema and even automate workflows.
• Mechanical: includes a library of standards-based parts and tools, enabling users to create and document mechanical designs. Users can create a realm of parts and assemblies, with over 700,000 manufacturing parts.
• MEP: adds specialized tools to help users design and document MEP building systems. Users can take advantage of precise construction documentation, task-based tools and over 10,500 MEP objects.
• Plant 3D: comes with features to help users create P&IDs and integrate them into 3D plant design models. Users can generate isometrics, create schematic diagrams and take advantage of over 400 plant objects.
• Raster Design: incorporates raster-to-vector tools, enabling users to convert rasters into DWG objects. It also gives users the ability to edit scanned drawings in an AutoCAD environment.

Its immense popularity also means that its native file format—DWG—is one of the most common and ubiquitous file formats in the entire world. With billions of DWG files in existence nowadays, you’d be hard-pressed to navigate the world of CAD without coming across the file type. Fortunately, Autodesk extended the use of DWG to other CAD software, enabling a wider spread of use across industries. Even if you can’t afford the software—or get AutoCAD for free—you can view DWG files without AutoCAD.

Who uses it

As a software suite with broad and ever-expanding functionality, AutoCAD appeals to a large range of sectors and industries. Whether it’s mechanical engineering, architecture or even graphic design, AutoCAD has a place in businesses across the world—no matter how small or large. It’s for this reason that so many careers nowadays require expertise in AutoCAD.

Typically speaking, most of AutoCAD’s users come from the AEC sector—taking advantage of the many specialized features on offer for architecture, engineering and so on. Let’s take a look at some customer stories…

• Tyréns AB: one of Sweden’s leading community development consultancies. The company made use of AutoCAD and the Architecture toolset to design a hospital expansion project—a 4-story, 8000-square-meter complex—in Sweden.
• David Romero: a Spanish architect with an interest in Frank Lloyd Wright. He made use of AutoCAD’s modeling capabilities to recreate destroyed and unconstructed Wright works. He transforms these creations into digital 3D renderings.
• Process Pipeline Services: an engineering and consulting firm for the natural gas industry. The company uses AutoCAD and its Plant 3D toolset to create 3D models to spot conflicts, manage site plans and reduce turnaround time in the piping design process.
• Flo Cycling: a cycling start-up, creating direct-to-consumer bike wheels and rims. The creators use AutoCAD to develop and test their designs, using real-world data to create products with the aerodynamics and speed to match rival competitors.

What is AutoCAD LT?

And now onto AutoCAD’s sister product: AutoCAD LT. Although AutoCAD was met with nothing but commercial success upon its release, Autodesk soon realized that the price alone might be putting offer a broader customer base. With that in mind, they set out to develop an entry-level CAD package that would compete in a much lower price bracket than any of its other products. And that’s how AutoCAD LT was conceived.

Introduced by Autodesk as a lower-cost version of AutoCAD with reduced capabilities, AutoCAD LT was first priced at $495. To put things into perspective, it was one of Autodesk’s first products to be priced below the $1000 mark. And that’s not the only major aspect to note. Unlike AutoCAD, which had to be purchased from official Autodesk dealers, AutoCAD LT was sold directly by Autodesk and in computer stores. Needless to say, this ‘inexpensive’ and ‘lite’ version of AutoCAD was a hit with many.

As with AutoCAD, Autodesk have made an effort in attempting to improve upon AutoCAD LT’s functionality and capabilities. As of 2019, LT moved to a more flexible subscription model, with each release and product update enabling users to take advantage of new features. Additional features from the 2019 release include the new AutoCAD web app, the AutoCAD mobile app and integrated workflows that work smoothly across desktop, web and mobile devices.

What it does

The simplest way to explain AutoCAD LT to people not familiar with it is to describe it as a stripped down version of AutoCAD. In short, it is a simplified 2D drafting and documentation program. The main difference between it and its sister product, is that LT lacks the 3D capacity offered by AutoCAD. That’s not to say that AutoCAD LT is a poorer product—it offers the same level of precision offered by AutoCAD.

With AutoCAD LT, users can create 2D drawings and documentation. The program comes with a variety of tools including: 2D geometry, annotation capabilities, dimensions, leaders and tables. Whilst its customization capabilities are nowhere near as extensive as AutoCAD’s, LT still gives users the ability to customize the ribbon and tool palettes. Additionally, users can attach and import data from PDF files, not to mention share and use data from DGN files and Bing maps. Since its first release, LT has continued to add to its list of capabilities, including:

• DWG compare: enabling users to compare and document the differences between two versions of a drawing.
• High-resolution monitor support: allows users to view designs on 4K and higher-resolution displays—particularly handy if you’re fond of your 4K monitor!
• Off-screen selection: no matter how much you pan or zoom off screen, any of the objects you select will remain in the selection set.
• Shared views: users can publish the design view of their drawings in a web browser—enabling third parties to view and comment on them.
• Save to web and mobile: enabling ultimate accessibility, users can save drawings from desktop to view and edit in AutoCAD web and mobile apps.

So, how does it differ to AutoCAD?

3D modeling

As we’ve said, AutoCAD LT can only be used for 2D drafting. It lacks the capacity to create or render 3D models. For some engineers and designers, this can be a big deal breaker. If you’re only interested in diagrams, floor plans and other 2D drawings, LT isn’t a bad shout.

Industry-specific toolsets

The specialized toolsets mentioned in the AutoCAD section—Architecture, Electrical, Mechanical—are only available with AutoCAD. If you’re part of a small business or a CAD enthusiast, this shouldn’t be an issue. If, however, you’re looking to get your hands on toolsets that will help you simplify your workflow, AutoCAD is the only way to go.

Customization capabilities

Another strength of AutoCAD is that it enables users to customize it entirely to their own preferences. Drafters, designers, mechanical—everyone works differently, and AutoCAD caters to this. LT, however, doesn’t have this capability—it doesn’t support customization with LISP, ARX, .NET or VBA.

Price and licensing

One of the biggest selling points of LT is its price. Much cheaper than the full AutoCAD package, many users are willing to overlook its limited capabilities for the lower price tag. While it is cheaper, it does mean separate licenses. AutoCAD is offered on a network license, which means you can run the program on multiple machines. LT, by comparison, requires you to buy a separate license for every machine.

Who uses it

Much like AutoCAD, LT attracts a rather large customer base. Though limited in capability compared to its older sister, LT still has enough functionality to attract many in the AEC sector. Its main customer base, however, lies with smaller businesses and individuals who work primarily with 2D—not looking for the full functionality offered by AutoCAD. After all, as innovative as AutoCAD is, not everyone in the industry is in need of its full toolset.

A big chunk of LT’s customer base also lies with CAD beginners and enthusiasts. For those just starting out with 2D drafting, LT is an inexpensive option with an easy learning curve. If you’re looking for something cheaper than LT, however, you might want to check out our list of top free CAD packages.

Let’s take a look at some customer stories for AutoCAD LT…

• Benjamin Pratt: a painter who specializes in minimalist art. Pratt begins all of his paintings in AutoCAD LT—sketching different designs on his computer before eventually transferring them onto the canvas. By doing so, he can take the guesswork out of it and minimize the risk of mistakes.
• Julee Wolverton: a Colorado landscape architect. Wolverton uses AutoCAD LT to ensure her drawings are as accurate as possible—especially when working with other professionals. She also uses A360 to access her designs from anywhere.
• Atelier Spina: a team of 4 people working for companies and clients in the Nantes region of France. For their projects, they use AutoCAD LT to keep costs under control, stay up-to-date with industry changes and ensure effective communication between themselves and their clients.
• Square Peg Design: a leading design firm. They make use of AutoCAD LT to create 3D environmental graphics for customers worldwide. They also make use of LT’s collaborative features to ensure smooth communication between designers and clients.

AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT

By this point, you should be pretty familiar with both programs—from their histories to main features and customer bases. To help you visualize everything more clearly, we’ve put together a table summarizing some of the main differences between the two…

To sum it up, your choice depends entirely on your needs. If 3D modeling is important, there’s absolutely no question—you need AutoCAD. It’s the same kind of answer if you’re a large company looking for a network license. If, on the other hand, you’re content with just 2D drafting—or you’re lured in by a lower price tag—AutoCAD LT isn’t a bad shout.

There’s certainly plenty to consider when making the choice between AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT. If you’re still not entirely sure which is the best option for you, you could always try a free trial of both programs to get some hands-on experience and perspective.

Want to see how AutoCAD compares to other CAD software? Check out our guides to AutoCAD vs SolidWorks, AutoCAD vs DraftSight and AutoCAD vs Vectorworks.

Want to stay updated on all the latest CAD, CAM and CNC news and guides? Keep your eyes peeled on the Scan2CAD blog.

Scan2CAD understands this confusion all too well, which is why we set out to make things easier for CAD enthusiasts and professionals. We’ve been putting together comparison guides for all the popular CAD software packages on the market—from AutoCAD vs DraftSight to CATIA vs SolidWorks. This time around, we’re delving into the often compared packages: Creo and SolidWorks.

Whilst both packages are popular in engineering and product design, there are very clear and distinct differences—both in what they offer and the type of users that are in need of the software. Keep on reading to get all the essential information you need to know.

What is Creo?

History

Creo was first released in 1987 as Pro/ENGINEER by the company PTC (Parametric Technology Corporation) It was one of the first major solid modelers to hit the CAD market. Whilst most other software at the time were primarily 2D, Pro/ENGINEER was based on solid geometry and parametric assemblies. It was a complete game changer for the industry, leading to the creation of groundbreaking solid modeling kernels like Parasolid and ACIS. These kernels would later be sold to major CAD vendors, the most notable of which was AutoCAD in 1990. It’s safe to say that the release of Pro/ENGINEER was one of the biggest milestones in the evolution of CAD.

At the time of its creation, Pro/ENGINEER ran only on UNIX workstations, until the commercialization of PCs in the 1990s. The solid modeler has undergone many changes since its inception. For starters, it changed its name to Wildfire in the early 2000s, then to Creo Elements/Pro in 2009, before eventually settling on Creo in 2011. More importantly, however, is the move from a single product to a suite of tools designed to deliver a range of specific CAD tasks.

Since its relaunch as Creo, the suite has seen four major upgrades—the latest of which is Creo 5.0. Creo offers its features in distinct design packages, each different in the capabilities on offer.

What it does

Creo is a family of CAD apps that supports product design for all kinds of manufacturers. Each app delivers a varied set of capabilities to suit specific purposes. For starters, there are apps for 3D CAD parametric modeling, 3D direct modeling, finite element analysis, technical illustrations and visualizations. The apps closest in competition include software such as CATIA, Siemens NX and SolidWorks are Creo Elements/Pro and Creo Parametric.

With Creo Parametric, users can create and develop complex surface geometry using a range of features—from sweeps to blends to offsets—and freestyle modeling capabilities. For users seeking more extensive capabilities, PTC offers extensions like Creo Interactive Surface Design Extension (ISDX) to give users further control over tangency and curvature. With Creo Simulate, users can cut down production time by running powerful simulations in a few mere clicks—from linear static structural analysis to modal structural analysis, everything’s right at your fingertips.

Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Creo suite has 10 apps that meet the needs of designers, engineers and manufacturers across a whole range of industries. And they’re constantly updating and improving to stay ahead of the game. The latest version of Creo, 5.0, has brought a variety of new features to the table, in order to enable users to “go from concept to manufacturing in one design environment”. The most important of these features include:

• Topology optimization. Saving time, this feature enables users to create optimized shapes directly on geometry in Creo. With it, it’s even possible to specify objectives and constraints. Creo can then automatically generate designs based on these user specifications.
• Tools for augmented design. PTC has now brought Vuforia technology into the fold with ThingWorx, enabling users to create AR experiences that can be used in marketing, to show off products to clients and even help guide engineers through the design and production processes.
• Additive manufacturing. With a new Creo Additive Manufacturing Plus Extension for Materialise, users can now print production-grade metal parts—including support structures—from Creo 5.0 through Materialise. You can also manage print drivers and direct print to most metal printers on the market.
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Creo has long offered innovative and market-leading finite element analysis tools. With 5.0, however, users can now simulate fluid flow issues and evaluate how liquids and gases flow past models. Even better, these tools are designed to be easy to use, no matter your experience.

Who uses it

The Creo suite is used in a huge range of industries across the world—PTC Creo Parametric, for example, is an industry-standard tool for many. Indeed, Creo offers some of the most robust 3D CAD product design and development solutions on the market. With its wide variety of applications, PTC enables some of the most innovative companies and industries around the world to develop better products in less time—the likes of which includes Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas and Retail & Consumer Products.

Let’s take a look at some of the companies designing with Creo…

• Boston Engineering. An engineering services firm, Boston Engineering makes use of PTC Creo Simulate to analyze models in one environment. They also take advantage of PTC Windchill to manage product data.
• iRobot. In case the name didn’t clue you in, iRobot is dedicated to designing and building some of the world’s most important robots. They make use of PTC Windmill to automate ECAD BOM Management, Document Management and Design Data Management—reducing overall design time.
• JinTECH. A global leader producing manufacturing equipment, they make use of PTC Creo to speed up the design of models that support rapid prototyping. By doing so, they reduce errors, not to mention cutting costs and speeding up time to market.
• Ubiquoss. A network speciality company, Ubiquoss makes use of PTC Creo’s 3D CAD capabilities—and integrated product data management—to quickly design large assemblies and verify them in order to reduce the need for prototyping. With Creo, they’ve been able to reduce product development time by 11%.

With the sheer volume of PTC Creo applications on offer—and their advanced capabilities—Creo is able to offer solutions for practically anyone in the design, engineering and manufacturing sectors.

What is SolidWorks?

If you’ve spent even a few months delving into the world of CAD, you’ll have undoubtedly come across one of the most popular CAD packages on the market: SolidWorks. The flagship product of industry expert Dassault Systèmes, SolidWorks’ history spans all the way back to 1993. Created by SolidWorks Corporation—and none other than Onshape co-founder Jon Hirschtick—SolidWorks’ inception started in 1993. It wasn’t until 1995, however, that it was first released. Whilst not, perhaps, as astronomical for the CAD industry as Pro/ENGINEER, SolidWorks was one of the first significant 3D modelers for Windows.

SolidWorks was clearly a game changer for the market, because Dassault decided to acquire it 2 years later for a staggering $310 million in stocks. Whilst it was a bold move, it more than paid off—it’s estimated that over 2 million people were using SolidWorks by 2013 alone. And it’s only increased in popularity and usage since.

Dassault weren’t content to simply rest on their laurels, however. Whilst SolidWorks might have begun as a simple solid modeler, it has since developed into a full CAD and CAE program. Recent updates brought about by the release of SolidWorks 2019 have increased assembly performance to enable designers to create larger assemblies, improved 3D mesh modelling and introduced the innovative extended reality (XR) feature. And who knows what else the future will bring!

What it does

Though you might be fooled into thinking that SolidWorks is a simple solid modeler—due to its name alone—you’d be very wrong. SolidWorks is a full CAD and CAE product that enables users to take simple ideas and turn them into complex models, parts and assemblies. And when we say complex, we do mean complex. The 2019 edition boasts of handling even larger assemblies—complete with a large design review mode to boot!

Armed with a suite of integrated tools that meets every area of product development and management, SolidWorks helps users speed up the development and production cycle—enabling users to streamline workflows and processes. With it, users can also take advantage of simulation, cost estimation, sustainable design and data management capabilities. As mentioned above, the latest edition, SolidWorks 2019, has brought much to the table. A small sample of these capabilities includes:

• 3D mesh modelling. Users can now automatically convert 2D textures into 3D geometry. Not to mention model in a single process and save time with the extra handy option of a bi-directional viewpoint.
• Updates to touch user interface. Users can now write dimensions straight onto designs during the sketch process—meaning users will no longer have to move between keyboard and touch screen.
• CAM improvements. SolidWorks 2019 brings about new settings for CAM users to speed up their design and production processes. An example includes the zigzag mode for high-speed machining—giving users the ability to remove material much faster.
• Smart manufacturing. Making model based definitions easier to find, SolidWorks enables one file to store all relevant data sets of a project. No matter what stage you’re at—from conception to simulation to production—one location will store all the information you need.

Now, there are currently three packages of SolidWorks on offer—starting from the most basic, moving up towards the most advanced. Your choice, of course, depends entirely on what kind of capabilities you’re in need of:

• SolidWorks Standard. It comes with part, assembly, and 2D drawing functionality, not to mention specialized tools for sheet metal, surfacing, design analysis and CAM.
• SolidWorks Professional. Beyond what’s offered with Standard, it includes ECAD/MCAD collaboration, automated cost estimation, collaboration tools, sophisticated components and photorealistic rendering.
• SolidWorks Premium. Building on Professional, it includes structural and motion analysis tools, advanced surface flattening, reverse engineering and cable and pipe routing functionality.

Who uses it

SolidWorks probably has one of the largest online user communities in the CAD market. Though it targets many of the same industries as Creo—including aerospace, automotive, construction and consumer services—it is much more accessible for newcomers and general CAD enthusiasts. In fact, whilst Creo is predominantly aimed at the more high-end CAD market, whilst SolidWorks is more at the mid-level scale. That’s not to say that SolidWorks is the poorer product. Indeed, Dassault sees its simplicity—both in user interface and its learning curve—as a major selling point. In most cases, users won’t need the complexity that Creo offers.

Indeed, many CAD beginners find SolidWorks has a pretty accessible user interface—one of the many reasons for which its user base is constantly expanding. Looking to join the fold? You’re in luck—we’ve got heaps of resources to help you on your journey to becoming a SolidWorks expert. You can start with learning SolidWorks basics in one hour and then move onto top tips and tricks for SolidWorks newbies.

Let’s take a look at some of the companies that use SolidWorks…

• ABCO Automation Inc. With SolidWorks’ PDM capabilities, ABCO have shortened design cycles by 30%, accelerated time-to-market by 20%, reduced development costs by 20% and cut scrap/network costs by 50%.
• BERCHTOLD Corporation. With SolidWorks, BERCHTOLD saw annual revenue grow 20-30%, improved quoting efficiency for custom designs by 75%, increased profit margins and reduced prototype costs by 50%.
• Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. With SolidWorks, Leatherman increased the number of annual new products by 100%, shortened development cycles by 33%, supported implementation of new manufacturing methodologies and achieved various product development goals.
• MooBella. With SolidWorks and its PDM capabilities, MooBella was able to shorten product design cycles by 33%, reduce product development costs by 50% and improve overall product quality and performance.

Creo vs SolidWorks

Now that we’ve covered the ins and outs of both Creo and SolidWorks—covering histories, product descriptions and user communities—it’s time to look at the major differences between both products. To help you visualize the differences better, we’ve put together a table…

It’s pretty clear that SolidWorks is the winner if you’re looking for a product that is great for both CAD professionals and newcomers. With a pretty simple learning curve, it’s easy enough to get stuck into SolidWorks without much fuss. Of course, if you’re looking for a product that will offer you powerful solutions, greater complexity and a single design environment, Creo is a clear winner.

It doesn’t matter which product you choose in the end, however, as Scan2CAD can help you streamline your workflow no matter what. Whether you’re using old drawings in SolidWorks or Creo, Scan2CAD can convert your raster to DXF or DWG (for starters!).

Want to stay updated on all the latest CAD, CAM and CNC news and guides? Keep your eyes peeled on the Scan2CAD blog.

Scan2CAD is here to save the day! We’ve compiled a list of the top 13 websites that offer free 3D CAD model downloads, which you can use with free CAD software!

Table of Content

• Top 13 Sites with Free 3D CAD Model Downloads

1. 1. 1. Free3D
      2. GrabCAD
      3. CADblocksfree
      4. TurboSquid
      5. 3D CAD Browser
      6. CADnav
      7. Autodesk Online Gallery
      8. Sketchfab
      9. CGTrader
      10. Free 3D Base
      11. Syncronia
      12. AEC Data
      13. TraceParts

Top 13 Sites with Free 3D CAD Model Downloads

1. Free3D

File types supported by Free3D.com website include: .3ds, .c4d, .blend, .dae, .dds, .dwg, .dxf, .fbx, .lwo, .ma, .max, .mb, .mtl, .obj, .sldasm, .sldprt, .stl, .tg, .unity

We’re going to start off our list with Free3D. The site itself comes with a pretty sleek interface—with easy navigation and well-categorized subsections. So, what exactly is on offer? Free3D offers CAD enthusiasts and professionals the chance to get their hands on a whopping 16,786 models. One of the biggest advantages of the site is that it enables users to filter out models by their product of choice, including Blender, Cinema 4D, 3ds Max, Maya, and so on. 

With countless categories—from Architecture to Characters to Furniture—the site makes it incredibly easy to find what you’re looking for. It even allows you to filter out models by labels that include: Animated, Lowpoly, 3D Printable, and Rigged. Underneath the preview image for each model, you can see which file format it’s available in, e.g. .obj or .max. Once you select a model, you can look at specifications (like geometry and textures), product descriptions, and tags. If a model is available in more than one file format, you’ll have the option to pick from a list of file types. This is pretty handy if you find yourself modeling in more than one CAD software package. 

With Free3D, you can start downloading 3D models straight away—you don’t even need to register an account! The site also comes with premium 3D models, if you’re open to parting with a few dollars here and there.     

2. GrabCAD

GrabCAD.com website supports file types from Autodesk, BricsCAD, CATIA, DraftSight, KeyShot, Powermill, Rhino, and much more

The next site on our list is GrabCAD. You might already be familiar with GrabCAD, one of the largest communities for designers, engineers, and manufacturers. What you might not know, is that GrabCAD has its own library of 3D models. In fact, it boasts of having a community of 5,350,000 engineers and over 3,180,000 CAD files. Needless to say, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into!

With a straightforward interface, it’s easy enough to find your way around GrabCAD’s extensive library of Free 3D CAD Model Downloads. You can choose to search by category (Printing, Aerospace, Agricultural, Components) or even filter models by software (Alibre Design, Autodesk, CATIA, Lightwave). Once you click on a model that’s caught your eye, you’ll be able to look at different renderings of it and look at details ranging from the software used in its creation to its category and tags. 

There’s certainly enough on offer for even the pickiest of CAD users. If you are interested in the models here, however, you will need to create a GrabCAD account to start downloading. 

3. CADblocksfree

File types supported by CADblocksfree.com website include: .3ds, .dwg, .max, .rfa, .skp

CADblocksfree has already been featured on our blog before for its selection of free CAD blocks. This handy site also offers CAD hobbyists and professionals a library filled with 2D and 3D models. Disregarding its wide range of 2D drawings, CADblocksfree has over 3,500 3D models to sift through. The site is pretty basic, with simple navigation making it easy enough to find what you’re looking for. 

As with most of the sites on our list, CADblocksfree splits its models into categories. These categories range from Animals to Electrical to Sports and Leisure. When you look at the grid of models, you’ll be able to see a small logo in the bottom-right corner of each preview image—telling you which software the model is compatible with, e.g. SketchUp or AutoCAD. For those not too familiar with CAD software logos, there’s a line of text that also mentions the software name. 

The best part about this site is that it doesn’t require you to register an account. It’s as simple as clicking free download. If you enjoy creating models, you might be interested in uploading your models to the site—you could turn a tidy profit!

4. TurboSquid

TurboSquid.com website supports the following file types: .3ds, .c4d, .blend, .dae, .fbx, .lwo, .lws, .lxo, .ma, .max, .mb, .obj, .stl, .uasset, .unity, .upk

If you’re looking for a site that will spoil you for choice, you can’t go wrong with TurboSquid. With an ultra-modern site—complete with handy categorizations and filter options—TurboSquid has 19,238 Free 3D CAD Model Downloads on offer. If you’re not bothered about paying for 3D models once, in a while, TurboSquid also offers premium 3D models—coming together at over 700,000!

To start your journey, it’s as simple as heading to the Free 3D Models page. Using the list at the top, you can make your way through the many categories—from Anatomy to Interior Design to Technology. As with other sites, TurboSquid gives you the option of searching for models using products, e.g. 3ds Max, Maya, and Cinema4D. Additionally, you can use filters like Poly-count, Rigged, and Real-time. By simply hovering over a model, you can look at a larger preview—you’ll also be able to see which file formats the model’s available in. Once you click on a model, you can scroll through different views, read a full product description and see related products on the carousel at the bottom.

If you want to start your downloading journey at TurboSquid, you’ll have to register an account. Once you’ve done so, the world’s your oyster!

5. 3D CAD Browser

3DCADBrowser.com website supports the following file types: .3ds, .asc, .asm, .c4d, .blend, .dae, .dds, .dwg, .dxf, .fbx, .iam, .iges, .ipt, .lwo, .ma, .max, .mb, .mtl, .obj, .prt, .sldasm, .sldprt, .step, .stl, and much more

Our next choice is 3D CAD Browser—a site offering purely free 3D CAD models. The site itself is very basic in design—nowhere near as sleek as other sites on our list—yet it does boast of supporting a wide range of file types. This is handy if you like to flit between different CAD products. 3D CAD Browser has 500 models on offer—it might not seem like much in comparison to other sites, but it’s still pretty decent.

As you’d expect, you can browse through the models on offer by selecting one of the categories listed in the bar at the top of the page—from Vehicles to Industrial to Nature. Each category comes with its own sub-category, enabling you to refine your search further, e.g. Architecture > Buildings > Apartments/Hotels. When you select a model, you can view it from varying perspectives and look at information like the number of polygons and materials. You’ll also be able to look at a list that details which file formats the model is available in. If you’re not won over by the model, you can scroll further down to look at similar 3D models.

3D CAD Browser comes with a slightly different subscription service. If you want to download models for free, you need to register an account and upload your own models—for every download (from other users) of your uploaded model, you can download a free model. If you’re not interested in uploading your own models, you’ll have to opt for one of the paid subscriptions.

6. CADnav

CADnav.com website supports the following file types: .3dm, .3ds, .c4d, .blend, .dae, .dds, .dwg, .dxf, .fbx, .lwo, .lws, .ma, .mb, .ms3d, .mtl, .obj, .skp, .sldasm, .sldprt, .stl and much more

Next on our list is CADnav. While relatively basic in design, the site makes up for it with its easy navigation. And that’s not all! The site doesn’t just offer 3D models to CAD enthusiasts, it also offers textures, Vray materials, and additional tools. With over 4,000 3D models to choose from, there’s enough here to keep most CAD users busy.

You can wade your way through the many models on offer by using the categories listed under 3D Models at the top of the page or to the right—including Road Elements, Game Development, and Light Fixture. As with some of the other sites on this list, CADnav also gives users the option to filter by product/format, e.g. Cinema 4D (.c4d). When you select a category, you can look at its most popular models, e.g. Furniture > Two Seat Leather Chesterfield Sofa. Once you pick out a model, you can scroll through different views, read a description and check out other related 3D models.

CADnav keeps things very simple—you don’t have to register an account to start downloading. All you’ve got to do is click download and agree to the T&Cs.

7. Autodesk Online Gallery

File types supported by Autodesk Online Gallery include: .3ds, .dwg, .dxf, .f3d, .f3z, .fbx, .max, .obj, .step, .stl, .stp and much more

Unsurprisingly, CAD giant Autodesk has something to offer CAD enthusiasts and professionals in the way of free 3D models. The Autodesk Online Gallery is a place for the Autodesk user community to come together and share their 3D models. Users have the option to share their models as simple renderings—for others to look at and comment on—or actual downloads for users to do with as they wish. With over 18,323 Free 3D CAD Model Downloads, there’s plenty of inspiration to be found!

