Best CAD Software for Professionals

CAD, or computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), is the use of computer technology for design and design documentation. CAD software replaces manual drafting with an automated process.

If you work in the architecture or structural engineering fields, you have probably used 2D or 3D CAD programs. These programs can help you to explore design ideas, visualize concepts through photorealistic renderings and simulate how a design will perform in the real world. AutoCAD software was the first CAD program and it is still the most widely used CAD application.

Benefits of Best CAD Software:

• Accurate designs
• Fast, precise and flexible
• Set the measurement units and set your scale automatically.
• No separate overlays required,CAD can draw in the same file with the Layer option.

• Draws strictly according to drafting standards.
• Dimensions for the drawing can be modified and the size and resolution of the drawings can be changed.
• CAD Software helped to enhance the documentation process; easy to store and use at any time without any unwanted hassles.
• CAD Software reduced the product development cost and also helped shorten the design cycle.

With the development of software, the above-listed benefits achieved but now the question arises for choosing the best CAD Software. In today’s scenario, we have around 200+ software readily available in the market.

CAD Software market has been growing enormously with huge participants namely AutoDesk AutoCAD, ActcAD,IntelliCAD and BricSys, etc which have a huge turnover annually.

These companies bring out their best CAD software to simplify and streamline the Designing and manufacturing processes.

Some of the Best CAD Software available (Alphabetically) :

1. ActCAD
2. AllyCAD
3. AutoCAD
4. BricsCAD
5. CMS IntelliCAD
6. G Star CAD
7. NanoCAD
8. ProgeCAD
9. TurboCAD
10. ZWCad

Top 5 Criteria to choose the Best CAD Software:

• Need Assessment:

The first criteria for choosing the perfect CAD Software should be based on whether the software available, assesses your requirements or needs.

CAD Software is now available with dedicated packages separately for mechanical engineers,civil engineers,architects, electrical engineers, and other CAD Consultants.

• Budget or Cost Criteria:

Different software is available which comes with different price tags. The CAD user has to calculate his investment based on three parameters.

1. Hidden charges:

Some of the CAD Companies with their price tags on their software never mention their costs which may be chargeable later and the user penalized extra for those functionalities.

The user has to be smart enough is analyzing the costs related to technical support as it comes of the utmost importance when you are stuck in the middle of something whether it may be related to drawing or it may be related to licensing.

ActCAD has a dedicated technical support team that provides apt technical solutions for free. They do not charge anything extra for technical support packages.

Even they provide free of cost technical support during the trial periods. You can evaluate its fully functionaltrial version.

2. Upgradaion Costs:

With the time-lapse, there are future requirements in the software and the same done by the software companies with their upgraded versions.

They come up with enhancements in functions, fixing some prevailing errors in the last version. So for the CAD user, it is also a matter of concern to judge the up-gradation cost if any so that at the time of graduation he is comfortable enough to bear the cost.

ActCAD has kept no boundaries and no complications in its upgradation clauses. It has rested all the decisions for future up-gradation in the hands of individual CAD users.

The CAD user is thus not forced to upgrade to the latest version and it is his own decision for doing so. And the cost for the same is also not very high as compared to other Software. (The full amount of the software package charged to the user for up-gradation by some companies).

3. How effective is the investment in the cad software?

Corresponding to all the factors discussed in the budget criteria, the user analyses his cost expenditure and compares the same with other available software to get the Best CAD Software.

In my opinion, the budget factor plays the highest importance in selecting the best CAD Software as the investment made by the firm determines its return on investment and the profitability of the software.

So the CAD User has to analyze the expenditures, investments and all other monetary criteria to plan out and grab his suitable.

• Technical Criteria:

The technical aspect of CAD Software also has the same weight while deciding to choose for the work. The technical criteria can be judged by the following points.

1. Technology Used :

The CAD Packages available should be providing the user with the latest technologies so that it won’t get obsoleted after several years and ensures good performance.

2.Performance :

A good performance ensured by the CAD Software can have many advantages like the faster completion of the job, tension-free user, reduction of production time, etc.

The Software if working smoothly, dynamically with high efficiency marks the software with a good performance. So the user has to take up some trail evaluation before coming to the conclusion based on performance.

Many CAD software that is available may be using different technologies but it would be a smart move if you are going with the latest technology.

ActCAD announced its release of the 8.4a version on 12th OCT 2017 which enhanced its performance and enriched its functionalities. Similarly, the saga continued and ActCAD also incorporated the latest IntelliCAD 8.4b CAD Engine package.

3. Licensing of the best cad software:

Another factor that plays a vital role in decision making is the License validity and licensing boundaries. CAD Software has some tenures of their usage. It limits the user to work on the software for a limited period.

The software comes with four types of Licensing tenures.

a. Annual Subscription or annual rental:

In this licensing tenure, the software is only available to the user for a maximum of 1 year or 365 days. After that, the user has to pay an Annual Maintenance Charge (AMC) and or pay the full software cost which is the latest available.

b. Software as a Service (SaaS):

In this licensing tenure, the user takes up the software on a contractual basis for some period of time. It is also called as Software plus Services.

c. Perpetual Licenses:

This is the kind of licensing system which is very cost-effective and hassle-free. Its tenure lasts for a lifetime and in between no extra charges are asked by the CAD Companies.

d. Territorial Licenses:

In this Licensing facility, the user is able to use within the regional boundaries available to the CAD program.It gets locked or inaccessible if tried to access beyond the territory.

ActCAD comes with a perpetual as well as a globally valid license. This license provides a platform for the organization to use the CAD anywhere in the world.

It also has a Self License Transfer Mechanism.This enhances the work for the user and provides flexibility in shifting his license from one PC to another without any limitation. You can perform this act unlimited times as per your convenience.

Conclusion:

CAD software’s development was an important act in the manufacturing,designing and production industry.The software helped the engineers in presenting their jobs accurately with precision.

Many software is available in the market, but picking out the right one is the smart move. IntelliCAD has been nourishing much software but the one I find to be the Best CAD Software is ActCAD.

As said earlier about its licensing mechanism and being feature-rich, helps it stand from the rest and I have chosen.

It also has a dedicated development team with the best of work on CAD programs as per user needs.Corresponding to all the factors discussed above.