The Gallery has a wide selection of filters to use to further refine your search. You can filter by industry (AEC, Media & Entertainment, Civil Infrastructure), Categories (Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, Electronics) and Used Products (Fusion 360, AutoCAD, Inventor). And you’re not just limited to 3D models—you can look through 3D Multimedia, Stereo Panorama, and even YouTube. After selecting a model, you can flick through different views and videos, look at details like what product was used, and even see comments left by other users. When you click download, you’ll be able to choose from a list of file type options.

To start your journey, you have to register an account with Autodesk. Given how many models are on offer, and how extensive Autodesk’s community is, it’s not exactly a big ask. If you like creating your own models, it’s also a handy way of receiving proper critique from your peers.

8. Sketchfab

Sketchfab.com website supports the following file types: .blend, .dae, .fbx, . gltf, .obj, .stl and much more

Sketchfab is the next top resource for 3D models on our list. With an ultra-modern and interactive site design, it’s easy to see how the site managed to build up such a large community of creators. Sketchfab offers a wide assortment of both free and premium 3D models. The benefit to having such a large user base is that the list of 3D models on offer is constantly growing—you can even add to it by uploading your own models!

To start, you’ll have to head to Explore and select Downloadable in order to look through the free models on offer. With a long list of categories—ranging from Art & Abstract to Cultural Heritage & History to People—you can quickly find what you’re looking for. You can further refine your search by using filters like Features (Downloadable, Animated, Staff Picks), Date, and Safety. If you hover over a model, you can rotate it by using your mouse. Once you click on it, you can get a better look with interactive models that enable you to see from all angles. If you like what you see, you can even share or embed models with your friends or colleagues.

To get started with downloading models from Sketchfab, you’ll have to create an account. Once you’ve done so, you can take advantage of the countless models on offer and even sell your own 3D models!

9. CGTrader

CGTrader.com supports the following file types: .3ds, .c4d, .blend, .dae, .fbx, .flt, .lwo, .ma, ,.max, .mb, .mxs, .obj, .stl, .wrl and much more

Next on the list is CGTrader—a sleek site offering a huge range of professional 3D models for a variety of design projects like VR, AR, architecture, and animation. As with others on our list, the site offers both free and paid models. Altogether, you’re looking at a staggering 730,000 3D models! You can take advantage of general 3D models, or refine your search by 3D Printing, PBR, VR, Scanned 3D Models, and so on.

CGTrader has a slightly odd quirk—even after selecting ‘Free’ models, you’ll still see Premium models on the list. Fortunately, prices are very clearly signposted, so there’s no chance of you accidentally clicking on a model that comes with a price tag. With a variety of categories—including Aircraft, Exterior, Character, and so on—you can quickly refine your search. It’s also possible to specify file formats you’d prefer, poly-count and license. If you hover over a model, you can get a quick preview of what’s on offer. Once you select one, you can scroll through different images and videos, read product descriptions and look at other similar 3D models at the bottom.

To get started on CGTrader, you’ll have to register an account. If you enjoy interacting with other CAD users and designers, it’s not a bad deal.

10. Free 3D Base

File types supported by Free 3D Base include: .3ds, .dwg, .dxf, .obj

Free 3D Base is next on our list, a site offering professional 3D models to architects, graphic artists, and designers. Basic in design, the site’s offering of 1,825 models might seem insubstantial compared to other sites on our list, but there’s still plenty to trawl through. And with it being free, you’ve not exactly got anything to lose in trying it out.

Things are kept pretty simple with Free 3D Base. You can search directly for a product name or choose a specific manufacturer. Alternatively, you can make use of the category list on the right-clicking on one that will lead you to further sub-categories, e.g Furniture > Living Room Furniture > Chairs and Stools. If you’re just browsing, you can check out the latest featured models on the carousel at the top of the page. Hovering your mouse over a model will give you a better preview. When you click, you’ll get to see information ranging from dimensions to format to the manufacturer. A fun feature is the inclusion of manufacturer websites, so you can get a look at the model in real life.

Whilst there’s not as much on offer here at Free 3D Base, the site makes up for it by allowing users to download without having to register an account. In fact, as soon as you click download, you’ll get a zip folder containing your model in varying file formats.

11. Syncronia

Syncronia.com website supports the following file types: .3ds, .dwg, .fbx, .jpeg, .jpg, .mat, .max, .obj, .rfa, .rvt

The next site on our list is on a completely different scale from the other featured websites. Syncronia is a resource that specifically caters to professionals in AEC and design. The site offers a range of 3D models, BIM objects, catalogs, and libraries—listing them by the supplier, manufacturer, and specifications. While it can take a few minutes to get to grips with the site, it’s incredibly handy for those who work in architecture or interior design.

To start, you can select 3D Models from File Type—other options on this list include BIM Objects, 3D Textures, and Catalogues. You can then refine your search by specifying a product category (Appliances, Bar Furniture, Ceiling Lamps), the manufacturer (Alessi, B&B Italia, ITLAS), and file format. The category list is incredibly detailed and precise, including further sub-categories to make your search easier, e.g. Furniture > Sofa and Armchairs > Pouf. The models listed will each come with a preview image and a logo in the bottom-right telling you which manufacturer it belongs to. Once you select one, you’ll be able to read a product description, get specifications and even see who the designers are.

If you’re looking to take your designs to the next level, Syncronia could be your next port of call. To get started, however, you’ll have to register an account. With all that’s on offer—models, catalogs, specifications—it’s definitely worth it!

12. AEC Data

AEC Data supports the following file types: .3ds, .aco, .dwg, .dxf, .gsm, .ifc, .max .o2c, .obj, .skp, .rfa, .wrl and much more

The penultimate site on our list is rather specialist, resting in the same vein as Syncronia. AEC-DATA targets architects, planners, and interior designers with a range of 3D models—connecting them to suppliers, manufacturers, and design contractors. AEC-DATA has 35,232 3D models on offer—in a wide range of file type formats—all absolutely free!

You can refine your search by using AEC-DATA’s many categories or filter options. If you’re working with a specific CAD product, you can look for models by file type, e.g. DWG 3D, SKP, and MAX. You can also search by specific brand (Eden CZ, Novatronic, Ravak) or by application (Bathroom Facilities, Office Equipment, Home Furniture). When you see something you like, it’s as simple as clicking. You’ll then be able to look at the information that includes 3D model type, dimensions, IFC parameters, and much more. There will be a table listing the many file type options on offer, not to mention texture downloads underneath.

One of the biggest selling points of AEC-DATA is that you don’t have to even register an account to start downloading models—you just need to click download and off you go!

13. TraceParts

TraceParts.com website supports the following file types: .dwg, .dxf, .iges,.jt, .sat, .step, .stl, .vrml and much more

Our last choice on our free 3D CAD models lists shares similarities with both Syncronia and AEC-DATA. TraceParts, as the name suggests, is a design library that enables designers, CAD professionals, and engineers to essentially trace parts. The site offers hundreds of supplier catalogs, over 100 million CAD models—3D and 2D—and product datasheets to aid in design, manufacturing, and maintenance processes. As with Syncronia, it can take a bit of trial and error to get used to finding your way around, but it’s definitely worth it!

How you start your search is entirely up to you. You can opt for searching through the 690 manufacturer catalogs on offer. Alternatively, you can search for the parts you need by sector, e.g. Mechanical Components, Manufacturing Engineering or Civil Engineering. Once you select a sector, you can look at sub-classifications and refine by supplier, standards organization, or standards. If a part catches your eye, click on it and you’ll get to see 3D renders, manufacturer names, and part numbers. If you scroll down, you’ll even be able to specify aspects like load capacity and weight. And with a list of chosen software packages to choose from—including SolidWorks, Creo, AutoCAD—you can be sure your model will be compatible with what you’re working with.

To get started with TraceParts, you’ll need to create an account. With the sheer number of models and parts on offer, it’s worth checking out.

Want to get your hands on even more CAD freebies? Look no further! Scan2CAD releases its own packs of free cut-ready DXF downloads every week. And to make sure you’re first in line for the latest CAD freebies and tips, keep an eye on our blog!

Featured image source: Ford GT 3D model

In this article, we’ll explore what Vectorworks 2019 brings to the table. We’ll look at the the new capabilities and features offered by the many industry-specific Vectorworks products.

Table of Contents

• Vectorworks 2019
  • Simplified workflows
  • Enhanced modeling process
  • Exceptional quality and speed
  • Advanced site design
  • Unmatched experiences
• New feature matrix

Vectorworks 2019

The entire premise of Vectorworks 2019 is centered around faster workflows and overall improved software performance. With new features and capabilities, Vectorworks hopes to make everyday tasks that much easier to accomplish for users, no matter which add-on they’re working with. They certainly didn’t disappoint. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer…

Simplified workflows

Image source: Vectorworks

New enhancements now enable users to seamlessly collaborate with others and to streamline workflows. With the aim of speeding up productivity, Vectorworks 2019 has added BIM data sets to all architectural symbols, making it easier for users to exchange BIM data. It also means you can reliably export your building models to IFC and COBie standards. And that’s just the beginning of improvements to the BIM workflow! Vectorworks has further streamlined the handover from BIM to operations by enabling users to edit BIM models and have their COBie worksheets update automatically, or vice versa. 

When it comes to simplifying workflows, detail is key. With Vectorworks 2019, users can create 2D drawings from 3D and BIM models. Users can then control the level of detail that symbols and plug-in objects display, so that it draws precisely as they want in plan, elevation and section views. Speaking of section drawings, there’s now a new default display for section attributes. With a new context-sensitive right-click menu, users can then generate sections directly from section elevation markers. 

Intent on improving collaborative workflows, Vectorworks has pushed for updates to the Teigha BIM library. This means that users can now batch import Revit Families, making it easier to convert building objects from Revit models to Vectorworks models. If you frequently flit between the two software packages, this update will make it easier for you to migrate your data. Vectorworks has further simplified user workflows by enabling users to create concept layouts with image effects. Instead of exporting designs to image editors like Photoshop, you can use new image effects to prepare your presentations in the same software you used for your designs.

Enhanced modeling process

Image source: Vectorworks

Vectorworks 2019 comes with more capabilities to allow users to optimize their modeling processes. It doesn’t matter how big or small your projects are, enhancements to modeling functionalities enable you to save time and produce incredible results. For starters, Vectorworks boasts of point cloud enhancements. Working with point clouds has never been faster, particularly with the import of PLY point cloud files. 

Control and freedom are key to creating the bets projects, which is why Vectorworks has expanded its support of object catalog styles to further architectural elements. By controlling your objects by catalog style, you can quickly edit architectural object data and save time with material specifications. Users are given even more freedom when working with sections, elevations and presentations through new clip cube options—giving them the ability to use clip cube on sheet layer viewports in a rendered view or style. 

The modeling process can now be sped up, with changes to subdivision iterations. More specifically, with new settings to the edit subdivision tool that allows users to see how subdivisions will look with one to five being performed. The latest improvements to modeling non-horizontal ceilings and floors also increase modeling accuracy with space volumes, areas and calculations. Vectorworks has long since prided itself on its suite of space planning tools, and the 2019 update has only further improved upon it—allowing for better management with usage type, color and class.

Exceptional quality and speed 

Image source: Vectorworks

In design, time is of the essence—which is why Vectorworks 2019 comes with multiple core support for the Vectorworks Graphics Module. Additionally, Vectorworks will be able to take advantage of all available CPU cores. Users can also work faster with the graphics module on sheet layers, optimized for use with advanced GPUs. This means that there are no longer performance differences between panning and zooming in a sheet or design layer.

If you work frequently on large projects, you probably dread navigating between layers and classes. It can be an absolute nightmare trying to find anything. Fortunately, new navigation and filtering capabilities enable users to find what they need with keyword searches or filters for specific properties. If you’re working with multiple projects in a single file, you can also take advantage of simpler title block management.

Collaboration is now a much speedier process with Vectorworks 2019’s improvements to DWG imports and exports. The latest changes bring about a faster import process that doesn’t require manual effort to rename files. As a blog that takes file management very seriously, we’re pleased to see the new purge option. It enables users to delete unused layers for a cleaner import. Of course, it’s not just about speed when working in large groups, it’s also about protecting your files. With project sharing diagnostics, Vectorworks puts safeguards in place to prevent accidental deletions when multiple users have administrator privileges.

Advanced site design

Image source: Vectorworks

For many a year, landscape designers had to deal with having to manually calculate whether their projects could accommodate the turning of a vehicle. With vehicle access being such an important aspect to any project, it was an unavoidable task. Vectorworks 2019 has now made it a thing of the past. With the new AutoTURN Online browser, landscapers can upload designs, enact simulations and export results back to their projects.

Another issue that many designers have had to deal with is moving from their chosen CAD/BIM package to a specialized add-on in order to run site analyses. With Vectorworks 2019, users can perform site model sculpting on both geometry and intelligent site models—thus, streamlining site modeling with 3D sculpting.

Vectorworks has long since been renowned for its foliage tools and enhanced plant tags—changing the game of landscape design entirely. New updates enable users to save time with plant data sources. Instead of spending hours scouring through the plant database, you can use the Choose Plant Data Source command to look at specific catalogs. You can then work with plant palettes of your choosing. Creating planting plans has also never been easier, with the latest updates providing improvements to plant preference dialog boxes. Not only does this make the planting workflow more straightforward—and easier for new users—it also maintains the advanced functionality preferred by longtime users.

Unmatched experiences

Image source: Vectorworks

It’s not all about Architect, Landmark and Designer users, of course. Vectorworks 2019 has also brought about higher capabilities for those working in the entertainment industries—more specifically, for Spotlight, Braceworks and Vision users.

Spotlight users can now easily place fixtures and model in 3D from the get-go. And with improvements to the Spotlight menu—specifically to stage decks and commands—users can take advantage of better snapping and 3D behaviors. Users are given additional control over how they want to display 3D labels for lights. They can also—due to improvements to the lighting instrument tool—specify the desired fixtures mode and auto-numbering preferences. And that’s not all. Spotlight users can also get their hands on the My Virtual Rig (MVR) import/export file format, making it easier to conduct your Previz with Vision.

And now onto the changes for Braceworks users. The 2019 edition has placed a greater emphasis on analyses and simulations. The introduction of the Braceworks heat map gives users the ability to pinpoint issues early on—looking at how rigs are performing and how stresses are rendered in 3D. A new suite of tools also enables users to create and calculate bridles, concentrating on reaction and deflection forces with the Braceworks engine. There’s also a realm of new truss features. The Replace Truss feature enables users to swap out trusses with alternate ones in their inventory, all the while maintaining the design. Braceworks also now supports most common types of trusses, orientations and connections.

Finally, we move onto Vision users. Vision 2019 brings up to 7x faster performance with real-time rendering at a higher frame rate. Users can even save and recall renderings in a Vision document. Allowing for better accessibility, Vectorworks has now enabled users to enjoy the freedom of a dongle-free Vision license. With an internet-based protection license, you can access Vision anywhere, anytime.

Vectorworks 2019 new feature matrix

We’ve only really looked at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the new capabilities and features offered with Vectorworks 2019. You can get a more in-depth look by checking out the Vectorworks 2019 brochure. Alternatively, check out our table summary below.

Interested in the latest product releases? Check out our coverage of the SolidWorks 2019 launch. 

With that in mind, Scan2CAD has put together a list of top 14 CAD packages for Mac. We even discuss whether it’s worth using Mac with CAD, or whether you should stick to PC. In addition, we’ll detail how beginner-friendly each of the packages is and finally list the best CAD software package for Mac based on various factors.

Can I Use a Mac for CAD?

The complexity of the Mac OS has made it difficult, in many cases, for software developers to create apps for these systems. This is no different in the CAD industry, with all software packages being compatible with systems such as Windows and Linux, but avoiding the Mac OS. Now, there are many CAD software packages that run natively in Mac. Unfortunately, however, many high-end packages are unavailable for Mac. CAD giants Autodesk and Dassault, for example, are primarily PC-based.

So, does this mean Mac users have to avoid high-end CAD software? Not necessarily. Before you start forking out for a PC, there are steps you can take. With Apple’s Bootcamp utility, you can install and run Windows applications within the Mac OS environment. You can then use either Mac OS or Windows. The second option, is to use Parallels desktop, allowing you to use both Mac OS and Windows simultaneously. In either case, you can use any CAD software package on your Mac.

Like most things in the world, however, there are downsides to this approach. The main issue is that running Windows on Mac can take up a lot of storage. For heavy CAD users, like engineers and architects, this is problematic—space is precious, after all!

Should I Use a Mac for CAD then?

It all comes down to your own preferences. Most major CAD software packages aren’t compatible with Mac OS, meaning you have to run Windows on your Mac—taking up a lot of storage—and the ones that are compatible, more often than not, come with limited capabilities.

If you’re a heavy CAD user and you require full capabilities, then it might be more advisable to stick to using a PC than a Mac. Before you make up your mind, however, check out our list of top 14 CAD software for Mac.

Top 14 CAD Packages for Mac

2D Design Software for Mac

1. AutoCAD

Image source: CADD Microsystems

• Operating system: Mac, Windows
• Developer: Autodesk, Inc.
• Price: $235/month or $1,865/year or $5,315 paid every 3 years (Learn more about AutoCAD pricing options)
• Industries: architecture, mechanical design, engineering
• Apple Silicon Support: Yes, via Rosetta 2
• Ease of Use: User-friendly for seasoned CAD users
• Interested? Try out the free trial!

Features of AutoCAD

• Support for both 2D drafting and 3D modeling
• AutoCAD 2023 introduced Markup, trace feature, and improved 3D graphics for 2D modeling
• Plenty of drawing and modification tools
• Floating windows
• Drawing history
• Mobile, desktop, and web apps

Pros of AutoCAD

• It is user-friendly for seasoned CAD users
• AutoCAD offers numerous features that make it a powerful software
• It is the industry standard for 2D drafting
• The software now supports 3D modeling
• AutoCAD’s Shortkeys save plenty of time and improve productivity. For more on this, check out our detailed discussion on AutoCAD commands

Cons of AutoCAD

• Users need a powerful computer to meet the minimum requirements: Autodesk continues to roll out even more features and provide better graphics, which require more advanced computing
• It has a steep learning curve for beginners because of the numerous features packed into the user interface; that said, you can easily learn AutoCAD Basics
• AutoCAD’s cost structure makes it expensive for users who are just starting out
• AutoCAD for Mac only supports a fraction of file formats (imports) than AutoCAD for Windows
• Because the 3D modeling is quite new, some users find it difficult to use; in addition, it does not support some functions that are part of the 3D modeling workflow

About AutoCAD

AutoCAD is the flagship product of Autodesk, and is arguably one of the most popular CAD packages on the market. Initially a 2D design software, it has built up 3D capabilities over the years. With AutoCAD for Mac, users can create and edit 2D geometry, along with 3D models with solids, surfaces and mesh objects. It’s also possible to annotate drawing with notes, dimensions and even tables and although it is a very comprehensive piece of software, it is possible to learn the basics of AutoCAD in an hour.

If you’re familiar with the PC version of AutoCAD, you’ll notice the difference in interface straight away. To ensure the UI is familiar for Mac users, its design is practically identical to other Mac applications. Autodesk has also included additional features to take advantage of Apple’s Trackpad capabilities and the full screen mode in OS X Lion. Additional specialized Mac features include coverflow navigation, multitouch gestures, multiview split screen and touch bar support.

As with other Mac counterparts, however, AutoCAD for Mac comes with some limitations. You’ll find that some versions miss features like advanced rendering settings, a feature finder or DWF/DGN underlays. You also won’t have access to specialist toolsets for architecture, mechanical design and so on. With the price for both PC and Mac standing the same, even with a difference in capability, you might be better off running Windows on your Mac or forking out for a PC instead.

2. DraftSight

Image source: Ricky Jordan

• Operating system: Mac, Windows
• Developer: Dassault Systèmes SE 
• Price: $249/year (DraftSight Professional) and $599/year (DraftSight Premium); learn more about DraftSight pricing options
• Industries: Mechanical/manufacturing, architecture
• Apple Silicon Support: Yes, through Rosetta 2
• Ease of Use: Beginner-friendly (simple to learn)
• Interested? Download now!

Features of DraftSight

• API: it offers an API that enables users to automate and customize processes with LISP routines or programming languages
• Productivity tools: these include DrawCompare, automatic layer assignment as well as layer management tools, PowerTrim, Dynamic Blocks (which enables users to view and change AutoCAD Dynamic Blocks)
• Image Tracer: users can use this feature to convert raster images to vector
• Mechanical Toolbox: this is a suite of mechanical symbols and tools that enable mechanical engineers to standardize their mechanical drafting practices
• AutoDimension command, which prompts DraftSight to automatically dimension the drawings

Pros of DraftSight

• DraftSight is available as both a desktop software for Mac as well as a cloud-based program
• It has a user-friendly interface
• The software has a somewhat similar layout and interface as AutoCAD, easing the transition for anyone looking to make the jump; this allows you to learn DraftSight basics in 1 hour
• It increases productivity thanks to the vast array of productivity tools
• The API offers compatibility with other software
• DraftSight can read and write DWG files, AutoCAD’s proprietary file format
• The Image Tracer lets users vectorize raster images

Cons of DraftSight

• DraftSight no longer offers a free package as was the case previously
• The professional package limits capabilities to only 2D design
• Users have complained that the software has poor customer and technical support

About DraftSight

Whilst Dassault might be best known for its flagship products SolidWorks and CATIA, a close runner-up has to be the freeware DraftSight. A frequent feature on the Scan2CAD blog, DraftSight is a 2D CAD software package that enables users to design, edit and view 2D drawings. A relatively simple software package, DraftSight reminds many users of AutoCAD in regards to its interface. In fact, its learning curve isn’t steep at all—allowing many CAD newbies to get to grips with it quickly.

DraftSight for Mac OS is only available as Beta in the free version. So, if you’re eyeing up its advanced Professional version, you’ll have to run Windows in your Mac OS or fork out for a PC. Whilst the free version for Mac comes with limited capabilities, it still has an abundance of features to take advantage of. With it, you can take advantage of straightforward 2D documentation—using design and drafting tools to create an abundance of 2D designs. Users also gain access to online community support and learning resources.

If you’re looking for an AutoCAD alternative, in fact, DraftSight is a decent option. It supports both DWG and DXF, meaning you can work with files created in AutoCAD—decent if you’re working with people who use AutoCAD.

Not sure DraftSight is all it’s cracked up to be? Check out our top tips and tricks for DraftSight newbies.

3. ARES Commander

Image source: Cadalyst

• Operating system: Mac, Windows, Linux
• Developer: Graebert GmbH
• Price: Perpetual license from $795.00
• Industry: Architecture
• Apple silicon support: Native Apple silicon support
• Ease of use: Beginner-friendly
• Interested? Try out the free trial!

Features of ARES Commander

• Native .dwg support
• Collaboration: it uses cloud-based and mobile platforms to synchronize files as well as share sheet capabilities using the Pack and Go feature (which packages your drawing, imports, and sheet set references, as a zip file)
• Enhanced user interface with contextual ribbon tabs
• Ability to edit .pdf and .dgn underlays as well as images and external references
• Ability to import/link spreadsheets and the data therein
• Support for BIM models generated using Revit or stored using the .ifc format
• View navigator that works in both 2D and 3D environments
• Annotation monitor
• Smart calculator palette
• ALIGNX command, which aligns different types of entities according to the position of the first entity selected

Pros of ARES Commander

• Fair pricing model
• Compatibility with AutoCAD and .dwg file format as well as integration with Onshape
• Easy to use even for beginners
• Supports 14 languages

Cons of ARES Commander

• Limited customization options

About ARES Commander

Although perhaps not the most well-known CAD package on the market, ARES Commander brings a lot to the table. A DWG-based CAD package for Windows, Mac and Linux, ARES Commander is seen by some as a viable alternative to packages like AutoCAD. With it, users can create and edit DWG drawings in both 2D and 3D no matter the system. Indeed, one of the biggest advantages to the package is its intuitive interface—familiar to any CAD user—making the learning curve easy.

ARES Commander doesn’t want to limit users to just one device. That’s why they have ARES Touch, a mobile CAD application. With it, you can keep your designs with you no matter where you are. You can make use of a complete set of 2D design and annotation tools, with the ability to add picture and voice notes. The software package also comes with ARES Kudo, which allows you to access, design and edit DWGs stored in cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive. If you save any modifications, the changes are automatically synchronized.

ARES Commander certainly comes with plenty of powerful and innovative features—did we mention it was cross-platform?! If you’re looking for a viable alternative to AutoCAD that doesn’t limit your capabilities, it’s not a bad option.

4. TurboCAD Mac Pro

Image source: AppKed

• Operating system: Mac
• Developer: IMSI Design
  
• Price: Permanent license for $699.99 or annual subscription license of $279.99
• Industry: Architectural and Mechanical design
  
• Apple Silicon Support: Yes, via Rosetta 2
• Ease of use: Beginner friendly (especially for those who have previously used AutoCAD)
• Interested? Try out the free trial!

Features of TurboCAD Mac Pro

• AutoCAD-like user interface
• Panning
• 2D drafting and 3D modeling
• Ability to directly edit blocks
• Compatible with the latest DWG versions
• Some of the 3D modeling tools include 3D mapping tools, patterns,
• Support for high-end mechanical CAD formats, facilitating file imports from software such as SolidWorks, SolidEdge, Inventor

Pros of TurboCAD Mac Pro

• It has an AutoCAD-like interface, making it intuitive, user-friendly
• TurboCAD is cheaper than AutoCAD and offers more mechanical design-oriented features than AutoCAD
• Fast even when working with large files (even for files that are >80 MB in size)
• Flexible pricing that suits users’ varying needs
• Ease of use thanks to learning tools such as LogiCursor, which suggests users’ next moves
• Compatibility with numerous file formats and software
• It includes mechanical design capabilities along with 2D drafting tools
• TurboCAD can be customized

Cons of TurboCAD Mac Pro

• The 3D modeling aspect is slow and could do with some improvements
• 3D rendering and imaging are complicated as they are not standardized

About TurboCAD Mac Pro

While not a household name like AutoCAD or SolidWorks, for example, TurboCAD brings a lot to the table. A full 2D/3D CAD package, TurboCAD comes with a realm of specialist tools, ranging from drafting tools to the latest ACIS realistic rendering engine. Promising to deliver ‘unparalleled value and productivity’, TurboCAD is a great option for anyone working in the AEC industry sticking to their guns by working on Mac.

TurboCAD aims to be a robust, familiar, and cheaper alternative to AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, especially for people who are used to the Autodesk product. For this reason, it comes with a full suite of 2D drafting tools, but it’s the software’s 3D capabilities that has our attention. With 3D surface and ACIS solid modeling tools, assembly tool and 3D printing capabilities, there’s more than enough to keep anyone interested. Those in architecture will be pleased to hear that TurboCAD comes with an entire suite of architectural design tools including symbol and material libraries, auto-dimensioning capabilities and built-in intelligence that automatically creates openings.

And that’s not all! TurboCAD also enables users to create incredible photorealistic renderings—taking care of aspects like material, special effects lighting and environmental effects. It supports High Dynamic-Range Images (HDRI) and the export of poster size images. And if you’re feeling particularly artistic, you can even add render styles to make your renderings more individual.

5. QCAD

Image source: Softpedia

• Operating system: Mac, Windows, Linux
• Developer: RibbonSoft, GmbH
• Price: Free
• Industry: Civil engineering, mechanical engineering, architecture
• Apple silicon support: Native Apple silicon support (for Versions released after March 2021)
• Ease of use: User-friendly for seasoned CAD users, but not beginner-friendly
• Interested? Download now!

Features of QCAD

• Support for layers, blocks, measuring tools, object snaps
• It has various Imperial and Metrical units
• Facilitates printing to scale and printing on multiple pages
• Supports object snaps
• Its part library has over 4,800 CAD parts
• QCAD has plenty of command-line tools
• It supports nesting and G-Code export
• The software offers plenty of drawing and modification tools
• Its output and input file formats include DWG and DXF

Pros of QCAD

• QCAD is free
• It supports multiple languages, including Spanish
• QCAD does not require a powerful Mac computer for it to work well
• The software offers AutoCAD compatibility as it supports the DWG file format
• It is easy to use for people who are familiar with CAD software

Cons of QCAD

• It is not user-friendly, especially for beginners
• QCAD has an outdated user interface

About QCAD

QCAD is a free and open-source CAD application that can be used to create a wide variety of 2D designs. Technical drawings such as mechanical schematics, electrical drawings and building blueprints are a walk in the park with QCAD. Many users of QCAD have remarked on its similarity to AutoCAD’s interface—making the leap from both software packages easy enough. To make things easier, QCAD uses the AutoCAD’s DXF file format to save and import files. Users can opt to use DWG with a commercial plugin. 

With a lot of free software, capabilities tend to be lacking. With QCAD, you get a lot more than you bargained for. It comes with a library of over 4,000 CAD parts and 60 construction and modification tools. Additionally, users can make use of layers, grouping blocks and printing to scale. QCAD is certainly not the most powerful or complex CAD software out there. However, it is accessible for all users, regardless of whether they’ve used CAD before. If you’re just starting out with CAD, it’s not a bad option.

Of course, if you’re looking for heavier capabilities—such as 3D modeling—you might find QCAD to be a little bit underwhelming.

3D Modeling Software for Mac

6. ArchiCAD

Image source: InsMac

• Operating system: Mac, Windows
• Developer: Graphisoft
• Price: $320/month or $2545/year (for ArchiCAD full version) and $280/month or $2,250 per year (for ArchiCAD Solo Version); learn more about ArchiCAD pricing packages
• Industry: Architecture and planning
• Apple silicon support: Yes, via Rosetta 2
• Ease of Use: Steep learning curve
• Interested? Try out the free trial!

Features of ArchiCAD

• 3D modeling
• BIM
• Dynamic updating, which improves collaboration
• Visualization and rendering

Pros of ArchiCAD

• ArchiCAD supports more than 15 languages
• Customizable and intuitive user interface
• ArchiCAD offers the ability to edit models in 3D
• It offers advanced rendering capabilities

Cons of ArchiCAD

• It is expensive for hobbyists or beginners
• Steep learning curve
• The ArchiCAD library lacks many everyday items that architects and designers use
• It is slow sometimes owing to the fact that it sports many features and capabilities
• Although it is acclaimed for its rendering capabilities, some users complain that it is difficult to get surfaces and textures correctly
• The meshes are difficult to work with

About ArchiCAD

ArchiCAD is developed by Graphisoft. Not familiar with the company? They’re a subsidiary of Nemetschek, the developers of  Vectorworks. A popular option for those in the AEC industry, ArchiCAD is a BIM CAD software package dedicated entirely to the realm of architecture. No matter what you’re looking to do—from looking purely at aesthetics to figuring out the workflow of design and engineering—it’s got you covered. Plus you can also learn the basics of ArchiCAD in an hour.

Unlike AutoCAD, there aren’t any limitations for Mac users with ArchiCAD. Users can take full advantage of features like ArchiCAD’s well known ‘Stair Tool’—allowing you to evaluate thousands of designs at once and pick from the most optimal designs. Meanwhile, you’ll also notice the remastered Facade Design workflow, enabling users to design and develop hierarchical curtain wall systems using modular patterns. And with parametric custom profiles, ArchiCAD combines the power of parametric design with graphical profile creation.

ArchiCAD is certainly one of the top architecture software packages on the market. With optimized workflows and coordination, everything is streamlined from design to production. And with advanced BIM capabilities, it’s easy enough to put together cost, materials and even plans for eventual demolition. Handily, there is also a number of ArchiCAD keyboard shortcuts to help you use the software quicker.

7. Vectorworks Architect

Image source: Cadalyst

• Operating system: Mac, Windows
• Developer: Vectorworks, Inc.
• Price: $153/month or $1,530/year or Perpetual license for $3,045; learn more about Vectorworks pricing plans
• Industry: Architecture
• Apple silicon support: Native Apple Silicon support
• Ease of use: Easy to use/beginner-friendly
• Interested? Try out the free trial!

Features of Vectorworks Architect

• Extensive library of 2D and 3D symbols and objects, e.g., for doors, sinks, plumbing, and windows, among other objects
• 3D rendering
• Layers and classes
• BIM
• Support for IFC and openBIM
• Direct links with Cinema4D, Photoshop, Rhino, and SketchUp
• Animation such as solar animation
• Support for emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), point cloud, photogrammetry, and 360° panorama
• Cloud services

Pros of Vectorworks Architect

• Easy to use and learn – you can in fact learn Vectorworks basics in 1 hour
• Intuitive interface
• Comprehensive learning material
• Great support
• Easy to export .dwg file, PDF, or image

Cons of Vectorworks Architect

• Buggy, especially when an upgrade is introduced
• Only ideal for simple/basic designs (not ideal for complicated designs)

About Vectorworks

Vectorworks Architect is yet another favourite of Scan2CAD’s. Developed by Nemetschek, Architect is one of the many CAD software packages on offer from the German developer. Unlike other software packages that limit capabilities for their Mac counterparts, Vectorworks holds absolutely nothing back for Mac users. A full 2D/3D modeler with BIM capabilities, Vectorworks Architect is a popular package for architects and designers across the world.

Vectorworks Architect has the ability to support projects from the beginning—with conceptual design—all the way to the eventual demolition. Users can freely draw, model and document ideas with tools that have cutting-edge precision and an innovative 3D modeling engine powered by SIEMENS Parasolid. This means users aren’t constrained at all by presets or strict parameters. If you’re looking for a flexible CAD software package for your Mac OS, you can’t go too wrong with Vectorworks Architect.

With an advanced suite of NURBS-surface solutions and Parasolid-based solids, nothing’s impossible with Vectorworks Architect. Knowing how important collaboration is with architects and designers, Vectorworks also provides a multi-user environment with Project Sharing.

8. Cobalt CAD

Image source: Ashlar-Vellum

• Operating system: Mac, Windows
• Developer: Ashlar, Inc. dba Ashlar-Vellum
• Price: $297.50/year/single-user licence
• Industry: Mechanical design, architecture
• Apple silicon support: Yes, via Rosetta 2
• Ease of use: Easy to use
• Interested? Try out the free trial!

Features of Cobalt CAD

• Solid and surface modeling
• 2D design tools
• Parametric modeling using dimensional constraints and equations
• Associative assembly tools
• Surface analysis
• A solid-geometric engine that can handle tolerant and common edges as well as closed sets of analytic geometry and NURB surfaces
• 3D rendering and animation
• 3D printing support
• Various import and export options and translators
• 2D/3D PDF export and 3D import
• Drafting Assistant for easy 2D drafting
• Mill of materials
• Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T)

Pros of Cobalt CAD

• Easy to use
• Affordable
• Offers flexible modeling
• Parametric modeling
• Compatibility with SolidWorks (supports standard file formats)
• Photorealistic renderings that resemble 2D illustrations
• Seamless 3D extrusion from 2D designs
• Learning materials including tutorials, articles, and expert training

Cons of Cobalt CAD

• It does not have a dedicated support page
• No shortcut commands

About Cobalt CAD

The difficulty with CAD software is that because there are so many software packages available, we often settle for the most popular choices and miss the unseen gems. Cobalt, developed by Ashar-Vellum, is one of these gems. A parametric-based CAD and 3D modeling program, it is unique for combining direct-modeling to create objects and the history-driven parametric modeling.

If you’re tired of CAD software packages constraining your work process, you might be better suited to Cobalt’s Organic Workflow design process —letting users work in any way they want. With simple design iteration, accessible tools and a hands-on approach, you’re entirely in control. Users can create speedy designs from concept to production with Class A NURBS surfaces, ACIS solids and intuitive wireframe. And with a non-modal interface, you can switch between modeling techniques and approaches with absolutely no hassle.

Once you’re happy with your designs you can show them off using Cobalt’s full photorealistic rendering and camera-based animation toolsets. This includes realistic texture maps and procedural textures, an advanced material editor, interactive materials display and environment maps. Additionally, users can interleave wireframe geometry in photo-realistically rendered stills and animations.

9. Fusion 360

Image source: Majenta Solutions

• Operating system: Mac, Windows
• Developer: Autodesk, Inc. 
• Price: $60/month, $495/year, or $1,410 paid every 3 years; learn more about Fusion 360 pricing options
• Industry: Product design and manufacturing
• Apple silicon support: Yes, via Rosetta 2
• Ease of use: Complex and hard for beginners
• Interested? Try out the free trial!

Features of Fusion 360

• Parametric modeling
• Freeform, solid, surface, and mesh modeling
• Sheet metal design
• Cloud-based platform
• Integrated CAD and CAM software, meaning it has 2D drafting, milling, and 3D printing capabilities
• 3D simulation
• Generative design or automated design generation: Fusion 360 generates high-performing designs from considerations that a user inputs into the software. Some of these considerations include cost constraints, manufacturing methods, materials, and performance parameters. Then they can edit the design’s geometry
• Documentation: 2D drawings, animations, and renderings

Pros of Fusion 360

• Generative design feature promotes productivity
• Offers compatibility with Autodesk’s software products and proprietary file formats
• It supports numerous plugins, which expand its capabilities even further
• Promotes collaboration thanks to the cloud-based platform

Cons of Fusion 360

• Joints aren’t intuitive, thus complicating assemblies
• 2D drawings lack geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)
• Complex user interface
• It is sometimes slow and buggy
• Affected by slow internet
• It lacks as much customization as other software

About Fusion 360

Another groundbreaking software package from CAD giant Autodesk, Fusion 360 is a cloud-based 3D CAD, CAM and CAE tool that allows users to streamline their entire product development process in a single cloud-based platform. All user data is kept safe and secure on the cloud, with unlimited storage and access.

Whether you’re a professional or hobbyist, you’ll find everything you need in Fusion 360. It comes with freeform modeling, along with solid, parametric and mesh modeling. Users can get started on designs quickly and efficiently with a full suite of sculpting tools. To avoid having to deal with issues after production, Fusion 360 gives users access to a full suite of simulation tools that can test fit, motion and pit designs against real-world conditions. This can cut costs and speed up the entire design and manufacturing processes.

Those working with CAM can use Fusion to create toolpaths to machine components. Additionally, users can take advantage of the 3D printing workflow to create prototypes. Collaboration is an important aspect in almost every industry out there, which is why Fusion 360 makes it so easy. Users can invite as many team members to their Fusion 360 projects as they like—any changes are made simultaneously.

10. Onshape

Image source: Onshape

• Operating system: Mac, Windows
• Developer: PTC, Inc.
• Price: Standard $1,500/year, Professional $2,100/year; learn more about Onshape pricing plans
• Industries: Product design and manufacturing
• Apple silicon support: Native Apple silicon support (as it is a cloud-based platform)
• Ease of use: Easy to use and learn
• Interested? Try out the free trial!

Features of Onshape

• Native cloud-based platform
• Mate function, which defines the movement of different types of connectors (mates are referred to as joints in other software)
• Data management: branching, merging, and unlimited undo/redo
• Drawing tools such as dimensions, surface finish and sheets, balloons, notes, tables, etc.
• Support for .dwg, .dwt, .dxf file formats (for export and import)
• Integration via REST API
• Photorealistic rendering capability with Render Studio

Pros of Onshape

• Up-to-date: it can easily and seamlessly handle new versions of different file formats, plus it is regularly updated as it runs from Onshape servers
• High accessibility because it is a web-based platform
• Reliable: as a cloud-based platform, it does not use up a lot of computer resources (it works on hardware that isn’t powerful)
• Convenient: it can be accessed from anywhere using any device
• The simple interface makes it ideal for beginners; in fact, you can learn Onshape basics in 1 hour
• Comprehensive learning center and tutorials

Cons of Onshape

• Impacted by internet downtime
• Deleting projects from Onshape servers is not straightforward as it would have been had the files been stored locally
• It is slow, especially when working with large assemblies and files
• Assemblies function is not as advanced as other 3D modeling software such as Inventor or Solidworks
• Mate function sometimes does not work as expected and can be a bit confusing

About Onshape

A direct competitor of Fusion 360, Onshape boasts of being the first completely cloud-based CAD package. If you’re familiar with the history of SolidWorks, you’ll be familiar with one of Onshape’s key founders—Jon Hirschtick, former SolidWorks CEO. The true beauty of Onshape lies in its accessibility—it doesn’t matter what system or device you’re working on, you can access and work on your designs anywhere.

Onshape is the perfect platform to increase productivity, saving users time with Parametric Modeling 2.0—a new way to model multi-part design, configurations and managed-in context design. And with open source collaboration, users can make drawings public and available for viewing and/or editing—meaning you can simultaneously collaborate with your entire design and engineering team. If you’re working on the go, you can even access your designs on iOS or Android.

In an attempt to make Onshape even more accessible, they provide self-paced training content to help users master their personal CAD skills. And with an active, bustling online community, learning is made enjoyable and practical. Get more information about this at Onshape’s learning center.

11. Rhino3D for Mac

Image source: Simply Rhino

• Operating system: Mac
• Developer: Robert McNeel & Associates
• Price: $995/single user
• Industries: Mechanical design, architecture
• Apple silicon support: Yes, via Rosetta 2
• Ease of use: Steep learning curve
• Interested? Try out the free trial!

Features of Rhino3D for Mac

• 2D drafting capabilities, complete with annotation, dimensions, text blocks, leaders, layout management, and more
• 3D object creation tools, including meshes, solids, points, curves, and curves from other objects
• Mesh creation, editing, export, and import tools
• Editing tools
• Raytracing rendering capabilities
• Digital fabrication: this feature provides designers with the ability to design computer models that can be used to digitally control fabrication equipment
• 3D data capture capability
• Analysis and inspection tools: with this feature, users can analyze and inspect point, distance, volume moments, surface curvature, working surface analysis, hydrostatics, and more
• Compatibility with multiple CAE, CAM, CAD, animation, and rendering software, with support for file formats such as .3dm, .3ds, .sat, .ai, .amf, .dwg, .dxf, .cd, .iges, .sat, .dgn, .m, .pdf, .obj, etc.
• Collaboration and file management tools such as notes, merge files, incremental save, and more
• A graphical algorithm editor called Grasshopper

Pros of Rhino3D for Mac

• It does not require over-the-top specifications
• Covers most of users’ 3D modeling needs
• Compatibility with other software, including Illustrator
• Intuitive software for seasoned users
• Thrives in parametric modeling
• The 3D data capture enables Rhino3D to accept hand sketches
• The software improves productivity by populating commands once you start typing them
• Versatility: it supports 2D drafting, although it is primarily designed for 3D modeling

Cons of Rhino3D for Mac

• Mainly optimized for 3D modeling (is not ideal for 2D design)
• Steep learning curve
• Slow when dealing with large files
• It does not work well on macOS
• Rhino3D lacks a good native rendering engine, meaning its rendering capabilities are not solid
• It easily crashes when working on large projects
• Lacks precision and exactness that is common with other 3D modeling software
• The software does not have shortcuts, so it does not boost productivity
• It is not ideal for creating reality-proof designs: users have complained that it considers complex physics that does not work in real life

About Rhino3D

Developed by Robert McNeel & Associates, Rhino3D is a commercial 3D graphics and CAD software package. An innovative package, it can be used in the processes of CAD, CAM, rapid prototyping and 3D printing—needless to say, it’s a pretty flexible package. For this reason, it’s popular in industries including industrial design, product design and architecture.

Rhino3D is based on the NURBS model, which produces freeform surfaces in graphics—as opposed to applications that focus on a polygon mesh-based approach. It’s a relatively accessible software package, with a familiar interface for any Apple user and experienced CAD modeler. If you’re a fan of customization, you’ll be pleased to hear that Rhino3D enables users to personalize the interface and create custom commands and menus. And, with a realm of plug-ins at your fingertips, you can delve into specific fields like animation, jewelry, prototyping and much more.

Unfortunately, as with other packages on this list, Rhino for Mac has more limited capabilities than its Windows counterpart. Users won’t be able to take advantage of Worksessions, which allows for efficient collaboration on large projects. Additionally, animation tools that allow for quick and easy visualizations are available on for Windows users.

12. FreeCAD

Image source: Softpedia

• Operating system: Mac, Windows, Ubuntu
• Developers: Jürgen Riegel, Werner Mayer, Yorik van Havre
• Price: Free
• Industry: Product design, Mechanical Engineering, Architecture
• Apple silicon support: Yes, via Rosetta 2 
• Ease of use: Steep learning curve
• Interested? Download now!

Features of FreeCAD

• Parametric modeling
• Support for numerous file formats (read and write), including DAE, IFC, OBJ, DXF, SVG, STL, IGES, STEP, etc.
• Finite element analysis (FEA)
• Dedicated Building Information Modeling (BIM)
• Robot simulation module
• Experimental computational fluid dynamics
• CAM and CNC workbenches
• 3D printing
• It offers a large array of creation and modification tools, including Boolean operations, fillet, shape cleaning, etc.
• Support for Python scripting
• APIs for robotic control and Python
• Mesh scripting and model meshing

Pros of FreeCAD

• It supports the ability to create 3D models from 2D drawings and vice versa
• FreeCAD can read and write numerous file formats
• It is free and, therefore, affordable to even those who are starting out or hobbyists
• Users can use it to generate G-code
• It allows customization
• FreeCAD supports multiple 3D stereo visualization modes

Cons of FreeCAD

• It has a steep learning curve because its interface is not user friendly or intuitive; still, you can learn FreeCAD basics in a short time
• It is slow, especially when rendering a design
• FreeCAD does not have a lasso tool
• The software easily crashes when working with large datasets
• Slow development and update rollouts

About FreeCAD

If you’re looking for a CAD option that doesn’t require you to break the bank, you can’t exactly go wrong with FreeCAD. An open source 3D parametric modeler, FreeCAD is designed to be used across a range of industries including product design, mechanical engineering and architecture. It’s also flexible and powerful enough to be a viable option for hobbyists, programmers and experienced CAD users alike.

FreeCAD boasts of the ability to design and work with real-life objects of any size—something that’s definitely worth challenging! The modeler also enables users to modify designs and change parameters by going back into model history. Like other CAD packages out there, uses can create 3D models from 2D—sketching 2D shapes and using them as a base to build other objects.

And that’s not all! FreeCAD also comes with a variety of specialist tools to the needs of users from all types of industries. You can take advantage of FEA tools, experimental CFD and BIM. One of its most interesting features has to be its robot simulation module that enables users to study robot movements. We can certainly understand why FreeCAD boasts of being the ‘Swiss Army knife of general-purpose engineering toolkits’.

13. CorelCAD

Image source: Architosh

• Operating system: Mac, Windows
• Developer: Corel Corporation
• Price: $699 (perpetual license)
• Industry: Architecture, engineering, construction, and manufacturing
• Apple silicon support: Native Apple silicon support
• Ease of use: Steep learning curve
• Interested? Try out the free trial!

Features of CorelCAD

• Layers
• Compatibility with all major CAD software
• 2D drawing tools such as object snaps, blocks, drawing constraints, dimensioning, multileader
• 3D design capabilities with support for solid, surface, mesh, and region modeling
• 2D drawing to 3D model conversion using tools such as extrude, sweep, and revolve
• Annotation and Markup, which facilitate collaboration
• Support for various file formats, including .dws, .shp, .sat, .stl, .dwg, .dwf, .pdf, .svg, .eps, and more
• Drawing compare, which enables users to track changes similar to AutoCAD’s version history
• Intuitive interface that bears some similarities to AutoCAD

Pros of CorelCAD

• Affordability over the long-term
• Drawing compare: with CorelCAD, users can easily track changes, with the software displaying the previous versions using different colors
• It natively supports Apple silicon chips
• Compatibility: it supports multiple file formats
• 3D printing support: you can export your 3D model as a .stl file

Cons of CorelCAD

• Poor after-sales services
• A steep learning curve for users who are unfamiliar with AutoCAD’s interface
• Slow when rendering 3D objects

About CorelCAD

A fan of image editors? Then you’ll probably be familiar with CorelDRAW, the vector graphics editor developed by Corel Corporation. You might not be, however, as familiar with its sister product: CorelCAD. It’s a 2D and 3D CAD software package, providing a great solution for drawing the detailed elements that are required in technical design. And, with the ability to work with DWG files, it’s a good option for designers working with other people using AutoCAD.

To start, CorelDRAW comes with a full suite of 2D drafting tools, including helix tools, advanced table tools and a MultiLeader tool that configures callouts. Using a range of 3D tools, users can then transition 2D drawings into advanced 3D designs—from EntityGrips to the handy Properties palette, users are more than equipped to move through each step of the design process. CorelCAD can, therefore, take users through from project sketches to 3D models to 3D printing. And, if you work with CorelDRAW, you can easily import your graphics to CorelCAD and convert them into 3D models.

If collaboration is important with your chosen CAD software, CorelCAD has got you covered. It enables users to streamline project sharing with internal teams and external suppliers. By working with AutoCAD’s native file format, DWG, you can be sure of worry-free collaboration with any other CAD user.

14. SketchUp Pro

Image source: Download cnet

• Operating system: Mac, Windows
• Developer: Trimble, Inc.
• Price: $695/single user; learn more about SketchUp pricing options
• Industry: Architecture, engineering, and construction
• Apple silicon support: Yes, via Rosetta 2
• Ease of use: Simple learning curve (easy to learn)
• Interested? Try out the free trial!

Features of SketchUp

• 2D design documentation
• Intuitive, customizable interface
• Inference system, which identifies important points, such as the origin, endpoint, or midpoint, alignments, and shapes
• PreDesign, which provides climate information to promote better designs, data that guide and improve design strategies, and insights on how to start the design process
• Instructor tool that teaches users how to use a specific feature (to use this tool, you must first turn it on)
• Various drawing and modification tools

Pros of SketchUp

• It supports more than 10 languages
• Ideal for the concept stage of the design process
• Intuitive user interface that allows you to learn SketchUp basics in 1 hour
• It is highly accurate and fast thanks to its inferencing capabilities
• Trimble offers plenty of learning material
• You can customize SketchUp to suit your needs. For instance, you can create keyboard shortcuts, modify the toolbar display, adjust templates, or modify settings
• It supports various import and export files, including .dwg, .dxf, .dae, .3ds, image file formats, .pdf and more

Cons of SketchUp

• Add-ons are required to execute additional design processes
• SketchUp’s Layout options are limited usability as well as offer low precision
• The performance slows down when working with heavy models that are imported from other 3D modeling software
• The .dwg export does not always work well

About SketchUp

Once known as Google SketchUp before acquisition by Trimble, Inc., SketchUp Pro is a 3D modeling tool that can be used to design simple models like construction structures, engineering components and so on. To be clear, it’s not a modeler that competes in the big leagues—it’s a good choice for CAD beginners and hobbyists, not for professionals in need of industry-standard software.

SketchUp Pro is popular for its intuitive and customizable interface—its learning curve, as you’d imagine, is very simple. With it, users can move from the concept stage of design all the way to the structure’s eventual demolition. Its best feature, however, has to be 3D Warehouse. Touted as ‘the world’s largest repository of free 3D models’, it works with SketchUp to help you find anything you could possible need—from furniture to equipment to case work.

In regards to collaboration, Trimble Connect enables users to invite people to view and edit models. You can reply to comments, assign to-dos and be sure that you’re always working with the most up-to-date version of your designs. If you’re ever unsure of changes, you can even view a history of changes for each of your models. And if you’re ever stuck on anything, you can get in touch with SketchUp’s online community who are always happy to help.

Conclusion

There are multiple CAD software options for macOS from which you can choose. For example, if you want a 2D design software, you can select DraftSight, AutoCAD, QCAD, ARES Commander, or TurboCAD Mac Pro. Alternatively, if you are in the market for a 3D modeling software, your options include ArchiCAD, Cobalt CAD, Fusion 360, Onshape, FreeCAD, Vectorworks Architect, Rhino3D, SketchUp, or CorelCAD. Each of these solutions is suited for a given function or industry. So, which is the best CAD software package based on different characteristics?

• Best 2D design software for beginners: ARES Commander
• Best 3D modeling software for beginners: Vectorworks Architect
• Best affordable CAD software for Mac: QCAD and FreeCAD
• Best overall 2D design software for Mac: AutoCAD
• Best overall 3D modeling software for Mac: Cobalt CAD
• Best CAD software package for product design and manufacturing: Fusion 360
• Best CAD software package for architecture and BIM: ArchiCAD

Looking for more top sites or software? Keep a close eye on Scan2CAD’s freebies page for articles like sites with free DXF designs and sites with free CAD blocks. 

If you’re a regular of the Scan2CAD blog, you’ll know that we like to make things nice and easy for people to follow. That’s why we’ve compiled comparisons in the past for AutoCAD and DraftSight, CATIA and SolidWorks, and AutoCAD and SolidWorks. By doing so, we can help CAD enthusiasts and beginners figure out what the real similarities and differences are between popular software packages. 

In this guide, we’ll be examining Dassault Systèmes’ market-leading product, SolidWorks, against Autodesk’s Inventor. We’ll delve into their histories, software features and lay out the key differences between the two packages.

What is SolidWorks?

History of SolidWorks

If you’re a CAD enthusiast and haven’t heard of SolidWorks, you must have been living under a rock. Known as the flagship product of Dassault Systèmes, SolidWorks’ creation actually started life outside of Dassault. It was created by SolidWorks Corporation, who had been working on it since 1993, and was finally released as the first significant 3D modeler for Windows in 1995. It ended up being a huge milestone in the evolution of CAD. And the minds behind it? A team of engineers led by Jon Hirschtick. Recognize the name? That’s because he later went on to co-found cloud-based CAD software Onshape. 

After a mere 2 years, SolidWorks was acquired by Dassault Systèmes for an eye-watering $310 million in stocks. Needless to say, it was a smart move on Dassault’s end. Whilst they already had specialist software CATIA up their sleeve, SolidWorks marked the beginning of Dassault’s dominance in the CAD industry. It’s estimated that, by 2013, over 2 million engineers and designers were using SolidWorks. And it’s only increased in recent years. 

Whilst SolidWorks started out solely as a solid modeling software, it has since grown into a full CAD and CAE program. Catering fully to the needs of engineers and designers, Dassault incorporated simulation capabilities in 2001. These were later developed to include aspects like Finite Element Analysis. In the past, SolidWorks 2018 and 2019 brought about the integration of CAM tools, the ability to make use of touch screen devices in the design process and the incorporation of AR/VR applications to virtually explore models.

And now, SolidWorks 2023, the latest version has added automation, enabling users to produce more precise drawings (create drawings that represent designs more accurately), build and modify complex structures, and better communicate sheet metal designs. Other improvements include more automated assembly management, faster assembly workflows, multi-body modeling improvements and the extensive use of coordinate systems, and more.  

What SolidWorks Does

As the name suggests, SolidWorks is a solid modeling program. Using a parametric feature-based approach, SolidWorks enables users to create models, parts and assemblies. Models in the software typically begin as a 2D sketch before the parts are extruded into 3D using a variety of SolidWorks tools.

It doesn’t matter how large the assemblies are—SolidWorks can work with them comfortably. In fact, the latest updates in SolidWorks 2023 now enable users to work with even larger assemblies, thanks to automated assembly management tools. It also enables users to save the large assemblies much more faster than before. Let’s put this into perspective for you: these large assemblies can consist of millions of components! With the software’s powerful modeling features, users can shorten product development times, speedup downstream processes, ensure design integrity of all the components thus improving quality across the board, and  improve productivity.

Of course, no matter how great the modeling capabilities are, a real CAD package is determined by its simulation tools. With that in mind, SolidWorks has a wide selection of simulation tools on offer to enable users to throw real-world conditions at their models and products. Example tools include topology optimization to provide stress and frequency constraints when optimizing parts, the ability to test for static linear, time-based motion and high-cycle fatigue, and features to assess endurance under static, thermal and buckling conditions. With SolidWorks Sustainability, users can even measure the environmental impacts of designs, including the effects of materials, assembly and disposal.

And that’s not all that SolidWorks can do! The latest updates to SolidWorks have introduced capabilities that enable users to select custom colors from any website or interface, make large design reviews, visualize and validate assemblies. The software also boasts improved 3D texture tool, better open times for large assemblies (it can open large assemblies that comprise more than 2,000 parts in less than 25 seconds, for instance), and better user experience. (You can watch this video for more on the improvements made between 2019 and 2023.)

SolidWorks also embraced the future of CAD, giving users the option to export directly to AR/VR applications in order to interact with CAD models fully immersive, virtual environment. This capability is based on the fact that the software supports collaboration with eDrawings, a 2D and 3D design communication tool that delivers a robust offering of collaborative toolsets, including AR and VR design reviews. Other tools include Product Data Management solutions—improving the way teams manage and collaborate on product development—and innovative visualization capabilities.

Who Uses SolidWorks

It’s safe to say that SolidWorks boasts of one of the biggest user communities in the CAD industry. This comes as no real surprise, given the sheer number of tools and capabilities that this software suite boasts. And it’s showing no signs of stopping anytime soon, with new users joining daily. Looking to join the fold? It’s easy enough—just catch up on our guide to learning the SolidWorks basics in one hour.

SolidWorks has a place in any industry looking for solutions to engineering problems. In fact, it’s been a presence in almost every field related to 3D technology, including both the public and private spheres. The British Ministry of Defense, for example, have used SolidWorks in the past to design strategic defense equipment, arms, vehicles and vessels. Additional industries include research and education, making use of SolidWorks to access the latest in engineering technology and gain skills needed by those in engineering industries.

Whether it’s aerospace and defense, electronics or packaging machinery, SolidWorks comes with a range of industry-specific tools and capabilities to meet various needs, including:

• 2D and 3D CAD: create and markup DWG CAD drawings, and create 3D designs and products
• CAM: integrate design and manufacturing in a single application
• Collaboration: engage with your team, management and customers throughout the product development process using integrated tools
• Electrical design: simplify the design process with specific tools for engineers working with electrical system design
• PDM: quickly manage data files and documentation to increase productivity and improve product quality
• Simulation: providing users with a range of analysis tools to predict a product’s real-world behavior
• Visualization: turn models into full, photo-quality images, animations and interactive AR/VR content

What is Autodesk Inventor?

History of Autodesk Inventor

Whilst not, perhaps, seen as Autodesk’s flagship product—a title that undoubtedly goes to the ever-popular AutoCAD—Autodesk Inventor is a frontrunner for those in the mechanical engineering industry. The product was first released to the public in 1999. Before it came into being, however, Autodesk had its own 3D parametric tool called Designer, later evolving into a mechanical desktop design tool. Despite its capabilities, it didn’t even come close to SolidWorks—many Autodesk employees, including Jay Tedeschi, urged Autodesk to purchase the groundbreaking software. Just imagine what the CAD industry would have looked like then! Instead, Autodesk looked towards creating a competitor in the form of Autodesk Inventor.

According to Tedeschi, Inventor was one of the first design tools to implement a ‘unique methodology for making geometric edits’. It would load complex assemblies in next to no time at all by segmenting the graphical data from the model data. In short, it enabled the graphics of the part to load separately, away from the ‘clunkier’ material and geometric data. It’s safe to say, these features were “revolutionary to the engineering workflow’.

In no time at all, Autodesk Inventor slowly began to catch up to its main competitor: Dassault’s SolidWorks. In fact, it still stands as such today.

What Autodesk Inventor Does

Autodesk Inventor is a 2D and 3D mechanical design, simulation, visualization and documentation software package. Similarly to SolidWorks, Inventor focuses on parametric modeling—enabling users to create solid models and sheet metal components—making use of Autodesk’s proprietary geometric modeling kernel, ShapeManager. Beyond parametric modeling options, Inventor also provides direct edit and freeform modeling tools.

As with SolidWorks, Inventor enables users to work with larger assemblies—taking advantage of the software’s intuitive design environment to develop initial concept sketches and kinematic models of parts and assemblies. With time being of the essence for any mechanical engineer, Inventor speeds up design processes by automating aspects like the advanced geometry creation of intelligent parts, e.g., steel frames, rotating machinery and wire harnesses.

Like any CAD software worth its salt, Autodesk Inventor comes armed with a wide range of simulation tools to help engineers create the perfect product and minimize manufacturing costs. Additionally, its capabilities include part and assembly-level motion simulation and stress analysis functionality. Users can simulate stress, deflection and motion to test their designs and models in real-world conditions before they’re even produced.

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg for Autodesk Inventor. Users can improve design workflows by making use of additional design tools, such as add-ins like sheet metal, injection molds, chains and frame design. And, with features like shared view collaboration, anyone can review and comment on shared models in Autodesk viewer.

Who Uses Autodesk Inventor

Autodesk has a wide range of software packages on offer—AutoCAD is easily its most popular flagship product, with thousands of users using it worldwide. Despite its wide capabilities, however, AutoCAD falls short when it comes to aspects like mechanical engineering. That’s where Autodesk Inventor comes in. Offering more specialized, mechanical toolsets, Inventor bridges the gap between design, engineering and manufacturing.

Autodesk Inventor is used in mechanical engineering, tool making, sheet metal processing, plant construction, and a whole lot more. Almost any industry that designs and manufactures mechanical or electrical products uses Inventor. As a product that can control design, prototype and manufacturing costs, it’s easy to see why. Let’s take DIS-TRAN, for example. This company provides steel and equipment for constructing high-voltage, open-air substations. With Inventor, they can shorten lead times in engineering and design by 20%!

As with any other product from CAD giant Autodesk, Inventor comes with a vast range of specialized tools and features to take product design to the next level:

• Product design: create 3D objects using parametric modeling and put models together in fewer steps with assembly modeling
• Collaboration and design automation: collaboration is made simple with shared view and automated frame design enables users to design and test structures quickly
• Modeling: includes flexible, direct, freeform and parametric modeling—allowing users to design complex products that conform to company standards
• Interoperability: design can be shared in the cloud, data management is made simple with Autodesk’s Vault
• Simulation: models can be tested in real-world conditions with stress analysis and dynamic simulation
• Visualization: see how products and models look in real-world scenarios with visualization and rendering tools

SolidWorks vs Autodesk Inventor

So, we’ve summed up both products—looking at histories, product descriptions and users—but when it comes to SolidWorks vs Inventor, which comes out on top? We’ve broken down the main features and differences between both products in the sections below:

General Features and Differences: SolidWorks vs Autodesk Inventor

In recent years, the gap between SolidWorks and Inventor has narrowed to the point in which there aren’t that many differences between the two. In most cases, it’s completely down to personal preference. SolidWorks is an industry-standard choice, offering specialist software with an easier learning curve. Autodesk Inventor, by comparison, offers architectural capabilities and student licensing.

Pricing: SolidWorks vs Autodesk Inventor

From the table above, it is clear that SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor use different pricing strategies. SolidWorks is available on both a perpetual license as well as an annual subscription model, while Autodesk Inventor’s pricing is based on a subscription model wherein users have to pay a fee every month, year, or after three years. The annual subscription prices are summarized in the table below:

Based on the pricing comparison table above, SolidWorks is cheaper than Autodesk Inventor. SolidWorks annual subscription stands at $1,995.00 compared to Inventor’s $2,300.00. At the same time, the lifetime cost of SolidWorks (based on the prices of the perpetual licenses) is much lower than the lifetime cost of Inventor’s subscription licenses. SolidWorks pricing for its perpetual licenses is as follows:

• SolidWorks 3D CAD Standard – $4,195.00
• SolidWorks 3D CAD Professional – $5,765.00
• SolidWorks 3D CAD Premium – $8,395.00

Collaboration: SolidWorks vs Autodesk Inventor

Both SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor feature dedicated tools for collaboration. For example, SolidWorks offers the eDrawings tool that enables CAD professionals to collaborate, communicate, and share designs with precision and accuracy. This tool supports AR and VR design reviews as well as interactions with customers. In addition, designers, engineers, and manufacturers can publish and email compact eDrawings files rather than CAD files. (eDrawings files reduce the bandwidth requirements by over 95%.) These capabilities help accelerate the design and manufacturing process.

In addition, the cloud-based 3DEXPERIENCE SolidWorks Platform brings designers, suppliers, and clients together. It facilitates real-time collaboration, cloud-based data management, and low IT costs, as there is no need to set up a server or update the software.

On the other hand, Autodesk Inventor supports Autodesk Shared View. This collaboration tool enables users to share designs using a secure web link that can be accessed from any device. In addition to enabling other parties, such as clients, to view and review the designs, Autodesk Share View also allows them to add comments and redline sections. The shared view expires after 30 days.

Autodesk Inventor also promotes collaboration through Building Information Modeling (BIM) for manufacturing. The Autodesk Inventor BIM exchange tools enable users to create BIM objects from their manufacturing tools and participate in BIM projects.

Compatibility: SolidWorks vs Autodesk Inventor

SolidWorks is compatible with other CAD software. It allows users to import drawings, parts, and assemblies from the software and file formats in the table below:

The Autodesk Inventor BIM exchange tools enable designers and engineers to coordinate their designs by opening 3D models from other Autodesk programs, such as Revit, directly inside Inventor. This software also supports the importation of third-party files for use as reference models. For example, users can import files from Fusion 360, NX, Revit, Solid Edge, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Creo, Pro/ENGINEER, CATIA, and NX. Additionally, it supports the STEP data exchange file format.

System Requirements: SolidWorks vs Autodesk Inventor

No matter which software package you choose, however, Scan2CAD can help streamline your workflow. Looking to use your old drawings in SolidWorks or Inventor? With Scan2CAD, you can convert your raster to DXF or DWG and begin drafting right away!

Want to stay updated on all the latest CAD news and guides? Keep a close eye on the Scan2CAD blog!

In September’s edition, we’ll be looking at Dassault Systèmes’ 2019 launch of flagship product SolidWorks. We’ll then move onto strong competitor Autodesk, who have plenty up their sleeve—from a new pricing structure for Fusion 360 to new features for PowerMill 2019. If that wasn’t enough to whet your CAD appetite, Vectorworks have also announced the launch of their latest version of their eponymous product, which we’ll also be exploring. 

We’ll round things off with a quick look at the first CAD business to reach the Forbes Cloud 100 list. Hint: they’re renowned for being the first cloud-based CAD software solution.

Dassault Systèmes introduces SolidWorks 2019

CAD giant Dassault Systèmes announced the launch of SolidWorks 2019 on September 14, leaving users scrambling to get their hands on its latest features. Indeed, there’s plenty to occupy all users. The main focus of this new release appears to be on improving day-to-day productivity for all customers. So, how exactly do Dassault aim to do this?

New features focus directly on improving functionality for customers. As a result, they’ll be able to take their ideas and transform them into innovative products quickly. The latest changes for SolidWorks include: 

• Improvement in quality: faster download of Installation Manager, smarter drawing updates to reduce drawings rebuilds, performance improvements in the eDrawings graphics display and a new open progress dialog for drawings. 
• Assembly performance: graphics performance gains and optimized workflows, meaning users can design complex assemblies with great ease. Additionally, users can leverage the Large Design Review Mode to open and work with assemblies in seconds. 
• New technology: the latest release includes SolidWorks Extended Reality (XR) which gives users a way to interact with their CAD models. This enables users to export files directly to AR/VR applications and virtually explore models. By opening assemblies in eDrawings Professional, users can view their models in a VR environment. 
• New attention to detail: enhancements have been made to make it easier for users to obtain a better digital representation of their designs—including, but not limited to, features like Tab and Slot, as well as new Mesh Modeling capabilities. 

We won’t spoil too much for you, though—we’ll be delving further into SolidWorks 2019 next month!

Autodesk introduces new pricing structure for Fusion 360

Fusion 360—one of Autodesk’s popular software packages—is undergoing a pricing restructure from October 7. Until now, Autodesk offered Standard and Ultimate editions of the ever-popular CAD/CAM design software, Fusion 360. So, what’s set to change for this two-tier licensing model?

To eradicate confusion, Autodesk is replacing the current pricing model with a single Fusion 360 subscription. It will cost users a much cheaper price of $495 a year. Worried that Autodesk might limit Fusion 360’s features with this new subscription? You’ll be pleased to hear that this new package will include every feature currently offered by the Ultimate edition. So, what exactly does this include? 

Generative design capabilities will be at your fingertips—putting the “aid” back in Computer Aided Design by letting designers “evaluate the trade-offs between manufacturability, materials and performance”. Users can also take advantage of advanced CAM capabilities (including 5-axis machining), simulation functionalities, and much more. Bear in mind, however, that in order to run generative design and advanced simulation studies, you will need cloud credits. 

And that’s not all! To thank current subscribers of Fusion 360 Standard, Autodesk is allowing them to maintain their subscription at their current price, for as long as they’re a subscriber. Existing Fusion 360 Ultimate subscribers will be able to enjoy the same functionality, but at a more accessible price. In short, everyone wins!

New features added to PowerMill 2019

Not content to rest on its laurels, Autodesk has also announced the introduction of new features to PowerMill 2019—the ultimate CAM solution for high-speed and 5-axis machining. The aim of these new features? To enable creators to harness the power of the cloud, streamline production processes and press ahead in the competitive industry of digital manufacturing. 

Key changes for PowerMill 2019.1 include: 

• Introduction of surface proving: this will enable spindle mounted probes to measure parts during manufacturing. Users can also look at and share 3D inspection reports via Autodesk Drive. This makes it easier to find and address quality issues quickly. 
• Improved interactive collision management: helping programmers to identify and avoid collisions—or near-misses—with cutting tool assembly. This, in turn, will speed up production time. 
• Easier roughing toolpath calculation: enabling users to begin making chips sooner. 
• Enhanced machining setup: this new feature reduces the time needed to programme machined components that use multiple fixtures and operations. 
• Increase in efficiency with adaptive clearing: the “Vortex from Stock” roughing strategy now supports a stepover of up to 99% of the tool diameter. This means you’ll get shorter cycle times when using indexable cutters. 
• Inclusion of a “pattern-turning” toolpath type: giving programmers more choice and flexibility when driving mill-turn machinery. 

Indeed, Clinton Perry, PowerMill product manager at Autodesk, says, “This new release will serve the existing needs of PowerMill users, while also enabling them to take advantage of the power of the cloud to ensure a more efficient, safe and accurate machining”. 

Vectorworks 2019 released

September appears to be a busy month for CAD giants, with Vectorworks also releasing a 2019 edition of their flagship product. Launched on September 12, this new version includes updates to all add-ons: Architect, Spotlight, Landmark, Fundamentals, Designer, Bracework and Vision. Vectorworks certainly didn’t disappoint with this launch—looking at feedback from users to introduce “significantly faster workflows and improved software performance”. 

Time is of the essence, as any CAD user knows. That’s why the latest Vectorworks release now comes with multiple core support in the Vectorworks Graphics Module. This allows users to enjoy significantly faster workflows and improved software performance. This support enables Vectorworks to take advantage of all available CPU cores with increased usage of FPU on sheet layers. In short, workflows will feel much faster. 

Vectorworks Architect and Landmark users will now be able to experience improved BIM capabilities—with enhanced openBIM interoperability and the ability to view BIM objects with varying levels of detail in plan, elevation and section drawings. Vectorworks Spotlight users will get their hands on the new My Virtual Rig (MVR) import and export file format, and see enhancements to 3D modeling with tools and commands. Additional new capabilities include support for bridle analysis, improved user interface and more refined renderings.

Want a more in-depth look at Vectorworks 2019? Keep your eyes peeled for our article next month, focusing on the Vectorworks 2019 launch!

Onshape named on the annual Forbes Cloud 100

For the second consecutive year now, cloud-based powerhouse Onshape has been named on the annual Forbes Cloud 100—the A-list for the best and brightest of private cloud computing companies. 

Forbes compiled this list by looking at metrics like revenue and sales growth. They also took into consideration recommendations from 34 CEOs of public cloud companies. The Cloud 100 traditionally covers a range of fields including analytics, security, HR, finance, marketing and so on. Fellow companies sharing the spotlight include: Slack, Stripe, Zapier and Drift. 

Jon Hirschtick, Onshape CEO and co-founder, says “We’re honored that Onshape is the only CAD company included in the Forbes Cloud 100.” So, how did they manage this impressive feat two years in a row? Hirschtick thinks he has the answer: “it’s no coincidence that we rely on many of our fellow companies in the Forbes Cloud 100 such as Stripe, Slack, Fuze, Drift, Zapier and Looker, to work faster ourselves.” Essentially, making the most of what successful companies have to offer pays off in the long run! 

One thing’s for sure, Onshape doesn’t seem like it’s stopping to rest anytime soon. We certainly look forward to hearing more about this cloud-based giant in the near future! 

Scan2CAD’s latest article gives you a list of the top 10 highest paid jobs in CAD—complete with average salaries, necessary qualifications. and job outlooks. 

The salaries for CAD jobs can vary depending on which field you work in, e.g., engineering, designing or drafting. These salaries can also fluctuate depending on how much experience you’ve had, what additional qualifications you have and even where your job is located. We look at these aspects in much more depth in our handy article on CAD salaries. 

We’ve provided median salaries for each of the top jobs available in CAD, which will vary depending on the factors mentioned above. To give you a better look at how much these salaries can vary, however, we’ve also included percentile wages. 

Without further ado, here are the top 10 highest paid jobs in CAD…

Top 10 Highest Paying CAD Jobs in 2022

1. Electrical and Electronics Engineers ($107,890)

Electrical and electronics engineers work on designing and developing the manufacturing of electrical equipment like communications systems. Throughout the work process, they need to stick to industry standards and safety regulations. CAD can play a strong role in the work of electrical engineers—giving them the ability to generate electrical and electronic diagrams quickly and efficiently. 

According to the latest statistics from BLS, the top-paying industry for electrical engineers is research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences, with median annual wages of $125,080. Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing comes in second with median annual wages of $107,190. 

The highest paying industry for electronics engineers is navigation, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing, with median annual wages of $128,560. Second placed semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing has annual median wages of $128,330.

California tops the list of the states with the highest wages for both electrical engineers and electronics engineers. Here, the former group earns $126,640 on average, while the latter takes home $130,330.

Percentile wages for Electrical Engineers

Source: BLS

Percentile wages for Electronics Engineers

Source: BLS

2. Mechanical Engineer ($97,000)

Mechanical engineers plan and design tools, engines and machines—essentially, most mechanical devices. To ensure the safety and efficiency of each product designed, mechanical engineers are also responsible for testing prototypes—analyzing aspects like stress. They also oversee the installation and operation of equipment like centralized heating, for example.

Mechanical engineers in the scientific research and development services industry have a better chance of a higher pay, with a median annual wage of $102,050. As for the top paying state for this occupation, California is top of the list with an annual mean wage of $113,130.

Percentile wages for mechanical engineers

Source: BLS

3. Civil Engineer ($95,490)

Civil engineers plan, design and oversee the construction of building structures and facilities—including roads, channels, pipelines and sewage systems. Projects range from small-scale repairs to large-scale structures like airports. Using CAD software, civil engineers can create and redesign structures over and over until they get the perfect output.

The industry with the highest published wages for civil engineers is listed as federal government, excluding postal services according to the BLS—offering median annual wages of $100,730. As with electrical engineers and mechanical, California is the top paying state for civil engineers, with an annual mean wage of $109,890. 

Percentile wages for civil engineers

Source: BLS

4. Industrial Engineer ($95,200)

At the forefront of the work of industrial engineers is the search for eliminating wastefulness in all production processes. They work on increasing efficiency in workplaces and logistics by improving worker training, maintenance and production coordination. Industrial engineers are also responsible for determining the quality and reliability of products—making use of CAD’s FEA capabilities.

BLS states that the top paying industry for industrial engineers is computer and electronic product manufacturing, offering a median annual wage of $99,340. And the top paying state for industrial engineers? California comes out on top with an annual mean wage of $108,330.

Percentile wages for industrial engineers

Source: BLS

5. Architect ($91,900)

Architects are responsible for planning and designing structures that can range from residences to offices to large-scale factories. Detail is key with architects—dimensions and materials have to be specified to the ultimate level of precision. CAD software plays a large role in architecture—to get a better look, you might want to check out how the architectural industry uses CAD. 

According to the latest stats released by the BLS, the top paying industry for architects is government—the median annual wage for which comes out at $99,330. As for the top paying state for this occupation, New York heads the list with an annual mean wage of $103,340.

Percentile wages for architects

Source: BLS

6. Industrial Designer ($79,680)

Industrial engineers develop and design manufactured products. The beauty of this job is that industrial engineers can be involved in anything from cars to children’s toys—it’s just that versatile. Of course, not only do these products need to be functional, they also need to be aesthetically pleasing and in line with production cost budgets.

If you’re looking for the industry that pays the most for industrial designers, architectural, engineering, and related services come out on top with a median annual wage of $81,230. As for the top paying state, California reigns supreme, offering a mean annual wage of $93,170.

Percentile wages for industrial designers

Source: BLS

7. Electrical and Electronics Drafter ($67,090)

Electrical drafters prepare a variety of diagrams for electrical engineers, ranging from wiring to circuit board assembly. The diagrams they design will eventually be used for the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment and wiring systems for power plants, factories and much more.

Electrical drafters looking to join the fold of the highest paying industries should set their sights on architectural, engineering, and related services—coming out with a median annual wage of $60,460. Wondering which state comes out on top for paying the most? New York is top of the board, with a mean annual wage of $78,230.

Percentile wages for electrical and electronics drafters

Source: BLS

8. Mechanical Drafter ($62,650)

Mechanical drafters often work hand-in-hand with mechanical engineers when creating and preparing repairs for mechanical devices. Mechanical drafters also develop diagrams for machinery and mechanical devices. These diagrams require a high level of precision—drafters need to specify factors like dimensions and fastening methods.

The top paying industry for mechanical drafters is architectural, engineering, and related services with an annual mean wage of $60,460. The highest paying state for mechanical drafters is California yet again, with an annual mean wage of $71,550.

Percentile wages for mechanical drafters

Source: BLS

9. Interior Designer ($62,570)

Interior designers plan, design and furnish the interiors of residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Interior designers have to look at every aspect involved in the furnishing, from color to materials to the placement in the room. Most importantly, the design needs to be both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

If you’re looking to find the most profitable industry for interior designs, keep your eyes peeled on the architectural, engineering, and related services sector – latest statistics place the median annual wages at $63,210. Wholesale trade comes in second with median annual wages of $61,820. 

New York is the highest paying state with interior designers there earning $72,220 on average. California is second with annual mean wages of $70,290, followed by Illinois with $63,270.

Percentile wages for interior designers

Source: BLS

10. Architectural and Civil Drafters ($60,620)

Architectural and civil drafters create and develop drawings of structures and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects like highways and bridges. A lot of this work will involve long hours spent surveying prospective project areas, documenting the stages of developing structures and much more.

Architectural and civil drafters looking to rake in the cash might want to look towards architectural, engineering, and related services—offering a median annual wage of $60,460. And the most profitable location for these drafters? California, once again, coming out with an annual mean wage of $66,140.

Percentile wages for architectural and civil drafters

Source: BLS

Parting Shot

If you are considering a career path in the CAD industry, you could be looking for a job that pays the highest wages. In that case, you could begin that journey by taking a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering. And if you are looking to settle in a state that pays the highest wages for your profession, consider California or New York. But keep in mind that the former is listed as one of the most expensive states to live in.

Of the various high-paying CAD jobs discussed in this article, the industrial engineering field is projected to witness the highest growth rate at 14%. Civil engineering is poised to see the second-highest growth, with BLS estimating that it will grow at 8%. At the same time, however, some fields are expected to experience stagnation or downright decline. Interior design, for example, will not experience any growth, while mechanical drafting is projected to decline by 5%.

In summary, here’s a breakdown of the best CAD jobs for each category (based on the salary):

• Best engineering job: Electrical and electronics engineering
• Best drafting job: Electrical and electronics drafting
• Best design job: Industrial design

If you like to use specific CAD software, like AutoCAD, you might be wondering if there are any job opportunities available. If that’s the case, you might want to take a look at our articles on AutoCAD careers or SolidWorks careers.

In this article, we’ll go through everything you need to know about converting text in your PDF files—from why it’s necessary to how the process works. We’ll also delve into the importance of OCR technology. 

Table of Contents

• Video: How to convert text in a PDF
• What is a PDF?
  • Raster text
  • Vector text
• Raster text vs. vector text
• Can’t I just use an online converter?
• What is OCR?
• Get the best conversion result
• Convert text in your PDF with Scan2CAD

Video: How to convert text in a PDF

What is a PDF?

Before we start explaining what OCR is (don’t be too intimidated if it’s an unfamiliar term), we’re going to delve into the PDF file format—what makes it so special and why it can be tricky to work with.

Believe it or not, PDFs have been around since 1993! Yes, they’ve had a pretty lengthy run so far. As we’ve said, the PDF file format is quite easily one of the most versatile and ubiquitous around. With most file formats, there are limitations with compatibility. For example, you might find it difficult to open a TIFF file that someone has sent you. PDFs, by comparison, have the edge—they can be opened on virtually any device. Not only that, but they display documents in the same manner, no matter what you’re opening them with—a far cry from formats like Microsoft Word’s .doc.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the PDF format, however, has to be its ability to support both raster and vector elements. But what exactly is the difference between raster and vector? Let’s take a look…

Raster text

Raster text is made up purely of pixels—tiny squares of color that become more apparent as you change the size of the text. The issue here, then, is that raster text has no structure—it’s just pixels. As such, you’ll find it difficult to edit raster text. To do so, you’d have to use a paint brush or erase specific sections. It’s essentially like painting over an entire canvas—you can’t make changes to individual sections. 

If that wasn’t enough to give you trouble with text in your PDF, raster text comes with an even wider range of issues. You’ll find it impossible to combat pixelation when attempting to zoom into or resize your raster text. Additionally, you won’t be able to attach any data to your text—or edit it within CAD software.

This raster version of a floorplan is not editable nor scalable.

Vector text

Vector text, on the other hand, is in a world of its own. If you’re looking to edit individual elements of our text, vector is the way to go.

Each element within vector text is mathematically defined. This means that it’s infinitely scalable—you can zoom in or resize as much as you’d like, with absolutely no impact on the text. As a result, you won’t have to worry about any degradation in quality. 

And that’s not all. Vector text is also incredibly easy to edit. Unlike raster text, you can change individual elements within your vector text. So, if you’ve got a typo or you’re looking to add more text, you can do it quickly and efficiently. Even more handily, you can easily take the elements you like and reuse them in other drawings or PDFs. 

Meanwhile, you can edit this vector version of a floorplan in CAD software.

Raster text vs. Vector text

Choosing whether to convert raster text to vector all depends on what type of PDF drawings you’re using. If, for example, you’re sharing technical drawings in the PDF file format, you’ll probably need them to be editable in CAD software. To do so, you’ll need your raster text in a vector format.

Why you should avoid raster text in your PDF files….

• It can’t be edited—making it a pain if you discover a typo or you realize you need to add more text.
• It’s resolution dependent—if you decide to change the scale, you’ll have to deal with pixelation.
• You can’t attach any additional data.

Why you should use vector text in your PDF files instead…

• It can be edited—whether it’s to shorten your text or elaborate on a point, it’s as easy as pie!
• It’s infinitely scalable—you don’t have to worry about your text losing quality. 
• You can attach additional data to your text object.

Needless to say, using vector text in your PDF files will make your life easier—cutting your workload in half, if you end up needing to make alterations to any of your PDF files. So, if you’ve got a PDF file containing raster text, you’ve come to the right place—we’ll show you how you can use Scan2CAD’s OCR capabilities to convert text in your PDF.

Can’t I just use an online converter?

You’re probably wondering if it might not just be simpler to use an online converter—rather than use Scan2CAD and learn what OCR actually is. We’ll make it short and sweet: you’d be better off avoiding online converters altogether. 

Most conversion software you’ll come across will struggle when it comes to raster text. In most cases, they’re not advanced enough to differentiate between text and images. Your text will instead be converted to simple vector shapes—like angles and arcs. This is otherwise known as exploded text: 

Example of exploded text. The characters are formed of vector shapes rather than actual text.

Not only is this not actual text, it’s also incredibly difficult to edit. This makes the entire conversion process redundant. Instead, you want a converter that will give you text strings, as Scan2CAD does: 

Example of vector text strings. This is the desired result of vectorization because they can be edited and displayed correctly.

As a market-leading raster to vector conversion software, you can be sure that Scan2CAD has what it takes to convert text in your PDF to vector. Using OCR technology, Scan2CAD can produce impeccable results.

What is OCR?

Optical Character Recognition is industry-leading technology that enables Scan2CAD to detect any raster text in your file and subsequently convert it to vector text. Though it might sound pretty simple, it can oftentimes be a bit more difficult depending on the situation. 

For starters, there are hundreds of font styles out there—making it pretty tricky for some computers to recognize letters. Take the example of the letter ‘g’ below…

Easy, right? Wrong. Computers find it difficult to figure out what the image represents. You’ve probably come across this problem before if you’ve ever attempted to convert text with an online converter—the converter, more often than not, will give you a garbled output, as a result of it not recognizing your text. 

And that’s where OCR technology saves the day! OCR works by teaching itself to learn and recognize the shape of each letter. Once it does so, it will be able to detect them when they show up in any image. It’s so advanced that it can work on a feature detection basis. 

Of course, as groundbreaking as OCR is, that’s not to say it can work with any raster text—which is why we created our own raster text quality checklist…

Get the best conversion result

Before we get into the thick of Scan2CAD’s conversion process, we first have to look at the ways in which you can increase your chances of a successful conversion. To put it simply, you need to ensure that your drawing is viable. If your text suffers from any of the following issues, you’re probably going to struggle with getting a decent output…

Raster images with any of these problems are unlikely to convert successfully.

As incredible as Scan2CAD’s OCR technology is, it still has limitations. As such, you should try to ensure you’re working with a high quality PDF—the raster text should be clean and crisp. Additionally, you need to meet a few conditions…

Is your text legible?

If the raster text in your PDF file is of poor quality, you’re probably better off replacing it entirely. If you’re unable to read it, for example, how do you expect the OCR technology to do so? To remedy this, you can retype your text manually in Scan2CAD. 

Are the text characters touching?

Scan2CAD won’t be able to recognize text characters that are touching. If you don’t want to have to manually retype your text, you can use software like Scan2CAD which will automatically split the text characters during the OCR process. 

Is the text written over other drawing elements?

It can be difficult for Scan2CAD to recognize raster text in a PDF if it’s written over drawing elements. Similarly, Scan2CAD will struggle if your text is underlined or inside a box. 

Is the text at more than one orientation?

If you’ve got text displayed in your PDF at different orientations, it would be more challenging to use OCR compared to a file with all text at horizontal rotation. Fortunately, good OCR software will support text at multiple locations.

Convert text in your PDF with Scan2CAD

Prepare your image

To ensure you get the best possible output, you should clean up your image before you begin the conversion process. Scan2CAD’s got its own suite of ‘Raster Effects’ that can help you remove any image distortion and clean image noise. 

Choose conversion settings

To start the process along, you’ll need to click the convert icon: 

Once you’ve done so, the Vectorization Settings dialog box will launch. You can choose to select ‘Vectorize‘, ‘OCR‘ or ‘Vectorize and OCR‘, depending on what type of drawing you’re working with. 

If you’re converting text only, then you should select ‘OCR’. If, on the other hand, you’re converting a raster image along with text, then ‘Vectorize and OCR’ is your go-to option. Got a PDF containing vector text and raster text? Not to worry: Scan2CAD can convert the raster text and combine it with existing vector elements. 

No matter which conversion option you pick, you’ll need to look at OCR settings under the ‘OCR’ tab. Here, you need to specify the size and rotation of the text in your image. 

Convert

Once you’re happy with the settings, it’s time to click ‘Run‘. Wait for the conversion process to finish and look at the resulting output in the preview window. Not happy? Alter the settings and run the conversion again until you’ve got the output you require—then click ‘OK‘ to save your vector text. 

And that’s all there is to it!

Scan2CAD’s latest guide is here to give you the information you need to invest in the right keyboard for CAD. We’ll look at factors you need to consider when looking at prospective keyboards before finishing off with our top picks. Let’s get started!

Is There a Keyboard for CAD?

If you’re a regular at the Scan2CAD blog, you’ll know that there are computer mice made especially for use with CAD, much like the 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse. Interestingly, however, there’s no such thing as a “CAD keyboard”. That is, you won’t find a keyboard that’s been specially optimized for work with CAD.

Of course, that’s not to say that you should use just any old keyboard. If you’re really looking to increase your productivity, you should eschew your old keyboard and invest in one that is more durable, comfortable, and suited to your purposes. There’s certainly a variety of advanced, mechanical and gaming keyboards that can be used well in conjunction with CAD drafting and design. While some might be a costly investment, they have the potentially to dramatically improve your working experience.

Factors to Consider When Buying a Keyboard for CAD

1. Wired vs. Wireless

It’s a debate we explored when looking at top CAD mouses. The choice, of course, all depends on how you use your keyboard and what your preferences are.

A lot of CAD users opt for wired keyboards—connected to their workstation via USB—because they don’t have to worry about battery life. It also eliminates the issues of lag or interference. The obvious disadvantage to wired keyboards, however, is the added clutter to the workspace. If you’ve already got dozens of wires on your desk, you hardly want to add another to your collection. It also requires you to have a free USB port to plug it in.

If you’re looking to free up desk space, however, wireless is the way to go. This is especially useful if you tend to require more space when you’re drafting in CAD. That being said, you might have to deal with connectivity issues somewhere along the way—not to mention keeping an eye on battery life. If the thought of your keyboard disconnecting whilst you’re in the middle of drafting has you breaking out in a sweat, perhaps wired is the better option.

2. Key Switches

Image source: trulyergonomic

This is a particularly strong factor that many take into consideration when picking their next keyboard. You might not have thought much about the mechanics and components that make up a “simple” keyboard before, but that certainly doesn’t mean you should overlook them now. A key switch is a mechanism inside of a key that determines when you press it. As simple as it might sound, the type of key switches a keyboard has will impact its durability and longevity.

There are several main types of key switches:

• Silicone dome switches are the least expensive of all the options. They require you to press the key fully to the bottom in order for them to fully register when you’ve typed. As a result, however, they tend to wear out faster—waning in responsiveness.
• Scissor switches have a mechanism that allows for a stable key with a low profile. They’re used in most modern laptops in circulation. A major benefit of these switches is that you don’t have to press the keys down as far, resulting in enhanced durability.
• Mechanical switches are far more durable than the other options, and don’t require as much depression; they’re actuated by physical metallic contact. Mechanical switches also tend to be easier to repair. They’re a great option if you’re using your keyboard heavily—for CAD, gaming and much more. There are different mechanical switches on offer, providing different responses and sounds. The most popular types include: MX Red, MX Brown and MX Blue. (No matter which color you opt for, the keys and mechanisms are much sturdier. This sturdiness comes with a higher price tag, however.)
  • Red: low-noise switches deliver a more linear keypress for rapid-fire actuation
  • Brown: low-noise switches that have a tactile bump for feedback with every keypress
  • Blue: “clicky” tactile switches that are optimized for rapid command entry
• Butterfly switches: Popularized by Apple in its MacBook laptop computers, butterfly switches comprise two arms attached using a hinge mechanism forming a u or v shape. When pressed, both arms depress a short distance downwards, enabling actuation. Apple introduced these switches to take advantage of the short travel, which enabled them to make thinner devices. The company, however, ditched the switches because they were prone to issues.
• Optical switches: These switches actuate via a light beam. Inside one side of the switch is the source of the light beam, which is restricted from traveling to the other side of the switch’s stem. But pressing the key exposes a gap within the stem, which allows the beam to pass to the other side, causing the actuation. Correspondingly, a signal is sent to your computer to register the keypress. There are two main types of optical switches:
  • Clicky optical switches
  • Linear optical switches
• Hall Effect Switches: These switches induce actuation via an induced magnetic field/magnetism. The stem of a Hall effect switch is embedded with a tiny magnet. It also features a hall effect sensor positioned perpendicularly to the magnetic field. When the key is pressed, the distance between the sensor and the magnet decreases, with the sensor detecting a stronger magnetic field than before. It registers this stronger magnetic field in terms of the voltage difference. This change in voltage is registered as a keystroke.

The type of switch impacts the noise level and durability of the keyboard, which are themselves vital considerations when shopping for a keyboard for CAD and work.

3. Comfort

If you’re working with CAD, then the odds are that you’re spending hours every day at your workstation. Using traditional keyboards for this length of time can cause a lot of strain, leading to discomfort and prolonged pain. To combat this, you might want to look at an ergonomic keyboard. It’s a comfortable alternative and can increase your productivity. After all, you won’t mind spending as much time at your workstation if you’re not straining as much. Typical features of ergonomic keyboards include a split design layout, cushioned palm rest and an adjustable tilt.

Of course, it’s important that you test out your keyboard as much as you can when you first purchase it. It can take a while to get used to a new design and layout, but if it does end up causing you discomfort, you don’t want to lose all your money because you didn’t realize until after the refund period.

4. Price

This, of course, is one of the biggest factors to take into consideration when choosing the right keyboard for CAD. While it might be tempting to go for the cheapest option, you’ve got to bear in mind the other factors that come into it. If you pick the cheapest keyboard, then it is unlikely to be durable, and you’ll end up having to replace it again.

Whilst mechanical keyboards might seem a bit too pricey, bear in mind that they come with longevity and durability. Given how much you’re likely to be using your keyboard, it’s worth making an investment. Of course, it does depend entirely on what you’re using CAD for. If you’re a casual hobbyist, it’s probably not worthwhile forking out over $100 for a keyboard. On the other hand, if CAD is your career, then spending that extra dough could be a small price to pay.

5. Layout

Keyboards come in different sizes. In all, there are four different keyboard layouts or sizes:

• Full size: A full-size keyboard has all the keys, including a number pad, arrow keys, navigation keys, as well as all letters, numbers, function-row keys, and modifiers.
• 1800 layout (96%): A keyboard with this layout features all of the keys found in a full-sized keyboard, albeit in a smaller footprint/body. The keys in an 1800 layout keyboard are smashed together, so they occupy less space. It, therefore, uses some non-standard key sizes, making it a tad harder to find replacement keycaps.
• Tenkeyless (80%): A tenkeyless keyboard does not have a number pad but has all the other keys.
• Compact (60% – 74%): Compact keyboards do not have a number pad and often feature either the function-row or arrow keys, but not both.

Most CAD professionals prefer the full-size keyboard, as they frequently use the number pad and other keys.

If you’re concerned about the prospect of making the wrong decision, then you should definitely take the opportunity to look in store. The ability to give your chosen keyboard a test-drive will help you to make an informed choice. After all, you’ll be spending a lot of time using it—so it needs to be the right fit for you! Buying online, meanwhile, means that you’ll have to wait until you actually receive the model to get a feel for it. (Pro tip: make sure you check the returns policy for anything you buy just in case you need to send it right back!)

The Best Keyboard for CAD: Our Top Picks…

Without further ado, let’s look at 5 great options for a keyboard for CAD that will suit a variety of needs.

Razer Pro Type Ultra

Features of Razer Pro Type Ultra

• 1000Hz polling rate
• Programmability via the Razer Synapse 3 software
• Cushioned wrist rest
• Magnetic dongle compartment
• Single-color backlight
• Power indicator that turns solid green when the keyboard is fully charged, yellow when the battery is low on charge, and red when the battery is less than 3%

Product Description

First on our list is the Razer Pro Type Ultra, a resilient ergonomic keyboard designed to maximize productivity and revolutionize your workstation. It features silent (linear) mechanical switches as well as sound-dampening foam that combine to quieten the typing experience. As a full-sized keyboard, the Razer Pro Type Ultra has all the keys a professional CAD designer or drafter would need. It complements these keys with single-color backlighting.

The silent linear switches boast low latency of 0.7 ms (wired), 1.3 ms (wireless), and 7.0 ms (Bluetooth) because they have a shorter actuation distance. This makes the Razer Pro Type Ultra ideal for gaming, too; it saves you the hustle of owning two different keyboards if you are a gamer. But the low latency makes it highly sensitive. That can be an issue before you get used to it.

Other features include its multi-device support; you can connect the Razer Pro Type Ultra with up to four devices. Switching between these devices is also a breeze, as you don’t have to pair and unpair it every time. However, it’s only compatible with Windows computers. The keyboard lasts up to 214 hours (Bluetooth and without backlighting) and up to 207 hours (wireless and without backlighting) on a full charge. It also supports macro programmability as well as the ability to create personal shortcuts and remap keys.

The Razer Pro Type Ultra comes with a soft, cushioned wrist rest. The wrist rest perfectly aligns with the keyboard’s form factor, providing support and preventing fatigue. You can, however, use the keyboard without the wrist rest, as they are separate. At $159.99, this keyboard is on the higher end of the pricing spectrum, but its features make it worth it.

Logitech ERGO K860

Features of Logitech ERGO K860

• Certified ergonomic by the United States Ergonomics in addition to other global certifications
• A curved split keyframe with an integrated 3-layer cushioned wrist rest
• Body material made of graphite plastics
• Ability to connect to and switch between up to 3 computers using Easy-Switch keys
• No backlighting
• Tilt legs of 0º, -4º, and -7º

Product Description

Next on our list of the best keyboard for CAD is the Logitech ERGO K860, designed with the comfort of users in mind. Logitech claims that the ERGO K860 has been proven to reduce by 21% the muscle activity in the upper trapezius muscle responsible for facilitating neck and shoulder movement. This is thanks to its curved keyframe that ensures your fingers, wrists, hands, and forearms assume a more natural posture. It also has tilt legs of 0º, -4º, and -7º; these legs are designed to place or lift your palms into an ergonomic position, whether seated or standing.

Its attention to the comfort of users doesn’t stop there. The ERGO K860 has a cushioned, sloping wrist rest that conforms to the curved shape of the keyframe. According to Logitech, this wrist rest increases wrist support by 54% and reduces wrist bending by 25%. The keyboard’s split design is another source of better ergonomics and comfort. This design also provides a fluid typing experience that’s only made even better by the keys’ matte surface. The surface allows users’ fingers to glide effortlessly.

Unfortunately, the ERGO K860 is quite heavy, weighing in at 1.6 kgs or 3.53 lbs. And while it has a range of 10 meters, its weight does not promote portability. Another drawback is that it uses two AAA batteries, yet battery technology has evolved and birthed quality rechargeable batteries. Logitech, however, claims that the batteries can last up to 24 months under optimal conditions.

ERGO K860 Alternative

If the ERGO K860 is out of reach because of its price, you could consider the smaller Logitech Wave Keys. It has a cushioned wrist and palm rest, features a curved keyframe, is ergo certified, and has navigation keys, although it sports a less conventional layout. The Logitech Wave Keys costs $59.99 (check the Wave Key’s availability on Amazon).

Keychron V6 Max

Features of Keychron V6 Max

• 4000 mAh rechargeable battery
• Dual Type-C and Type-A receivers
• 1000Hz polling rate (via 2.4GHz wireless connection)
• PBT keycaps
• Ability to connect to up to 3 devices (via Bluetooth)
• Sound-absorbing foam
• A system toggle to switch the layout between Windows and macOS

Product Description

The Keychron V6 Max is a full-size keyboard that provides both outstanding quality and value. It boasts a number of fancy features that are usually found in pricier models. It has hot-swappable sockets that allow you to change the switches without soldering. The V6 Max’s PCB supports both 3-pin and 5-pin MX mechanical switches. The switches rest on a PC (polycarbonate) plate that, combined with a gasket mount design, delivers softer, quieter typing. Underneath the plate is a sound-absorbing foam that dampens the noise generated while typing.

Atop the switches are PBT (a type of plastic) keycaps that are more durable, as they are less prone to wear. What’s more, the V6 Max features south-facing RGB LED lights that, according to Keychron, better illuminate its backlight from the angle you would naturally use it.

The V6 Max supports both wired and wireless connectivity. Wireless connectivity is delivered via Bluetooth 5.1 or 2.4 GHz receivers 2.4GHz. You can connect the V6 Max via Bluetooth 5.1 to up to three devices.

The V6 Max’s body is made of ABS Plastic that, according to users, still feels premium and solid. But you could consider the Keychron Q6 Max if you fancy a keyboard with a full-metal (aluminum) body, comes with all the capabilities of the V6 Max, and includes some improved features like significantly enhanced acoustic foams and a double-gasket design. However, it’s more expensive, coming in at $239.99 (check the Keychron Q6 Max’s availability on Amazon.

Logitech MX Keys S

Features of Logitech MX Keys S

• Windows and macOS layout
• Caps Lock and Battery level indicator
• Rechargeable 1500 mAh battery with a usage duration of up to 5 months (with backlighting off)
• Customization via Logi Options+ app
• Hand proximity sensors, which automatically turn on the backlighting
• Ability to connect to up to three devices and switch between them at the push of a button
• 10 meters wireless range

Product Description

The Logitech MX Keys S is a fancy-looking, full-sized, wireless keyboard that comes in pale gray, black, or graphite colorways. It is engineered for fluid, first, and comfortable typing with spherically dished keycaps where your fingertips can rest, minimizing the likelihood of a mistype. (You can purchase the MX Palm Rest separately for added comfort while using the MX Keys S.) The MX Keys S complements this with an actuation force and distance of 60 g and 1.8mm.

It features a smart illumination system that lights up the backlit keys when your hands approach the keyboard. This system also automatically fades or brightens the backlight in response to the lighting conditions around you. On top of that, you can use the Logi Options+ app to control the brightness and duration of the backlighting. This can help save on the usage duration; according to Logitech, the MX Keys S’s 1500 mAh battery can last up to 10 days on full charge under certain settings or up to 5 months with backlighting off.

The app also lets you automate repetitive tasks with a single keystroke. It supports dual wireless connectivity via Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless technology. To use the latter, you need to insert the Logi Bolt USB receiver into a USB-A port.

Logitech K780

Features of Logitech K780

• Integrated tablet and smartphone stand, which supports tablets and smartphones with a thickness of up to 0.4” (11.3 mm)
• Wireless range of 10 m
• Compatibility with Logi Options+ software on Windows and macOS
• Windows and macOS layouts
• USB receiver compartment
• 10m wireless range
• Battery indicator light
• Easy switch keys to switch between connected devices

Product Description

Another great option from Logitech, the K780 is a 96% layout keyboard. Its keys feature a rounded design that matches the shape of your fingertips, making for a comfortable typing experience. Its scissor switches, coupled with its carefully crafted keys, quieten the typing experience while simultaneously enhancing precision. Like the ERGO K860, the K780 is powered by removable batteries: two AAA batteries that can last up to 24 months, according to Logitech.

The K780 is compatible with iOS 11 or later, iPadOS 13.4 or later, and Android 7 or later when connected via Bluetooth. But connectivity via the USB receiver is limited to Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.14 or later, and ChromeOS. Nonetheless, this means the K780 can connect to computers (including CAD workstations), phones, and tablets that support external keyboards.

It complements this support with a tablet stand that supports tablets and smartphones with a thickness of up to 0.4 inches. And it further boosts your workflows by supporting up to three devices. It makes it easy to switch between these devices in one easy flow.

K780 Alternative

However, the K780 lacks five of six navigation keys; it only has the Delete key. This can be a problem for those of you whose workflows involve reading documents and editing text. If you prefer a full-sized keyboard that’s as affordable as the K780, you could consider the Logitech Signature K650 (check the K650’s availability on Amazon). The K650 costs $43.99.

Conclusion

We hope that by this point, you’ll have narrowed down your choices for your next keyboard for CAD tasks. No matter which one you choose, however, it’s important that you look at comfort, functionality and durability. As a CAD user, you’re going to be putting your keyboard under a lot of strain, so you need a purchase that’s worth the investment.

Still not sure whether a mechanical keyboard is for you? Wondering if Cherry MX Brown or Blue is the right fit or if to choose a mechanical keyboard over one with scissor or Hall Effect switches? If you can, head in-store and try out as many keyboards as you can. Once you’ve got an idea of what you like, you can make a more informed decision.

We’ve put together a list of 13 websites that offer free CAD blocks so you don’t have to fork out a single penny! Our options span popular CAD software such as AutoCAD and SketchUp, and fields including architecture and interior design. With such choice on offer, you’re sure to find something that will suit your needs! You can also used these free CAD blocks using the range of free CAD software that’s available.

13 Sites with Free CAD Blocks

1. Cad-blocks.net

We’ll start our list with cad-blocks.net. With this site, what you see is what you get. While the site itself isn’t that sleek or modern, it doesn’t take away from how useful it is as a resource for free blocks. So, what’s on offer? Thousands of DWG files for use in AutoCAD and other popular architecture. Knowing that compatibility can be an issue for users with older software versions, cad-blocks has made it clear that all blocks are compatible with AutoCAD 2004 to the latest release.

Not only are the blocks here free to download, but another great advantage is that registration isn’t required. Blocks are sorted into collection categories that include furniture, vegetation, kitchen equipment, and signals, amongst many others. When you select a collection, e.g., vegetation, you’ll be met with further sub-sections like color trees, trees elevation, and so on. If you like the look of tree plan CAD blocks, for example, it’s as simple as clicking “download”. Then, in no time at all, you’ll have 427 CAD blocks at your disposal.

It’s safe to say that, given the thorough nature of cad-blocks, you’ll find something that catches your fancy. And, with its handy previews, you can see everything on offer with each block download without having to wait until you actually download.

2. Cad-block.com

Next on our list is the similarly named cad-block.com. This resource offers architects, engineers and designers a way to find new and high-quality projects and models. We’d like to remind users, however, that many of the sites on our list—cad-block.com included—contain blocks that are uploaded by other users. This means you might encounter issues with varying units, scales and so on. To work with the blocks on offer, cad-block recommends you use AutoCAD 2007 and later. If using an earlier version of AutoCAD, you may experience issues with file compatibility. As with the previous entry on our list, you don’t have to make an account to take advantage of what’s on offer here.

Cad-block offers a wide variety of free blocks and premium blocks (which as the name suggests, come with a price tag). At the top of the page, you’ll be able to select CAD Blocks or Premium Models. If you’re not interested in paying, CAD Blocks is your destination. Be aware, however, that the page includes free and paid blocks. There’s no way to filter it to only show free CAD block downloads. Fortunately, if the block comes with a price, there will be a bright green tag in the corner. The list on right allows you to sort through categories, from appliances to interiors to lighting. It couldn’t be simpler to download—one click and you’re ready to go.

While it’s slightly annoying to have both free and paid blocks on the same page, we can’t find many other faults with cad-block. We particularly like that, when you select a block collection to download, you’ll be able to see similar blocks and drawings underneath—previews and all. And, if you’re interested in joining a community, you’ll be pleased to hear that cad-block allows users to upload their own blocks and share with other users.

3. Cadblocksfree.com

Cadblocksfree.com is yet another online CAD library filled with a huge variety of both 2D and 3D models. As with our second pick, cadblocksfree comes with both free blocks and a selection of paid, premium models. For those interested in the paid block collections, they offer three membership plans that cover 1 month, 6 months and 12 months. If you don’t want to pay for a membership, that’s fine—you don’t even need to register to download any of the models.

The site firmly separates 2D and 3D models into two different pages. If you head to either page, you can look at only free blocks by selecting $0.00-$0.00 from the filter options. There’s a lot on offer here, with 1,828 free 2D blocks and 3,483 free 3D blocks. As with other sites offering blocks, cadblocksfree has a category list on the left-hand side that includes categories like doors, furniture and transport. If you select a category, e.g., architectural, you’ll be met with further subcategories like fireplaces or fences. All blocks on offer will be available in a preview before you so much as select them. And once one’s caught your eye, you’ll have it downloaded in a couple of mere clicks.

If you like creating your own blocks, you’ll be pleased to know that cadblocksfree gives users the opportunity to upload and even sell their own models. You will, of course, have to set up your own account to so. And that’s not all. The site also comes with its own forum, where users can discuss and share AutoCAD tips and tricks!

4. Cad-blocks.co.uk

If you’re not interested in forking out a single penny for blocks, you’ll be pleased to find that cad-blocks.co.uk offers only free CAD blocks. That means you don’t have to bother having to filter between paid and free blocks. What’s more, registration isn’t required—you could be downloading CAD blocks in mere seconds. All blocks available on site are in AutoCAD 2000 format, so compatibility shouldn’t be a problem. They have all been processed to ensure they’re free from errors and where possible, all CAD data is to scale.

To start off your journey into free CAD block downloads, all you’ve got to do is head to the Downloads page. By default, you’ll be brought straight to the first category—Aircraft. From the carousel at the top, however, you can browse through all other categories on offer, from road signs to building elements to drawing symbols. Each category contains previews of the blocks on offer. If you’re interested in one, simply click on it and you’ll be sent to a page where you can directly download it. Overall, there appears to be a decent selection of various blocks.

For those that are looking for something more, cad-blocks has the perfect offer: you can download the site’s entire block collection for £19.99. All you’ve got to do is provide an email address and a one-off payment of £19.99, and you’ll gain access to 3,111 blocks! Now, that’s a tempting offer!

5. BIMobject

Our next choice is slightly different to those mentioned so far in that, while it has a large collection of 2D models, BIMobject mainly specializes in 3D objects. A particularly noteworthy mention is that these 3D objects are available in a range of formats including Revit, Allplan and 3DS. Unlike the sites listed above, BIM Object does require you to set up an account in order to start taking advantage of what’s on offer. However, with 327,383 parametric BIM objects and 27,865,027 products available, there are plenty of reasons to sign up!

Even at a quick glance, it’s clear that BIM Object is different to the rest—its site is sleek and accessible. With such a large collection on offer, however, it will take you a while to filter through everything to find what you’re looking for. To start, you’ll see small logos at the top to help you navigate straight to category pages ranging from construction to electronics to signage. Additionally, you’ll be able to filter products via brands, BIM object categories and file types. Each category comes with further subcategories, e.g. construction > access doors and panels. From there, you can look through previews of each block. Once you’re a member, you’ll be able to download at the click of a few buttons.

The site offers BIMobject apps for SketchUp, Revit, ARCHICAD and AutoCAD. The apps integrate the BIMobject Cloud into your chosen software so you can browse, filter and download objects into your project without switching between browsers. If you’re looking to speed up your workflow, it’s certainly worth considering.

6. Bibliocad

Our next choice is Bibliocad—a site that offers CAD and BIM resources for architecture, design and construction. As with the last few sites we’ve mentioned, the site offers a range of both free and paid blocks. In order to download anything from the site, you will have to register. There are two subscription plans on offer: a free account or a premium one. With the free account, you’ll be limited to free files only and up to 20 downloads per day. With a premium account, however, you’ll get premium files and up to 200 downloads per day! If you’re going to be using the site frequently, it’s certainly worth pursuing the Premium account.

There’s definitely a wide range of file types available on Bibliocad—including PAT, PSM, RVT, MAX and DWG. The library itself has 114,536 blocks. Unfortunately, as with cad-block.com, both paid and free blocks are displayed on the same page. You’ll be able to tell the difference between the two, however, because free blocks have a bright green flag in the bottom left-hand corner. When scouring your way through the library, you’ll be able to take advantage of the categories list on the left-hand side, including bathrooms, calculations, electronic and furniture. The only filter options available are most viewed, most recent, relevance and most downloaded.

With the lack of filter option for free/paid blocks, it might take you a little while to make you through all that Bibliocad has to offer. An issue many users have struggled with previously is that many of the blocks available have been submitted by various providers—while each block is processed, there can still be major differences in format, scale and units.

7. Cad-corner

At first glance, cad-corner looks far more basic than all sites listed so far. While the site is extremely simple in design, that doesn’t mean you should discount it from your new list of block resources. Indeed, the site provides a wide variety of AutoCAD blocks that will take your designs to the next level. All blocks provided have been created or updated with AutoCAD 2006. So, if you’re using an earlier version of AutoCAD, they recommend downloading the Autodesk Batch converter or SolidWorks DWGgateway to sort out compatibility issues.

The categories available are displayed in a very simple list—so, you won’t have much trouble trying to locate what you’re looking for. The list includes architectural blocks, mechanical blocks and miscellaneous. If you select a category, e.g., mechanical blocks, you’ll see further subcategories like flow charts. Once you select a subcategory, you’ll have a list of available blocks to download. Unfortunately, some blocks have previews and others don’t. So, essentially, you might not know what a block will look like until after you’ve downloaded it. 

Cad-corner certainly isn’t as accessible as other sites on offer—we’d definitely like to see a tile preview of all the blocks on offer. That being said, you don’t have to register in order to download anything, so it’s not like you’re losing out.

8. Draftsperson

Draftsperson is very similar to cad-corner. In other words, it’s pretty basic. It’s set out in a similar format—offering lists of subcategories and pages instead of a more accessible search option. The site offers a nice variety of free blocks and symbols, all saved in an AutoCAD 2000 format. They’ve made it clear that each free CAD block download has been carefully screened for the educational stamp. And any blocks you do download are on layer 0, bylock or bylayer and insert at 0,0,0. Additionally, A PURGE and AUDIT have been run on each block.

To start, there are main categories which all have lists of relevant subcategories and pages—including fixtures, people and animals, and civil. When you click on a page, e.g., people and animal > animals, you’ll see a small selection of available blocks. Fortunately, they offer previews, so you know what you’re downloading. As soon as you see something you like, it’s as simple as clicking on the drawing to download. Then, you’ll get a zip folder containing your new DWG.

As with cad-corner, Draftsperson is basic—its collection isn’t as extensive as other resources we’ve listed. That being said, there are definitely a few diamonds hiding in the rough, so be sure to look through it thoroughly!

9. DWG Models

DWG Models offers a huge DWG file library for architects, designers, engineers and draftsmen. After looking at the previous two sites, you’ll be pleased to see DWG Models is much more modern and sleek with its site interface. The database contains drawings, assemblies, diagrams, symbols and much more. Needless to say, there’s something for everyone. All files on offer are compatible with an AutoCAD platform, so you don’t need to worry. You don’t even need to register—it’s that simple!

DWG Models has an entire page dedicated to free blocks—its premium models are available on the Buy page. You’ll find a nice range of categories listed on the left-hand side, ranging from architectural details to landscaping to urban planning. Some categories contain further subcategories, e.g., interiors > equipment. If you’re not sure a block is free, all you’ve got to do is look for the bright green label in the bottom left-hand corner labelled “free”. Once you’ve got a block in mind, all you’ve got to do is click download and you’re sorted!

While registration isn’t required, DWG Models does recommend signing up if you’re a frequent user. Having an account will give you the ability to view DWG files more easily. In all, there seems to be a lot to sift through. And if it’s not enough, you’ve always got the premium blocks to look at!

10. CADdetails

CADdetails is on an entirely different level to the sites we’ve listed previously. Why? Because they offer manufacturer-specific building product information and content for AEC professionals. On the site, you’ll be able to find high-quality CAD drawings, 3D models and BIM files. Whilst all content is available for download free of charge, you will need to register in order to download anything. With access to thousands of design and planning documents for commercial and residential building projects, however, we’re sure taking a few minutes to register is worth it.

To start, you can head to either CAD drawings or BIM models. There, you’ll be able to use a category list on the left-hand side to sort through what’s on offer—from technical documents to site products to speciality products. Once you’ve selected a category, e.g., technical documents, you’ll gain access to further subcategories like specifications. You can then select a manufacturer—like AGF Manufacturing—after which, you’ll see a list of available blocks. Simply hover over an item to see a preview. Once you’re a registered user, you can download files in mere seconds.

With 51,814 drawings available in CAD drawings and 10,452 in BIM, it’s safe to say you’ll be quite busy trying to make your way through what’s on offer. We’re definitely fans of the category and filter options—it makes searching for relevant blocks that much easier. Additionally, the option to mark products as favorites for future reference is certainly advantageous.

11. Syncronia

Syncronia is much like CADdetails in that is far more specialist in what it offers—specifically targeting architecture and design professionals. It gives users the opportunity to download 3D models, BIM objects and 3D libraries of surfaces, catalogues and specifications. The site also lists models by suppliers and manufacturers, so it might take you a while to get to grips with finding blocks you’re interested in. If you work in architecture or interior design, however, the learning curve is most definitely worth it.

Syncronia works in collaboration with Autodesk, so it’s of no surprise to find free downloads in a variety of formats including Revit, 3DS Max and AutoCAD. There’s a nice variety of filter options available, including product category, manufacturers, file type and keyword. Additionally, you’ll find a category list on the left: from bathroom to installations to doors and windows. You can even specify texture! In order to download anything that’s caught your eye, however, you will need to register. This could work in your favor, as registering will enable you to create a profile and publish your own projects.

Syncronia is definitely on a whole different level—not only can you download 3D models, you can also look at catalogs, technical information, specifications and get in touch with manufacturers directly. And if you’re interested, they’ve got their own projects page and magazine.

12. Allcadblocks (formerly Boss888)

The penultimate site on our list is Allcadblocks.com (formerly Boss888, now a Chinese website) a site that offers users a range of architectural and interior design blocks. All designs available on the site are saved in an AutoCAD 2000 format, so, compatibility shouldn’t be an issue for most users. Boss888 have made it clear that they frequently update their libraries with new designs, which is always a sign of a good resource. While you don’t have to register to download anything, it might be worth considering if you’re going to use it frequently.

As with other sites, there are both free and paid blocks on offer. There are 410 free CAD block downloads available. Bear in mind that these aren’t individual designs—they’re typically grouped together in collections, so you do get quite a lot. You can sort through the free collection by price, popularity and newness. On the right-hand side, you’ll find a list of product categories. Now, here’s where the site lets itself down. When you click on any category with “free” in its title, you’ll get all of the site’s blocks—not just the free ones. While this is frustrating, all you’ve got to do is sort the page by lowest price to view all of the free blocks first.

While Allcadblocks (Boss888) isn’t the most sleek and accessible site available, you get exactly what you expect: free blocks. With a modest selection of 410 block collections, it’s certainly not too shabby!

13. First In Architecture

Our last choice on our free CAD blocks list is slightly different from the others. That is, it’s not a site dedicated entirely to blocks. First In Architecture is a go-to resource for anyone looking for tools, tutorials and tips for architecture. It doesn’t matter if you’re a hobbyist or a professional—they’ll have something that will help. If you’re looking for free CAD blocks downloads, they’ve got an entire page dedicated to new blocks.

The CAD Blocks page is laid out like a blog—you’ll find a list of separate posts dedicated to a new set of blocks. Some of the blocks released are provided by other sites like CADdetails, as First In Architecture is keen on promoting all types of blocks they think their users might be interested in. Additionally, they provide their own range of blocks—frequently updated to keep up with user interest. You can search for blocks in different categories including: accessibility, bathroom, construction elements and landscaping.

While the site isn’t dedicated entirely to free blocks, it’s still a great resource to bookmark. We especially appreciate that they tell users to get in touch if they’d like to make a request. It gives the site a more personal feel.

Summary: Best Site by Category

Conclusion

Each of the 13 sites is best suited for a particular profession or industry. For instance, BIMObject is the best website for architecture, engineering, and construction professionals. On the other hand, Bibliocad is best suited for individuals working in the architecture, design, and construction sectors – basically architects, interior designers, and contractors. In contrast, Syncronia is explicitly designed for architects and interior designers. Allcadblocks is specifically suited for interior designers only. Finally, cad-block.co.uk is for professionals working in the manufacturing, mechanical engineering, and steelwork sectors.

Looking for more CAD freebies? Scan2CAD releases its own packs of free cut-ready DXF downloads every week. For more CAD freebies and tips, keep an eye on our blog!

Our guide will take you through the intricacies of tracing, looking at how each process works—measuring up the cost and man hours of each method. We’ll even answer the all-important question: which method is the most cost-effective?

Table of Contents

• Tracing 101
  • Rasters and vectors
  • Why is conversion necessary?
• How manual tracing works
• How automatic tracing works
• Cost comparison
  • Manual tracing
  • Automatic tracing
  • Which is best?

Tracing 101

Image tracing—otherwise known as vectorization—is the process in which we trace over a raster image in order to create a vector. There are two methods to this process: manual tracing or automatic conversion. We’ll look more closely at how these two methods work—and what types of software you can use to do so—further below. Firstly, however, we’re going to run through the reasons as to why we need to vectorize images or drawings in the first place. 

Rasters…

It’s practically impossible to browse the internet or your favorite social media platform without encountering a raster image. In fact, you’re using raster images without even realizing it—from the photographs you share on Facebook to the GIFs that you send to your friends. Incredibly easy to share and store online, it’s no surprise that rasters are so popular in web graphics and photography. 

While rasters do come with advantages—holding incredible detail and millions of colors—they’re not always ideal. Made up of colored pixels, raster images have no real structure—you can’t even edit the individual pixels. Additionally, pixels ensure that raster images can only be displayed at a set resolution. To attempt to change the scale—or zoom in—would result in a major loss of quality. The inability to attach information to rasters further renders them useless for CAD. 

Vectors…

If rasters are the preferred file format for photographers, vectors are the preferred format for designers and engineers. Not only are vectors devoid of the many issues that plague rasters, they also come with a range of benefits—not the least of which includes a compatibility with CAD software. 

Vector images use an entirely different method to storing image data. Instead of using pixels—inheriting their abundance of issues—they use objects. A vector will display the individual elements of an image. Examples of elements include—but aren’t limited to—lines, curves, shapes and text. And that’s not all that makes vectors so different to rasters. Each object that’s displayed in a vector is defined by mathematical coordinates—meaning you can view a vector at any scale without any loss in quality. To put it simply, vectors are infinitely scalable. 

Whilst you can’t edit individual pixels in a raster image, you can quite easily make edits to the individual elements within a vector image. This ability is particularly useful when it comes to working with your vector drawings in CAD software. Not only can you edit and reuse elements, you can also attach data to them—specifying material, size and dimension. 

Why is conversion necessary?

If you’re working in industries like graphic design, you’re relying on artwork and designs that are of a high quality. Raster images—while detailed—are resolution dependent. Let’s say that you’re using a single logo multiple times on your website. If you need the logo in different sizes, you’ll have to create multiple versions of your raster logo—you can’t just resize and hope for the best. If you convert your raster designs to vector instead, however, you can use the same vector logo for any purpose. It doesn’t matter if you’re using it as a tiny icon or a huge wallpaper design—it’s infinitely scalable. 

The more prevalent use for conversion—tracing, or vectorization—is for CAD and CNC. As we’ve said, raster images aren’t compatible with CAD software—or CNC for that matter. For example, if you’ve scanned a hard copy architectural drawing, you won’t be able to use the digital raster copy directly in CAD. You can, however, convert your scanned drawing ready for use in CAD—and later CNC if you so wish. 

Manual tracing

How it works

And now for the interesting part! The first method we’re going to look at is manual tracing. As you’d expect from the name, manual tracing involves a drafter tracing over a drawing by hand. By doing so, they create a vector representation of their raster image. There are two ways to do this: 

• In an image editor, use your mouse to trace over your drawing with vector entities
• Use a tablet and graphics pen to physically trace over your image

Many drafters opt for manual tracing for a more “hands on” experience. While it does give a drafter ultimate control over the tracing process, it also requires them to have a lot of skill and patience to do so. This control however, plays into one of the biggest benefits of manual tracing—human understanding. When you’re working with older, dated drawings, you have the advantage of understanding where you should be tracing. 

Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows when it comes to manual tracing. Sit back for a moment and try to think about how long it would take you to physically trace over one of your architectural plans or contour maps. Manual tracing can be an incredibly long process depending on your experience, skill and choice of image editing software. And, while you might have a great understanding, your spatial accuracy won’t ever measure up to some automatic converters. 

Automatic tracing

How it works

Whilst manual tracing offers a more hands-on approach, automatic tracing takes it completely out of your hands. You’ll start by scanning your drawing and opening the subsequent raster image into a conversion software package. The software will detect the lines, shapes and text present in your image—drawing over them with vector entities. By the end, you’ll have a vector image. 

Automatic tracing with Scan2CAD

One of the biggest disadvantages to manual tracing is how time consuming it can be. With the right conversion software, however, you could convert your raster in minutes. If you’ve got a heavy workload, or you’re a freelancer looking to complete as much work as possible, this is extremely beneficial. If you’re using the right software, it doesn’t even matter what types of drawings you’re converting—whether they’re mechanical plans or CNC profiles. 

That being said, automatic conversion isn’t without its flaws. In almost all cases, you will have to put in some manual work. You have to ensure the image you’re converting is of the highest quality, and you’ll have to make some minor tweaks to ensure you get the best possible vector output. 

To figure out which method is more effective—in regards to cost and time—we’ve put together a manual and automatic trace cost comparison below.

Cost comparison

Now that we’ve explained how each process works, we’re going to look at which method is most cost-effective. Is it cheaper—and easier—to get a professional drafter to convert your drawings to CAD for you? Or are you better off trying it yourself manually or with an automatic converter? Don’t worry—we’ve got all the answers for you below!

Manual tracing

Professional drafters use a variety of software—ranging from AutoCAD to SolidWorks—to convert the designs of engineers or architects into technical drawings. They also make use of manual tracing to convert hard-copy and digital drawings to vectors, ready for use in CAD. To help you get a better idea of how much time it would take a drafter to trace your drawings, we’ve put together a video below. It’s a brief snippet showing the process of manually tracing an architectural plan using Scan2CAD. 

In the video, we made use of Scan2CAD’s variety of tools to trace over our architectural plan. In this case, we use vector lines to trace over it, much like you would with tracing paper. Now, the time taken to manually trace a drawing varies depending on a variety of factors including: 

• Your level of experience
• The software you’re using
• How complex the drawing is

The manual trace shown in the video above would take anywhere between 5 to 10 hours. If you’re using other software, like Inkscape or Illustrator, you’re looking at an even longer process. So, how much would it cost you to get a drafter to do this process for you?

The cost and man-hours

The median salary for drafters in the US in 2017 stood at $54,170 according to the BLS—that’s $26.04 per hour. So how much would it cost for the a drafter to trace the drawing in the above video? The speed with which a drafter converts your drawing will vary depending on their experience and level of expertise. Let’s assume the worst and say that it will take them 10 hours—that’s $260.40 if we’re going by an hourly rate. Alternatively, assuming they can get it done quickly and closer to the 5 hour mark, it will set you back $130. 

Looking at online CAD drafting services, the price varies. We see quotes of $125 ranging from  to $640 for the same sized drawing. But these quotes will of course increase depending on such factors as image quality, complexity, the nature of the elements in the drawings and so-on.

What if I do it myself?

If you’re put off by the cost of getting a professional to manually trace your drawings for you, you might want to look into doing it yourself. Ultimately, it all depends on how much time and money you’ve got to dedicate to your projects. 

Beware of using generic graphic design software (such as Inkscape , Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW ) for tracing technical drawings these appications are not designed for CAD/CAM requirements and although they may support such files as DXF, they do not support the types of data and vector elements required for CAD/CAM.

Don’t forget to weigh up the man-hours involved. Depending on your experience, chosen software and the complexity of your design, it could easily take over 10 hours to manually trace your drawing. If you’re doing that with dozens of drawings in a month, is it really cost-effective?

If you’re working towards tight deadlines and you’ve got a steady stream of drawings to convert to CAD, we’d definitely recommend avoiding manual tracing. In fact, we’d even avoid outsourcing CAD conversion and advise you do it yourself via automatic tracing. 

Automatic tracing

As we’ve said, manual tracing has its advantages and disadvantages. One thing’s for sure, however: unless you’re willing to spend a lot of time and money on your conversions, automatic tracing might be your best bet. To give you an idea of what you can expect, we’ve included an excerpt of us automatically tracing the same architectural plan as above in Scan2CAD. 

With just the click of a few buttons, the entire vectorization process took mere seconds to complete. Of course, taking into account the time taken to manually tweak the image before and after conversion, you’re looking at 1 to 2 hours of work overall.

The cost and man-hours

So how much would it cost you to buy a conversion software package that will do most of the work for you? As we’ve said, there are image editors that offer automatic tracing, such as CorelDRAW and lllustrator but these are not suitable for CAD/CAM & CNC requirements.  If you’re going to the effort of looking at a cost comparison of manual and automatic tracing, then you’ll want to use something worth your time and money. 

Specialized conversion software packages might seem costly at first. Take Scan2CAD, for example. This market-leading conversion software package—which we’ll look further into below—can be purchased on a monthly or annual basis.

Let’s look at why these pricing options would save you so much time and money over any other option. Taking the examples above in the manual tracing section, you’re looking at an average price of around $130-$260 for each converted drawing, depending on where you go. If you’re in the market to convert large, complex technical drawings, you’re probably looking at the higher tier of expense which is $260+. 

So which is best?

If you’re only converting the occasional drawing to CAD, you could probably get by with paying a drafter to do the work for you. If you’ve got enough time on your hands, you could even get away with doing it yourself. It’s a great way to build up your drafting experience after all, and who knows your drawings better than you? And if you already have software like AutoCAD or Illustrator that enables you to manually trace your drawings, you don’t have to spend any additional money. 

Of course, this all changes when you throw deadlines and heavy workloads into the mix. If you’re looking at converting hundreds of drawings in the space of a year, manual tracing really isn’t an option. Even if you’re only converting a handful of drawings per month, it’s still a heavy expense—particularly if you want it done quickly and efficiently. 

Automatic tracing—done using the right kind of software—can speed up your entire workflow and save you money. If you’re a freelance drafter, it would enable you to take on more clients and complete more work than ever before. You can even use a combination of manual tracing with an automatic converter—tracing your drawings by hand, scanning and converting the subsequent raster image.

CAD drafters and engineers who’ve been in the industry long enough know most major CAD packages like the back of their hand—learning which ones are best suited to their workflow and job. For those just starting out, however, it can be a confusing process trying to make heads or tails of software descriptions. It’s why we’ve compiled guides in the past to popular CAD software, including AutoCAD vs SolidWorks and CATIA vs SolidWorks.

In this guide we’ll be visiting major CAD package AutoCAD, comparing it this time to Dassault Systèmes’ freemium product, DraftSight. We’ll look at their histories and software features, plus the major differences between the two.

What is AutoCAD?

History

While we’d like to think that almost everyone in the CAD industry knows AutoCAD’s history as well as we do, we’ll give you a quick run-through nonetheless. You’d be hard-pressed trying to look anywhere in the CAD market without hearing the name AutoCAD—and for good reason! Developed by Mike Riddle and later acquired by Autodesk, AutoCAD was first released in 1982. Its release was one of the biggest milestones in the evolution of CAD.

It would be an understatement to say that AutoCAD’s release revolutionized the world of CAD. As one of the first CAD packages to be developed to run on PCs, it became accessible to a new realm of CAD users. It consequently set the pace for the development of CAD competitors in the late 80s. The innovative nature of AutoCAD made it a smash hit across the world.

Since its first release, there have been no fewer than 33 versions of AutoCAD! It has continued to impress over the years—taking into consideration the needs of both individual users and big industries. From a simple 2D software, it has since evolved to include 3D capabilities, immense customization functions and the creation of extended vertical products.

Autodesk have also developed a number of spin-off programs of AutoCAD over the years. AutoCAD LT, for example, is a ‘lite’ version, including more basic functionality for a lower cost. Meanwhile, industry-specific versions of AutoCAD have also been released, including AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Electrical and AutoCAD Civil 3D.

The most recent release of the software, AutoCAD 2019, made industry-specific toolsets available to all, launched the AutoCAD web app and introduced DWG Compare.

What it does

AutoCAD is a flexible CAD software package used by designers, engineers and architects. Whilst it originally had only 2D capabilities, it has since expanded into 3D. That being said, you won’t find many drafters choosing to use AutoCAD for 3D modeling—it’s used primarily for 2D drafting, so software like SolidWorks tend to be better alternatives. 

With so many functions and applications, it’s easy to see why AutoCAD is the staple product for many in the CAD industry. Starting with a simple idea, you can go on to produce 2D and 3D designs. And that’s not all. AutoCAD comes with additional features that include collaborative capabilities with shared views, customizable UIs and PDF import.

It’s not possible to discuss AutoCAD without delving into its popular, native file format: DWG. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never used AutoCAD directly; if you’re working with CAD, you’ll have worked with DWG files before. To put its popularity into perspective, try this figure: it was estimated that, by 1998, there were over 2 billion DWG files in existence. Since its beginning, AutoCAD has extended the use of DWG to other software—allowing for wider use across industries.

If you aren’t willing to invest in the software (or can’t get AutoCAD for free), you may worry that you won’t be able to view these files. Luckily, despite being a proprietary file format, a number of different CAD packages now allow you view DWG files without AutoCAD.

Who uses it

AutoCAD has only increased in popularity since 1982—and for good reason! Autodesk didn’t just rest on its laurels all these years; it pushed AutoCAD to evolve. The result of this is that AutoCAD has mass appeal across a range of sectors, and finds users among businesses large and small, and even the maker community. 

Of course, one of the biggest plus points for AutoCAD is its wide selection of industry-specific toolsets. An architect is going to have different needs to, for example, an electrical engineer. With that in mind, Autodesk took to developing different versions of AutoCAD that offer specialized tools, libraries and standards according to a user’s chosen industry. With AutoCAD 2019, what was originally a suite of industry-specific products has since become specialized toolsets under one roof. 

Let’s take a look at a few below…

AutoCAD Architecture

• Includes features for architectural drawings, documentation and schedules
• Gives access to 8,000+ intelligent architectural objects and styles
• Additional features include walls, windows and doors

AutoCAD Electrical

• Adds electrical design features to create or document electrical control systems
• Sticks to project standards—keeping drawings organized
• Includes a library of over 65,000+ intelligent electrical symbols

AutoCAD Mechanical

• Adds a library of standards-based parts and tools
• Users can automate mechanical engineering tasks
• Includes 700,000+ manufacturing parts, features and symbols

And these are just a few examples! Other industry toolsets include AutoCAD MEP, AutoCAD Plant 3D, AutoCAD Raster Design and AutoCAD Map 3D. Perhaps it would be easier to ask: who doesn’t use AutoCAD?

Of course, due to how much functionality it offers, AutoCAD tends to be a little bit too expensive for the average CAD hobbyist. With that in mind, there are plenty of affordable AutoCAD alternatives or CAD solutions. 

What is DraftSight?

History

DraftSight is one of the many popular products developed by industry-leader Dassault Systèmes. Dassault first entered the CAD race with its powerful product, CATIA—a 3D PLM suite. They raced further ahead of competitors with their acquisition and further development of the first significant 3D modeler for Windows—SolidWorks. Both products gave Dassault the chance to market to a range of specialized industries. 

In an attempt to target more general CAD users and businesses, however, Dassault released DraftSight in 2011. Unlike other Dassault products, DraftSight was marketed as a free product, albeit with additional paid subscriptions. The beauty of DraftSight was that it was created to be simple—users were meant to be able to get started quickly without a steep learning curve. Needless to say, its simplicity and lack of a price tag worked in its favor, and it quickly began attracting more and more CAD users.

As a freemium product, DraftSight is able to offer a wide variety of capabilities depending on a customer’s specific needs. In some cases, users opt to get rid of AutoCAD for DraftSight—considering it’s a much more affordable (free!) option, with very similar functionality. 

What it does

DraftSight is a 2D drafting solution that allows users to create and edit 2D drawings. Great care was taken to ensure that DraftSight’s user interface is familiar to CAD users. As such, the learning curve for DraftSight isn’t at all steep, making it easier to transition between CAD software packages. Indeed, many have noted the similarity between DraftSight and AutoCAD—a definite positive if you’re thinking of making a switch.

Another bonus for potential converts is DraftSight’s support for both DWG and DXF. This means that continuing to use any files you created in AutoCAD is usually a cinch, which in turn makes it considerably easier to collaborate with other CAD professionals. Meanwhile, DraftSight also comes with a range of advanced features to help users create professional drawings, including:

• User environment and features: command line input, blocks and reference lines, and command aliases. 
• Productivity enhancers: accessible command prompts, home palette, smart calculator and consolidated options dialog.
• Drawing setup tools: customizable coordinate system, unit system, dimension styles and RichLine styles. 
• Drafting and editing tools: snap and grid, tracking guides, split and weld, clip references and images. 

Similar to AutoCAD, there are different versions of DraftSight available with increasingly advanced capabilities as you progress through them. 

DraftSight Free

This is a no-frills, simple 2D drafting solution. With it, users can take advantage of a range of design and drafting tools. Additionally, users can gain access to online community support and resources.

DraftSight Professional

This version offers users a wider range of advanced capabilities. Professional has DGN file support, a specialized toolbox—offering standards-based mechanical symbols and annotations—and a design library which can be used to store reusable elements like blocks. Additional features include batch printing, G-Code generator, PDF underlay and product upgrades. 

DraftSight Enterprise

This particular version is aimed primarily at larger companies. As such, it includes all the advanced capabilities offered in Professional, but with a wider scope. Enterprise users get full telephone and email support. It also includes a network license to help users deploy 2D CAD across an entire organization. Additionally, the deployment wizard feature makes it even easier for larger groups to install or upgrade DraftSight.

Who uses it

With DraftSight being such a flexible CAD software package—with equally flexible pricing options—it has managed to build up a huge community of users since its launch. Its wide support, accessibility and easy learning curve makes DraftSight the perfect option for anyone looking to try out a different CAD package.

While AutoCAD concentrates on targeting specific industries, e.g., architecture, DraftSight primarily looks at the type of user. Its free package is a clear winner for hobbyists and small businesses that are just looking for a 2D drafting solution. Indeed, it can be a better option than AutoCAD in some cases. DraftSight Professional, by comparison, is the option for bigger businesses or CAD professionals who need something more advanced—keeping up with other major CAD packages. Enterprise, of course, targets the big companies that require specialized solutions and support. 

With AutoCAD being a primarily 2D solution and DraftSight covering only 2D drafting, there’s clearly an overlap in regards to user needs. With DraftSight being the cheaper option, it’s certainly a better option for those who are only dipping their toe into the waters of CAD. AutoCAD, however, is unbeatable when it comes to its industry-specific toolsets—its specialized features reach users that DraftSight can’t. 

AutoCAD vs DraftSight

By this point, you should be more than familiar with both software packages—we’ve covered their histories, main features and target audience. What we haven’t covered yet, however, are the main differences between the two. 

Don’t worry—we’re well ahead of you. Take a look at our table below…

If you’re a CAD drafter or small business looking to cut back on costs—opting for an affordable alternative to AutoCAD—DraftSight is the perfect option. It’s easy to get to grips with and it offers advanced capabilities if you’re willing to pay. If you’re looking for industry-specific solutions, however, with specialized libraries, workflows and standards, then AutoCAD is unmatched. 

Whichever software you choose to use, Scan2CAD can help improve your workflow. Got an old drawing you want to use in DraftSight or AutoCAD? Simply convert your raster to DXF using Scan2CAD and start drafting straight away!

We’ll start this month’s roundup with a look at a new collaboration between industry leaders PTC and ANSYS. Then we’ll move onto exciting announcements from Siemens PLM—including Solid Edge 2019, big changes on the horizon for NX software and new developments with none other than HP. Finally, we’ll take a look at yet another collaboration—between CAD leader Autodesk and ORDERFOX.com. 

Ready? Let’s start!

PTC and ANSYS announce integrated solution for design

Since we reported on the latest upgrade and release of ANSYS 19.1 in last month’s roundup, ANSYS have announced a new collaboration project with PTC. Speaking at sold-out LiveWorx 18, PTC president Jim Heppelmann revealed that PTC have partnered with ANSYS to offer an integrated solution for simulation and design.

It’s not the first time both companies have worked together. Last year, they combined ANSYS Twin Builder with PTC’s ThingWorx Industrial Innovation Platform. Working side-by-side, ANSYS and PTC will integrate ANSYS Discovery Live Real-Time Simulation with PTC’s popular 3D CAD package, Creo. The solution will be sold as part of the Creo product suite—providing engineers with an integrated modeling and simulation environment. The aim of this collaboration is to provide an “interactive design experience”, in which engineers can “try multiple options and creatively solve design challenges without product delays”. 

President and CEO of ANSYS, Ajei Gopal explained further, “By embedding ANSYS Discovery Live into Creo we will expand our audience to include design engineers – who will be able to design at the speed of thought”. When an engineer implements a change to a design, for example, an analysis will be automatically generated—enabling them to see exactly how any modifications will affect the entire design at any point. 

It will certainly be transformative for design engineers and, more specifically, for the design of mechanical parts. Not only will the instant feedback allow engineers to speed up their design process, it will also help them cut back on design and development costs. 

Visit the ANSYS newsroom for more information. 

Solid Edge 2019 announced, continuous release of NX and a partnership with HP

The annual Siemens PLM Connection user conference was host to a variety of exciting announcements this month. Siemens revealed Solid Edge 2019, a continuous release delivery of NX and a new partnership with HP. Needless to say, there’s a lot to take in. 

Solid Edge 2019

If you’re not familiar with Solid Edge—we’ll forgive you for getting caught up in the AutoCAD vs. SolidWorks debate—it’s a portfolio of software for product development. It has a range of uses including mechanical and electrical design, simulation and data management. So what’s different? A lot, to put it simply. Solid Edge 2019 places a heavy emphasis on design functionality—comprising of Synchronous Technology, generative design and convergent modeling. 

They’ve also introduced a range of new features. Solid Edge Wiring Design gives users a range of design and simulation tools in order to create wiring diagrams and verify electrical systems. Harness Design offers harness and formboard design tools with automated part selection, design validation and manufacturing report generation. Additional updates include tools for subtractive and additive manufacturing—including print preparation and multi-color printing capability. They also place a heavy emphasis on reducing material waste and decreasing dependency on expensive manufacturing equipment. 

And that’s not all. Solid Edge Portal provides free cloud-based collaboration. The Portal offers online CAD management, viewing and collaboration. With browser-based access, you can work in real time from anywhere. Another new feature is Solid Edge CAM Pro—a system that uses the latest technology to program your CNC machine tools—replacing the NX CAM Express. 

Get a better look at Solid Edge 2019 at Siemens PLM. 

Continuous release of NX

Not content to merely shake things up for Solid Edge users, Siemens also announced big news for NX users. NX is an advanced CAD/CAM/CAE platform that can be used for design, engineering analysis and manufacturing. 

Siemens revealed that from January 2019, they would begin a continuous release cycle of NX. It will be the first major CAD/CAM/CAE developer to do so. Continuous release means that NX users will receive updates as soon as they happen. This purpose of this new delivery model is to give users faster access to new updates and improvements. It will “reduce the time between the proposal of a new enhancement, and its deployment to the end customers”.

Considering NX users—amongst many other software users—are often several releases behind with their software, it’s a good way to ensure they’re up-to-date without going out of their way to do so. If successful, the method of continuous release could end up being adopted by other major developers in the near future. 

Get more information at the NX Design Blog. 

Partnership with HP

Siemens and HP 3D printed surgical cutting guide with QR code. Image source: siemens.com

Yet another powerhouse collaboration is on the cards, with Siemens PLM and HP announcing an exciting move for 3D printing. The collaboration integrates Siemens’ NX and Solid Edge software with HP’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing systems. HP’s Jet Fusion 3D series is a 3D printing solution for the prototyping and production of engineering-grade parts in full-color, black or white. 

The integration of Siemens’ software and HP’s printers will allow Solid Edge and NX users to design and produce full-color 3D printed parts with HP’s Jet Fusion 3D printing technology. Users will have easy access to 3MF files—ready for prototyping and production with HP’s entire range of printers, including HP Jet Fusion 4200/4210 and 300/500 series. 

President and CEO of Siemens PLM software, Toby Hemmelgarn, had this to say: “Our users will now be able to apply the power and flexibility of Siemens’ NX and Solid Edge product design software to HP’s groundbreaking 3D printing technology, opening a world of new design possibilities with the availability of full-color parts”. 

Indeed, customers will have the ability to quickly prototype and produce a range of economical designs. This could pave the way for accelerating the adoption of 3D printing across industries, small businesses and hobbyists. Read more at Siemens PLM’s newsroom. 

ORDERFOX.com and Autodesk collaboration

Image source: orderfox.com

Unless you’re a complete beginner in the world of CAD, you’ll no doubt be more than acquainted with Autodesk. A leading developer in the CAD industry, its popular products range from AutoCAD to Fusion 360 to Inventor. ORDERFOX.com, however, is a company you might be less familiar with. It’s a global Internet platform for companies within the CNC industry—connecting CNC manufacturers, buyers and their support industry. 

The collaboration will integrate Autodesk Viewer into the ORDERFOX.com platform. Autodesk Viewer enables users to view potential business opportunities without having to download anything. AutoCAD, Fusion 360 and Inventor users can access all of ORDERFOX.com’s features from their respective software. These applications are also supplemented with ORDERFOX.com plugins, allowing users to advertise CNC jobs directly on ORDERFOX.com. This will also give users the ability to find the right production partners, at no cost. 

It’s a simple process. Users can simply upload CAD data to advertise a job, have it converted directly into a 3D model within the Autodesk cloud and then make the data viewable on ORDERFOX.com. Metadata from design files will be securely embedded within the Viewer in over 60 different formats. 

For more information, head on over to ORDERFOX.com.

In Scan2CAD’s latest guide, we look at what paper patterns are and how they’re used in different industries. We also give you the full lowdown on how to convert paper patterns for CAD or CNC—offering a free trial of Scan2CAD for your troubles!

Table of Contents

• What are paper patterns?
  • How are they used?
• Why convert paper patterns for CAD?
• How do I convert paper patterns for CAD?
  • What does conversion entail?
  • Conversion methods
    • Image editors
    • Online converters
    • Scan2CAD
• Converting with Scan2CAD
  • Acquiring an image of a pattern
  • Video: Convert paper patterns with Scan2CAD

What are paper patterns? 

Paper patterns are essentially cutting templates of a required shape and size which will be cut out of material. They communicate the necessary information and directions to produce prototypes—taking note of design, shape, fit and measurements. Much like an architect uses blueprints to create structures, paper patterns are used by industries to create prototypes and eventually, a final product. 

Fundamental to industries across the world, paper patterns are used for a variety of purposes, from producing garments in sewing and fashion design to manufacturing car seats in the automotive industry. While these patterns are usually made with paper, it’s not unusual for industries to use paperboard, cardboard or plastic if they’re in need of something a bit sturdier.

Image source: Stylus Apparel Group

How are they used?

The process of making paper patterns is otherwise known as “patternmaking” or “pattern cutting”. To start, designers will sketch or trace over their chosen shape. An example of this might be a glass company which will head to a site and trace the shape of client patterns on cardboard paper. Next, the designer will cut the shape out of the paper—giving them a paper pattern. 

Some companies might opt to use their paper pattern manually, using the template to cut their material. Most industrie, however, opt to digitize their patterns—converting paper patterns for use in CAD or CNC. We’ll discuss this particular process below and the benefits attached. Once digitized, the paper pattern can be opened up and modified in a CAD application—meaning changes can be made swiftly and efficiently. If happy with the final design, the pattern can be sent to factories electronically for production or sampling.

Why convert paper patterns for CAD?

Before we look at how you can convert paper patterns for CAD (hint: it involves Scan2CAD), we’re going to look at the reasons why industries opt to digitize and convert paper patterns for CAD. 

Converting a paper pattern with Scan2CAD – Watch the full tutorial in this post, below.

Easier and faster modification

Converting paper patterns for CAD ensures changes are faster and easier to make. If you’re working with physical paper patterns, even small changes can push you back weeks. In large industries, this can be a nightmare. Having to redo or revise paper patterns—due to mistakes or changes to the design along the way—wastes time and reduces the chances of meeting deadlines. If you convert to CAD, however, you can make the necessary changes without having to go back to the drawing board. 

By working with paper patterns in CAD, it can be easy to create several sizes of the same design to fit particular shapes—if you’re working with garments, for example. Additionally, it’s possible to use old designs—take elements you like—and create brand new designs. This is something that would take much longer with physical patterns. In all, converting to CAD can streamline the production and manufacturing process, meaning faster layout and cutting.

Greater collaboration

Collaboration can be difficult if you’re working solely with physical paper patterns. The physical transportation of paper patterns from companies to factories can be long and laborious. Additionally, mistakes can happen along the way. More often than not, designs are never perfect the first time around. Companies and factories mailing physical designs back and forth for corrections slows production time down and can lead to miscommunication.

If you convert paper patterns for CAD—digitizing them—you can make necessary modifications quickly and in real time. With cloud-based CAD, it’s even possible to work with colleagues—no matter how far away—in real time. Patterns can be worked on simultaneously between colleagues—enabling designers to enact fast revisions. Once happy with the final result, patterns can be sent to cutting for production. 

Better management

Physical patterns can often get worn down depending on their material. If you have a template of a dress that you keep going back to for reference, then odds are that it will begin to wear down with time. This means that sizing and measurements might end up skewed as a result. If you digitize your patterns, however, you don’t have to worry about them degrading with time. They can be kept safe and organized—ready for print or cutting at any time. 

By deciding to convert paper patterns for CAD, you can take advantage of consistency with sizing, standardized patterns and a library of easily accessible patterns. An added bonus to a digital archive of patterns is that you can save up space that may have otherwise been taken up by physical copies. 

How do I convert paper patterns for CAD?

There are many services that you can find online that will convert your paper patterns for you. Some ask you to scan your patterns and others require you to send it to them by mail. If you’d rather do it yourself, however, we’ve got the perfect solution: Scan2CAD. How does it work? It couldn’t be simpler…

1. Sketch or trace your shape
2. Cut the shape out of the paper
3. Scan your pattern
4. Convert using Scan2CAD
5. Use your design in CAD or send directly to a CNC cutter

Before we look at how Scan2CAD can convert your paper patterns for you—and other methods of conversion—we’re going to look at what conversion is and how it works. 

What does conversion entail?

So, you’ve got your scanned copy of your paper pattern. How exactly can you convert it to create a digitized copy? Conversion—or vectorization—can be enacted through manual or automatic tracing. Much like the process of creating a paper pattern, manual tracing involves drawing over your paper pattern with vector lines using an image editor. Automatic tracing, by comparison, consists of using a specialized software that traces over your pattern automatically.

If you’re working in a big industry, e.g., manufacturing car seats in the automotive industry, you won’t have time to convert your paper patterns manually. It can be time-consuming and can get in the way of tight deadlines. Automatic tracing is fast and, in some cases, can take mere seconds to complete! 

Once your paper pattern has been converted, you can save it in a vector file format that can be worked with in CAD. Typically, DXF is the go-to format. Why? It’s a universal file format that can be used in most—if not all—CAD packages. This is highly beneficial in terms of collaboration. Exporting to a common format like DXF mean that you can send patterns to your colleagues—or directly to factories—and know that they’re be able to open them. 

Conversion methods

Image editors

You might be surprised to find that some of the image editors you undoubtedly work with can be used to convert your paper patterns. If you prefer to manually trace your patterns, you can simply open your pattern in the editor and trace over it with vector tools. Alternatively, many editors have an automatic tracing tool—at the click of a few buttons, you’ll have a vector image. Here are a few examples of image editors that you can use: 

• Illustrator
• Inkscape
• CorelDraw

If you’re only converting the occasional paper pattern and you have time on your hands, there’s probably nothing wrong with using an image editor. That being said, if you have a large volume of patterns to convert, we’d recommend using a specialized solution. 

Online converters

You don’t have to look far to find an online converter that promises to convert all of your patterns for free. As with most things in life, however, it’s far too good to be true. These converters might be free, but that advantage comes with an abundance of problems. For starters, you’ll only be able to upload designs that have a small file size. In terms of the actual conversion, you can expect poor quality and issues with text. 

One of the biggest problems with online converters lies in security. When you download files from the internet, you run the risk of downloading a virus or Trojan. Additionally, you don’t know who else might end up having access to your patterns. 

Scan2CAD

Scan2CAD is a market leading raster-to-vector conversion software. This means it can convert your scanned pattern—a raster image—to a vector file format like DXF that’s ready for use in CAD. The software supports a wide variety of file types—from raster file types like JPG and TIFF to vector file types like DXF and DWG. 

So, how does the vectorization process work in Scan2CAD? Once you’re happy with your scanned image—using pre-conversion tips we’ll discuss below—you need to select your vectorization settings. Then, the software will automatically detect the lines or shapes and trace over them with vector lines. The actual conversion process can take seconds.

Converting with Scan2CAD

Acquiring an image of a pattern

As with any conversion, it’s of the utmost importance that you use a suitable image. What does this mean? It’s simple, really. You can’t just take a low quality photograph of your pattern on your phone and expect the quality to be suitable. Instead, we suggest using a scanner to acquire a high-quality picture of your paper pattern. 

Once you’ve scanned your pattern, we suggest saving it as a TIFF. This raster file format gives users the best possible output for conversion. It comes with lossless compression, so you can expect high resolution and quality even after you’ve made edits to it. 

Video: Convert paper patterns with Scan2CAD

In the following video we’ll take you through all the steps required to convert your paper pattern to an accurate vector outline using Scan2CAD. 

We’ve put together a guide to everything you need to know about SolidWorks careers. Here, we’ll cover everything from the specific jobs on offer, to the qualifications needed, to where you can find them. Plus, we’ve included a handy stats section examining specific salaries and job growth. Let’s hop to it!

Table of Contents

• SolidWorks careers
• Qualifications
• Essential statistics and information
• Pros & cons
• Where to start
• Conclusion

SolidWorks careers

SolidWorks was developed by CAD giant Dassault Systèmes. It also stands as one of the most prominent CAD packages out there.  As CAD has evolved, so too have job requirements. It’s now common for jobs to require candidates to have experience using specific software. This is mostly due to companies having all employees using the same software. Being proficient in SolidWorks, therefore, can open many doors for you. 

Already had a look at job sites? You’ll have noticed that some jobs specifically mention CAD software, e.g., “SolidWorks drafting specialist”. Alternatively, you might find the software mentioned in the job description. We’re going to take a look at general career sectors that require skills in SolidWorks:

• Drafting
• Engineering
• Architecture
• Design

Drafting

Image source: Michael Lord

Drafters can use SolidWorks to create 2D and 3D drawings. They’ll work with engineers to put together blueprints, plans, parts and assembly drawings. Furthermore, drafters will have to specify aspects like tolerance, dimensions and materials. CAD drafters, therefore, are fundamental in the process of creating structures, machines and products. One of the benefits of CAD is that drafters no longer have to create and continue modifying real-world prototypes. Everything can be modified and improved directly in SolidWorks. Drafters can even test real-world scenarios in simulations. 

Mechanical Drafter

Median annual wage: $55,130

If the name didn’t clue you in, mechanical drafters specialize in creating and preparing drawings for various machinery, mechanical tools and devices. Whether it’s medical equipment or heavy industry tools, mechanical drafters play a huge part. Accuracy plays a heavy role in these technical drawings—drafters are required to indicate dimensions, assembly methods and mechanical installation infrastructure. Mechanical drafters can expect to work alongside engineers, manufacturers and architects.

Mechanical drafters are required to verify design calculations, which is where SolidWorks can play a big part, as simulation sequences can be used to test stress and tolerance. This means that drafters can quickly assess a product’s functionality and make necessary changes quickly and efficiently. 

Electrical Drafter

Median annual wage: $59,690

Electrical drafters create technical illustrations, wiring diagrams and connection specifications that are used as visual aids for complex equipment and machinery. These drawings will consequently be used by electrical workers who are installing or repairing equipment. Electrical drafters will ultimately work towards creating master drawings—to scale—which will give engineers an idea as to where these installations will be placed in existing facilities.

Accuracy is key. Electrical drafters have to take note of exact dimensions and specifications. For example, they would need to look at factors that might affect the installation, such as distance for wire. Fortunately, SolidWorks comes with a range of simulation capabilities.

Architectural drafter

Median annual wage: $52,870

You might be wondering what the difference is between architects and architectural drafters. For the most part, architectural drafters take the concepts of architects and create technical drawings and blueprints. Architects, on the other hand, have a much more “hands-on” approach to projects. By using software like SolidWorks, architectural drafters can take the rough sketches created by architects to design full, detailed schematics.

SolidWorks is relatively popular in the AEC sector for its optimized construction process—courtesy of PDM—and its ability to connect design data from start to construction. Indeed, these capabilities have made things much more efficient and streamlined.

Civil drafter

Median annual wage: $52,870

Civil drafters create drawings, maps and schematics for large-scale civil engineering projects. These projects could be anything from roads to bridges to sewage systems. This wide variety also means that you could be working on blueprints and drawings for projects either above or below ground! Civil drafters also need to take into consideration factors like cost and material type—consequently calculating how this might affect the weight and volume of the design.

It’s not all about looks, of course. It’s a civil drafter’s job to make sure everything functions the way it’s supposed to. Projects need to be to scale, accurately dimensioned and within the correct procedure and safety standards. As with architectural drafters, civil drafters take the ideas of civil engineers and put them to paper—or CAD!

Engineering

Image source: Engineer.com

SolidWorks is very popular with engineers—allowing them to produce detailed designs and schematics for the creation of mechanical systems or products. They can start out with 2D designs, eventually evolving to full 3D models. Analysis and simulation tools in SolidWorks can then be used to test stress and tolerance—trying to prevent issues further along the pipeline. Aspects like cost, material and measurements can also be examined throughout the design process.

Mechanical Engineer

Median annual wage: $85,880

Mechanical engineers offer solutions—in the form of mechanical devices or processes—to particular problems. These products can range from anything including electrical generators, gas turbines and elevators. Using SolidWorks, mechanical engineers can create these mechanical devices—making use of important analysis tools to test stress and tolerance.

Obviously, if any problems are found, such as weak structures or overlapping elements, the engineer will need to make modifications. Fortunately, you no longer have to go back to the drawing board and scrap an entire design if there are issues. It’s as simple as identifying the problem and modifying it.

Civil Engineer

Median annual wage: $84,770

Civil engineers have to cope with vast amounts of information during a project, from survey reports to maps to overall data. It’s their job to measure construction costs—measured up against budgets—regulations, potential environmental hazards and general risk analysis. With SolidWorks, PDM can play a huge role in this part of the job. Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. They also have to consider cost estimates for materials, machinery and labor. 

Once civil engineers have surveyed and analyzed the structure, they’ll present their findings to the public. To that end, visual aids play a big role in this particular part. 

Industrial Engineer

Median annual wage: $85,880

Industrial engineers have one key factor that they need to consider above all: efficiency. It’s their job to develop management systems and workflows that make planning and cost analysis as efficient as possible. Industrial engineers also work on individual projects—figuring out how to create products with maximum efficiency. The aim is to eliminate wastefulness from processes. 

Industrial engineers are also in charge of quality control procedures and reviewing work and process flows. It’s not all about machines or products: it’s also about the people. Industrial engineers look at the workforce and evaluate how well they’re doing their jobs. 

Other engineering careers might include manufacturing engineers, project engineers and application engineers.

Architecture

Image source: Solid Solutions

While SolidWorks might not be the first CAD software people think of in regards to architecture—the most obvious one might be AutoCAD—it can be very useful. SolidWorks can be used to create 2D floor plans, 3D models and visual renderings of a variety of possible structures. And that’s not all. Capabilities like PDM and simulations enable users to streamline workflows and perfect a structure. 

Architect

Median annual wage: $78,470

Architects work alongside architectural drafters, as shown above, who take their ideas to CAD—reviewing drawings and specifications. Architects might start by selecting the site of the structure. They will then need to look at the specific requirements, objectives and budget of the overall project. Obviously, the architect won’t be working alone—they’ll collaborate with other architects, drafters and engineers. The benefit of software like SolidWorks is that collaboration is simple—everything is completely streamlined from step to step. 

It’s not all about CAD and working behind a computer, however. Architects will also be expected to take regular visits to the actual site of the project. This is so they can check the progress of the project and ensuring it’s on time—and sticking to the budget!

Design

Image source: SolidWorks blog

Using SolidWorks, designers can put together visual interpretations of projects and 3D renderings—useful for presenting work to clients. Whether it’s interior or exterior design, models can include a variety of elements including windows, wall furnishings and flooring. SolidWorks’ simulation capabilities can play a role in enabling designers to perfect designs before heading to the physical prototype stage.

Interior Designer

Median annual wage: $51,500

Interior designers create interior spaces—taking into consideration client specifications and aesthetics. Space plays a huge role in projects, as interior designers need to consider how to use free space and how people will move around it. Using SolidWorks, interior designers can create detailed floor plans and layouts—even including electrical layouts. 

Designers need to specify materials and interior furnishings, ranging from lighting to the walls to the flooring. Visual tools are incredibly useful in allowing designers to show their full ideas and concepts to clients in a clear and effective manner. To make it even more realistic, designers can choose to present clients with full walkthroughs. 

Industrial Designer

Median annual wage: $65,970

It’s the job of industrial designers to consider how people use products, and to test different design types to determine which one is safest, most efficient and ideal for the target audience. Working with engineers, industrial designers also need to determine whether their design is indeed possible. Whilst creating their product in SolidWorks, industrial designers will look at material and production costs.

Using analysis tools, industrial designers will evaluate their designs, looking at safety, appearance and overall functionality. They’ll continue to revise their product until it is the best possible model. Much like interior designers, they’ll also present their designs to clients via visual tools and walkthroughs.

Qualifications

So, we’ve looked at the many SolidWorks careers that are available out there. Now, you might be wondering how exactly you can become a drafter or engineer, for example. We’re going to look into the specific certificates and degrees that you might need. 

Before we do, however, we’re going to briefly explain the different qualifications available. 

• Professional certificate. This is offered at community colleges, career training schools and online schools. It can be obtained in a year and offers specific career skills.
• Associate’s degree. It takes two years at a community college, career training school or college/university. It’s possible to continue on to do a bachelor’s degree.
• Bachelor’s degree. It takes four or five years at a college/university or online school. Most jobs require this type of degree. It’s possible to continue on to do a master’s.
• Master’s degree. It’s taken after a bachelor’s degree and can be completed in 2 years. It gives students a more advanced look at their field of study.

What you need to become…

A drafter

If you’re looking to become a drafter, you need—at the very least—an associate’s degree. As we’ve said, this can be completed at a community college, career training school or college/university. You can opt to specialize in a particular field, e.g. electrical, mechanical or architectural. Once you’ve completed your degree, you can choose to further your education with a bachelor’s, or start looking for a job. Most opt for a bachelor’s degree due to increased job prospects.

With regards to licenses, you can opt to get American Design Drafting Association (ADDA) certification. While not mandatory, it can improve your résumé and emphasize your competence and knowledge in your chosen field of expertise. 

An engineer

Requirements for engineers are slightly higher than drafters. You need to complete a bachelor’s degree in a subject relevant to your sector. With engineering being highly competitive, you might also opt for a master’s degree to set you apart from the rest. 

As is the case with drafters, it’s not mandatory for engineers to have specific certifications. That being said, if you’re eyeing up positions like senior mechanical engineer, a Professional Engineering (PE) license will set you up nicely.

An architect

To start, you need a bachelor’s degree in architecture. If you’ve had no prior training, this can take up to 5 years. You’ll also want to add on a master’s degree which can take between 1 to 5 years. And that’s not even half of it! You need to complete at least 3 years of experience in a paid internship. 

Unlike drafters and engineers, architects are all required to sit for the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). If you’re looking to bolster your résumé, you might look towards further certification with NCARB.

A designer

As with engineers, designers need to complete a bachelor’s degree in their chosen field, e.g., interior design or engineering. With this particular sector, it’s unquestionably worth building up a portfolio of your work over the years. This will give potential employers an idea of your capabilities. Moreover, it’s a great way to track your progress.

Some states only allow individuals to use the title “interior designer” if they’ve completed the NCIDQ. You need 2 years of experience to be eligible. And, while industrial designers don’t have to have specific certification, most opt for an MBA to further their skills. 

Essential statistics and job information

A bit lost? There’s a lot of information to take in with these jobs. Fortunately, we’ve put together a table below with all the essential bits you need to know. This includes median annual salary, education and additional requirements. Additionally, we’ve included a job growth projection over the next 10 years.

Career	Median Annual Wage	Required Education	Additional requirements	Projected Job Growth (2016-26)
Mechanical drafter	$55,130	Associate’s degree/Bachelor’s degree (optional)	ADDA optional	5%
Electrical drafter	$59,690	Associate’s degree/Bachelor’s degree (optional)	ADDA optional	2%
Architectural drafter	$52,870	Associate’s degree/Bachelor’s degree (optional)	ADDA optional	7%
Civil drafter	$52,870	Associate’s degree/Bachelor’s degree (optional)	ADDA optional	9%
Mechanical engineer	$85,880	Bachelor’s degree/Master’s degree (optional)	PE  for career advancement	9%
Civil engineer	$84,770	Bachelor’s degree/Master’s degree (optional)	PE for career advancement	11%
Industrial engineer	$85,880	Bachelor’s degree/Master’s degree (optional)	PE for career advancement	10%
Architect	$78,470	Bachelor’s degree/Master’s degree	3 years of paid experience, mandatory ARE, NCARB optional	4%
Interior designer	$51,500	Bachelor’s degree	NCIDQ required in some states	4%
Industrial designer	$65,970	Bachelor’s degree	MBA optional	4%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

SolidWorks careers: pros & cons

If our guide to SolidWorks careers has you interested, check out our quick list of pros and cons to see if it really is right for you…

Pros

 SolidWorks opens up doors to jobs in drafting, engineering and design.
 If time is of the essence, an associate’s degree only takes 2 years!
 You can work with other CAD software too, e.g. AutoCAD.
 Some occupations allow for working remotely.
 If you put in the effort, career advancement is on the horizon.

Cons

 Industries like engineering are very competitive and job growth can stagnate.
 In order to get a senior position, you have to put in more time and money.
 Many companies outsource CAD instead nowadays.
 You have to make sure you’re consistently up to date with SolidWorks.
 Drafting can be physically tolling on the eyes and wrists.

Overall, you have to think carefully about how much time, money and effort you’ll have to put in. Careers in engineering undeniably have higher monetary benefits than drafting. That being said, you’ll also have to put in more time and effort in gaining a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Additionally, to keep up in such a competitive industry, you’ll have to make sure your knowledge of SolidWorks is consistent and up to date.

SolidWorks careers: where to start?

So, you’ve slowly accumulated your SolidWorks skills and now you’re eager to put them to the test. If you’ve already got your degree sorted out, now’s the time for the hardest part: searching for a job. Fortunately, nowadays, the entire job search process has been simplified. Subsequently, there are hundreds of job sites out there that you can use. Some of our top ones include:

• Monster
• CareerBuilder
• Robert Half
• Indeed
• Career Jet

Simply use relevant keywords—like “SolidWorks” or “Mechanical Engineer”—and refine your search by location, salary preferences and experience. In short, make sure you take the time to read the job descriptions carefully and revise your résumé until it’s up to scratch.

Conclusion

SolidWorks fans will be pleased, then! With so many SolidWorks careers out there, the options are limitless. A plan is key to career success. So, map out where you want to be and take note of what you need to get there. Whether it’s getting an associate’s degree or gaining experience, it’s all important. 

Concerned about job growth stats? While it’s plain to see that some jobs have a higher projected job growth percentage, it’s not an exact science. In any case, there’s always opportunity out there, it’s all about looking carefully. For that reason, it’s important to do your research properly and tailor your résuméto fit prospective jobs—the rest will undoubtedly fall into place. 

Looking to start out on your own? Then you might want to check out Freelance CAD—Everything You Need To Know. 

The question then, is how exactly do you convert PNG to vector for accurate results? Scan2CAD, as usual, is way ahead of you. We’ve put together the ultimate guide on how to convert PNG to vector—looking at vector file types, how conversion works and even giving users a free Scan2CAD download to do it all!

Table of Contents

• Basics 101
  • Rasters and Vectors
  • Why we need to convert
• PNG 
• Vector files
• Conversion: the ultimate lowdown
  • Manual and automatic tracing
  • Which gives me accurate results?
• Conversion methods: which is best for me?
  • Online converters
  • Image editing software
  • Scan2CAD
• Convert PNG to vector with Scan2CAD

Basics 101

So, you’re looking to convert PNG to vector accurately—but where do you start? Before we get stuck into the ins and outs of the actual conversion process—and how you can do it for free with Scan2CAD—we’re going to look at why conversion is necessary in the first place. It all leads back to the type of images you’re working with—i.e., rasters and vectors. 

Rasters and vectors

Let’s start with raster images. Did you know that most of the digital images you see—from photographs to the funny GIFs you send to your friends—are in fact raster images? With wide support from web browsers, raster images are incredibly easy to share and ideal for uses like photography.

On a more technical note, rasters are built up entirely of pixels. The advantage to this means that they can hold millions of colors, which is why they’re so great for photography. A disadvantage, however, is that they’re resolution dependent. What does this mean? You can’t resize or rescale a raster image without it becoming blurred. Additionally, if you’re looking to edit your PNG, you’ll end up having to edit the entire image as you can’t do so to individual pixels. For industries requiring accuracy, this can be very problematic.

And now onto vectors. There’s a reason that so many designers and engineers prefer to use vector images instead of raster images, and that’s because they can come with an abundance of benefits and can be used in CAD software.

So, what makes vectors so different from rasters? To put it simply, they store image data in a completely different way. Vectors aren’t made up of pixels—they’re made up of paths and display the individual elements of an image. These elements include lines, curves, shapes and text. With each object in a vector being defined by mathematical coordinates, you can change the scale without affecting the resolution whatsoever. This means a single vector image can now have a wide range of uses.

If that wasn’t enough, you can actually make edits to the individual elements within a vector image. And if you’re working with them in CAD software, you can take elements you like and reuse them in a new drawing—negating the need to re-draw plans or designs. It’s also possible to attach data to specific elements when working in CAD—specifying materials, sizes and dimensions.

Why we need to convert

To summarize, we need to convert PNG to vector when…

• We need to scale an image. With rasters being resolution dependent, we can’t resize them successfully—problematic if you want to use an image in different situations. Using a vector means you don’t have to worry about any loss in quality. 
• To edit a drawing. When you try to edit a raster image, you end up “painting” over the entire thing, because you can’t identify individual elements. This is the opposite to vectors which enable a wide range of editing capabilities. 
• For sharing. If you’re working in design or engineering industries, vector images are easy to share with colleagues, collaborators and clients. 

PNG

If you don’t know much about the file type you’re converting, you’re in luck—we’re going to give you a bit more context. PNG—or Portable Network Graphics—is a raster file type that was created in 1995. It’s easily one of the most popular raster file types—closely behind JPG. A prominent file type in web graphics, PNG is often used for logos and illustrations—possibly due to its support of 16 million colors!

This particular file type supports lossless compression—meaning it does not lose quality during the editing process. PNG also has alpha layers which allows for transparency within the image. While not as high-quality as Scan2CAD’s recommended file format TIFF, PNG is a good format to use for vectorization. You should be aware, however, that PNGs can have large file sizes due to the lossless compression.

Vector files

If you’re looking to convert PNG to vector with accurate results, you’re looking at converting to one of two main vector file types: DWG or DXF. If you’re a Scan2CAD regular or someone who works with CAD software, it’s unlikely that you’ve never come across the DWG or DXF file format before. For the uninitiated out there, however, we’re going to go through a quick lowdown.

DWG

DWG—DraWinG—is the native file format for one of the most popular CAD software packages out there: AutoCAD. It was created in 1982 and subsequently licensed by Autodesk. It didn’t take long for the file type to take off—Autodesk estimates that there were at least 2 billion DWG file types in circulation by 1998! 

The DWG file format is predominantly used in AutoCAD. As the software updates, so too does the DWG file format—coinciding with new releases of AutoCAD. Due to this connection to AutoCAD, it’s not surprising to find that DWG supports entities specific to the software—not least of which are dynamic blocks. 

As a proprietary file format, software developers need to get a specific licence to be able to use the DWG format in their own software. Due to this, you’ll find the occasional CAD software package that doesn’t support the file format. Fortunately, there are many ways to view DWG files without AutoCAD if you’re collaborating or sharing with other people. 

DXF

The issue of DWG’s proprietary restrictions was addressed quickly by Autodesk—resulting in the creation of DXF also in 1982. As the name, “Drawing eXchange Format”, suggests, DXF was created to act as a universal CAD file format so that users could easily collaborate without worrying about file incompatibilities. 

This universality of the DXF file format is why we view it as a “gold standard” of sorts. It’s the easiest file format to use when you’re working with CAD, because you don’t have to worry about whether the people you’re sharing files with have the right software or not. Almost all CAD software packages support the format, which is why it’s our recommended file format for vectorization. 

Which one should I use?

It all really comes down to the CAD software you’re using and whether you’re sharing your files with anyone. If you’re an AutoCAD user, then you’ll want to convert PNG to DWG. If you’re sharing files with people who don’t use AutoCAD, your best bet is to convert PNG to DXF instead. 

Conversion: the lowdown

So, you know all about PNG and you’ve decided which vector file type you want to convert to—what’s next? Understanding how conversion works. This process is often known by another name: vectorization. If you want to convert PNG to vector, you’re looking at either manual or automatic tracing. 

Manual and automatic tracing

The manual tracing process is pretty self-explanatory. If you’ve ever tried to replicate a drawing using tracing paper, you’ll be familiar with the process. If you’re using a computer to manually trace an image, you can open your PNG up in an image editor and draw over it with vector lines using your mouse. Alternatively, you can scan a drawing and then trace it in an image editor. 

Automatic tracing, by comparison, uses software that takes the entire process out of your hands. All you have to do is open up your image in your chosen software, choose your presets and at the click of a button, your PNG will be converted. 

Which gives me accurate results?

Manual tracing has the advantage of human understanding behind it. That is, if you’re working with an old drawing, you’re able to figure out where the lines are even if they’re faded. In that sense, manual tracing can give you accuracy if you’re working with dated, hard-copy designs. Automatic tracing can vary in regards to accuracy—dependent on the software you’re using. If you’re working with the right software, you’ll be able to take advantage of image settings and OCR technology—though you won’t get the benefit of human understanding. 

So, choose manual tracing if you’re working with old drawings and if you have enough time to dedicate to the project—it can be quite time-consuming after all! Alternatively, choose automatic tracing if you need a quick process—make sure you’re using the right software to get accurate results. If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry—the section below will talk you through the methods of conversion which will give you the most accurate results. 

Conversion methods: which is best for me?

Online converters

We’ll make it simple: if you’re looking to convert PNG to vector and get accurate results, there’s no use in using online converters. No matter which one you come across—and how much it promises to give accurate results—you’ll only get a poor output and a wide variety of problems. 

What problems could there possibly be, you ask? Online converters often come with: 

• File size limitations
• Issues with converting text
• Limited number of conversions
• Overall limited capabilities

One of the most obvious setbacks to online converters, however, has to be security risks. Once you’ve converted your image online, you have to download it to use it. When you do, there’s no telling what else you’re downloading. There’s no point in putting your entire system at risk for a poor output. 

Image editing software

Most people nowadays tend to have some form of image editing software on their computers nowadays—varying between Photoshop, Illustrator and much more. Did you know that you could use these types of image editors to convert your file types? 

Depending on your chosen software package, you could either manually trace or automatically convert. Manual tracing in image editors works in the same way we described earlier: you open your image in the software and trace over it with vector entities. Similarly, when tracing automatically, you’ll select some presets and at the click of a button or two, you’ll have converted your PNG. We’ve previously talked you through doing this in a variety of software packages, including: 

• Illustrator
• CorelDraw
• Inkscape

Image editors can be effective to use for conversion—particularly if you’re converting simple images like logos or graphics. If you’re looking to convert technical drawings like architectural designs, for example, you won’t be able to get away with an accurate result from an image editor. While some editors come with advanced conversion presets, for the most part, they don’t offer a sufficiently specialized conversion. 

Scan2CAD

There’s one reason you’ve made your way through this entire guide and that’s because you want to convert PNG to vector accurately. As we’ve discussed, however, online converters and image editors won’t do this for you. We offer a simple solution to this problem: Scan2CAD. 

As a market-leading raster-to-vector conversion software—specializing in technical drawings—offering accurate results, you won’t find a better solution than Scan2CAD. It doesn’t matter if you’re converting architectural plans or dated hard-copy designs—Scan2CAD gives you a range of vectorization settings designed to make sure your conversion is catering to your exact drawing. 

Interested? Check out the section below to see how you can convert PNG to vector with Scan2CAD for accurate results…

Convert PNG to vector with Scan2CAD—for accurate results

Converting a technical drawing to vector with Scan2CAD

How does it work?

Scan2CAD works by automatically detecting any lines, curves or text present in your PNG. It then traces over them with vector lines and text. All you’ve got to do is pick the right vectorization settings. These settings exist because Scan2CAD knows that different drawings require different conversion methods, e.g., architectural maps versus contour maps. 

Picking the right image…

As we mentioned earlier, as an automatic process, there is a lack of human understanding. As such, you need to make sure the PNG you’re converting is simple, clear and preferably monochrome. Why exactly? If you’re looking to convert full-color photographs, you won’t get an accurate result because the software won’t be able to differentiate between the different colors. 

Not only should you avoid colorful images—sticking to black and white—when converting, you should also make sure your PNG doesn’t contain: 

• Blurred areas
• Overlapping elements
• Pixelation

There’s no use in trying to convert a substandard image using Scan2CAD—you won’t be able to get an accurate output. If you avoid common raster issues—as seen in the image below—you’ll be able to get an accurate result when you convert PNG to vector using Scan2CAD. 

Don’t bother converting any raster image that sports any of these problems…

Getting it just right…

Even after picking the perfect PNG to convert, you’ve still got a little bit of work ahead of you to ensure you get the most accurate result using Scan2CAD. Once you’ve got your raster picked out, you can take advantage of Scan2CAD’s market-leading editing tools to get it just right…

• Thresholding is key! Remember how we said to stick to black and white images? The Thresholding tool enables you to turn your PNG into strictly black and white pixels—choosing a point at which shades of grey are classed as black or white. This can be applied to specific parts of your image (adaptive) or the entire PNG (simple). 
• Avoid speckles or holes. Using Scan2CAD’s remove speckles/holes tool, you can fill in all those stray pixels or gaps. This will prevent the software from picking up these pixels and assuming they’re part of the drawing—ensuring your image has only solid objects. 
• Thicken those lines. Gaps and broken lines in a drawing can severely impact your chances of getting an accurate result—something that is crucial in technical drawings. With the thicken lines tool, you can fill in the gaps quickly and efficiently. 
• Give it a smooth finish! You can end the editing process with the easiest tool of them all: smooth. As the name suggests, this particular tool gives your drawing a nice and smooth finish—getting rid of those pesky hairy edges! 

And off you go!

Once you’ve finished with the editing process, you can get started and convert PNG to vector with Scan2CAD. It really couldn’t be any easier. All you’ve got to do—once you’ve opened your PNG and edited it—is pick the vectorization setting relevant to your drawing and select the vectorize option. 

Are you looking to convert other raster file types to vector, such as BMP? This guide discusses BMP to vector conversion. 

So, how do you convert TIFF to vector—and what does the process really entail? In Scan2CAD’s latest article, we’ll look at the relevant file types involved, the ins and outs of conversion and the types of software—not the least of which is Scan2CAD—that can be used to convert TIFF to vector. 

Table of Contents

• Why convert TIFF to vector?
• TIFF
• Vector Files
  • DXF
  • DWG
• Conversion: the ins and outs
  • Manual tracing
  • Automatic tracing
• Methods of conversion
  • Image editors
  • Online converters
  • Other methods
• Convert TIFF to vector
• Scan2CAD: conversion tips
• Download Scan2CAD for free

Why convert TIFF to vector?

You might be wondering if you can just get away with using a TIFF, or why anyone would want to convert TIFF to vector at all. Essentially, it all boils down to the differences between rasters and vectors. 

Raster images—like TIFF—are built up entirely of pixels. While this means they can hold millions of colors, it also means they’re incredibly difficult to edit. If you want to make changes to a raster image, you can’t do so to individual pixels—you’ll end up making changes to the entire image. Pixels become more apparent when you try to change the size of a raster image. Almost everyone out there, at some point, has attempted to resize an image only for it to come out blurry and undefined. This is because raster images are resolution dependent.

If you’re a designer, you’ll have had to account for these issues by creating different sizes of a raster image depending on what you’re using it for. For example, you’d need to use a different sized raster for a billboard than you would for a business card. 

Vector images aren’t built up of pixels like rasters. Instead, they’re made up of paths—relying entirely on mathematical coordinates. How does this affect scaling? It’s simple—you can change the scale of a vector as much as you want, without any degradation in quality. It’s not all about the scaling advantages, however; vectors are are also handy when it comes to editing. Unlike rasters, you can make changes to individual vector elements. Plus, you can take elements you like in a CAD drawing, for example, and re-use them in a new one. For engineers in particular, this can be incredibly useful—giving them the opportunity to take elements they like from an older drawing and using them in a newer design. 

TIFF

If you’re looking to convert TIFF to vector, odds are, you already know what TIFFs are. That being said, there are undoubtedly a few fun facts you’ve not yet discovered. TIFF—or Tagged Image File Format—has a history dating all the way back to 1986, believe it or not. The original intent behind TIFF was to create a “universal” format of sorts for all desktop scanners. While only binary at the beginning, TIFF grew to support grayscale images and finally color images. 

Nowadays, you’ll see that TIFF is a popular format for “deep color” images. That is, images that hold millions of colors. You’ll struggle to find a raster format as flexible and adaptable as TIFF. As with other raster file types, TIFFs are made up of pixels. The format makes use of lossless compression. What does this mean for your image? Not only is it compressed, it also retains quality even after being edited. This is the opposite of lossy compression—a method that leads to a drop in quality after editing and saving. 

If you’re looking to convert TIFF to vector, you’re in luck—you’re using Scan2CAD’s recommended file format. We often urge users to save raster images in the TIFF format because it creates the best possible vectorization result. With its lossless compression, you can rest assured that the detail of your image will be maintained. Of course, if you’re using TIFFs, you’ll have to prepare yourself for large file sizes. 

Vector Files

So you know what vectors are and their advantages—not the least of which are infinite scalability, easy editing and reusability. Without further ado, we’re going to take a look at the two main vector file formats you might want to convert your TIFF to.

DXF

If TIFF is Scan2CAD’s recommended raster file format to use when it comes to conversion, DXF is probably our recommended vector file format. The beauty of the DXF file format is that it was created to be a universal CAD file format. Nowadays, it’s a gold standard of sorts when it comes to CAD. In fact, it’s unlikely that you’ll find CAD software that doesn’t support the DXF file format. This is particularly advantageous when you’re looking to collaborate with people. You don’t have to worry about someone not having software that supports your chosen file type, as practically every CAD software package supports DXF. It’s even possible to view DXFs using programs like Adobe Illustrator. 

Compared to your TIFF image—and other rasters—DXFs tend to have a smaller file size because they don’t need to store color information for each pixel. DXFs are also made up of ASCII text. Want to know more? Check out the DXF file specification or DXF FAQs.

DWG

If you’re an engineer, designer or overall CAD enthusiast, it’s unlikely that you’ve never come across the DWG file format before. The native file format for none other than popular CAD software AutoCAD, DWGs are used by millions of people worldwide. It was first created in 1982 and stands as a proprietary file format. What does this mean? Developers need to get a licence to be able to use the DWG format in their software. As such, you’ll find that DWGs don’t have as much reach as the DXF file format. 

An important difference between DXFs and DWGs is that while the former only supports 2D objects, the latter also supports 3D elements and AutoCAD-specific elements like dynamic blocks. Additionally, DWGs tend to have a smaller file size on account of them being a binary format. If you’re working with other people who don’t have AutoCAD, you don’t have to worry—you can view DWG files without AutoCAD. 

Which should I use?

There are many factors to take into consideration when decided on whether to use DXF or DWG. The main reason to use DWG is if you’re using AutoCAD or other software that can support the DWG file format. DXFs, by comparison, should be used if you’re looking to share drawings between different programs. 

Conversion: the ins and outs

The process of converting a raster image to a vector is easy enough to understand. Conversion—otherwise known as vectorization—involves taking your TIFF and tracing over it to convert it to a vector. It’s possible to convert TIFF to vector through either manual or automatic tracing. You can see how the process works below…

Manual tracing

How it works: 

• Open your image in an image editor like Inkscape
• Draw over your image with vector lines
• This can be done with a mouse or graphics pen
• Once complete, save in a vector file format

Reasons to opt for manual tracing…

As powerful as computers are nowadays, they’re still not quite at the level of our thinking and understanding. With that in mind, you might want to manually convert TIFF to vector if you’re using a lower quality image. Imagine you have a physical architectural map. It’s slightly old and upon scanning it, the output is blurred and undefined. Now, a conversion software wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between blurred artifacts and genuine lines. You, on the other hand, would know exactly where the lines are.

Of course, you would have to take into account the length of time it might take to manually convert if you’re using a complex image to start with.

Automatic tracing 

How it works: 

• Open your image in your chosen converter
• Choose presets according to your own preferences
• The software will detect the lines in your raster and convert them to vector entities
• You can save the image in a vector format

Reasons to opt for automatic tracing…

As we’ve said, manual tracing can be a long and strenuous process—though you’ll get a great output. Automatic tracing, by comparison, is an immensely speedy process. If you’re using software like Scan2CAD, for example, the conversion process can take mere seconds to complete. While you aren’t getting the human understanding that comes with manual tracing, you should bear in mind that a lot of vectorization software out there is improving with each passing year. With image settings and OCR technology, automatic tracing is slowly catching up.

While you can work with images of any quality in manual tracing, you’ll only be able to convert high-quality images with automatic tracing. If you do use low quality images, odds are, you’ll have to put in some manual work.

Methods of conversion

Image editors

As we mentioned in the manual tracing section, you can quite easily use certain software packages to either manually trace your image or automatically convert. The process usually involves opening your TIFF into the program, setting up presets and then starting the vectorization process—if you’re using automatic tracing. Of course, if you’re manually tracing, you’ll simply use their vector tools to trace over the TIFF yourself. We’ve done a series of articles covering how to trace images with different types of software, as you can see below:

• Inkscape
• Illustrator
• CorelDraw

While these editors will give you a good enough output for design purposes, you might find them lacking when you’re looking for ultimate precision. They won’t be able to give you a specialized conversion for your technical drawings.

Online converters

So, you’ve not got an image editor, or you don’t feel it will give you the best output when you convert TIFF to vector. Your next step might be to find an online converter. While you won’t struggle to find an online converter—there are hundreds out there—you will struggle to get a good output.

Online converters come with an abundance of disadvantages. You’re looking at image size limits, issues with converting text and limited capabilities overall. At best, you’d get a poor quality output for your troubles. And that’s not all—one of the biggest concerns with online converters is in regards to security. Once you’ve converted your image online, you’ll have to download it. There’s no telling how trustworthy a converter is. For all you know, you could be downloading a virus. It’s just not worth it.

Other methods…

Any designer or engineer worth their salt will want to convert TIFF to vector using a specialized solution. Whether you’re converting architectural plans, contour maps or other technical drawings, you need ultimate precision to ensure you get the best possible output. In fields like design and engineering, you’re often collaborating with several people at any given time—you don’t want to have to go back to the drawing board just because you ended up using a badly converted vector.

This is where Scan2CAD comes in…

Convert TIFF to Vector using Scan2CAD

Scan2CAD is a market leading raster-to-vector conversion software, specializing in—yes, you guessed it—the conversion of technical drawings to vectors. With a wide range of supported file types, you can easily convert TIFF to vector file types like DWG and DXF.

Scan2CAD works by automatically detecting the lines, curves and text present in your image. Then, it traces over these entities with vector lines and text. Scan2CAD boasts an exceptionally speedy vectorization process—taking mere seconds in some cases. All you’ve got to do is load your image into Scan2CAD, pick your vectorization settings and off you go! See what this looks like in the GIF below…

Converting a technical drawing to vector with Scan2CAD

There are, of course, some limitations to automatic conversion—all dependent upon what type of image you’re using, what conversion you’re looking for and much more. As such, Scan2CAD has specific conversion tips you should bear in mind to ensure you get the possible output.

Scan2CAD conversion tips

Pick your image carefully…

While this might sound obvious, you should take care to pick the right kind of image to convert. If you’ve got a grainy, blurry image, you won’t get a good vectorization output—no matter how good Scan2CAD is. You’re starting off well enough, however, by choosing to convert TIFF to vector. TIFFs are the perfect file format to convert—offering high resolution and lossless compression. There are of course, a few other things you need to consider.

When picking your image, try to avoid ones that contain blurred areas, overlapping elements or pixelation. It’s also recommended that you avoid using images with too many colors. If you can, stick to black and white images. This makes it much easier for the software to detect the lines and shapes in your image.

Don’t bother converting any raster image that sports any of these problems…

Use Scan2CAD’s editing tools…

Scan2CAD understands that there isn’t a simple one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to converting rasters to vectors. Some raster images require more clean-up than others before and after conversion. It’s for this reason that we offer a thorough raster and vector editing suite to ensure users get the best possible vector output. We’ve got a variety of raster effects to take advantage of, including:

• Thresholding. This tool is used for reducing the number of colors in your image to just black and white. With it, pixels are divided into black and white—so you don’t have to worry about grayscale or compression artifacts. You can apply it to the entire image (simple) or different parts (adaptive).
• Remove speckles/holes. Even if you’re picky with your TIFF, odds are it won’t be perfect. If your image suffers from stray pixels or gaps, you can erase and fill in holes to ensure your image contains only solid objects.
• Thicken lines. Got a TIFF filled with gaps and broken lines? Thickening the lines in your image will fill in gaps easily enough. Use it with caution—you don’t want to end up joining up lines that are meant to be separate!
• Smooth. Complete the clean-up process with a nice, smooth finish. The smooth tool, as the name suggests, smooths out any hairy edges your TIFF might have. This stops Scan2CAD from assuming the ‘hairs’ are part of the image and tracing them.

Download Scan2CAD for free

Precision is key, which is why Scan2CAD is the ultimate solution for designers and engineers when it comes to conversion. Whether you’re looking to convert TIFF or any other raster to vector, Scan2CAD should be your first choice. We offer a specialized conversion using superior vectorization settings.

And with our range of pre- and post-conversion editing tools, you can ensure you get a perfect vector output with every conversion. Ever struggled with converting raster text to vector text? Scan2CAD offers Smart OCR—meaning it can be trained to understand unusual fonts, including handwritten text. The cherry on top of the cake has to be Scan2CAD’s batch conversion tool—allowing users to convert hundreds of files.

We could spend hours explaining why Scan2CAD is the perfect solution for designers and engineers. Instead of wasting your time, however, we’ll leave you with our free, 14-day trial. You can enjoy everything Scan2CAD has to offer with no limitations or obligations. Simply click on the link below to get started!