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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    MicroStation

    Score6 out of 10
    Mid-Size Companies (51-1,000 employees)
    Bentley Systems offers the MicroStation application and product family as a 3D and 2D modeling and computer-aided design (CAD) solution for engineers and designers.

    $250

    Per User Per Month

    Designcenter

    Score8.1 out of 10
    N/ADesigncenter™ software (formerly NX™ software) is an integrated product design and engineering solution. The platform supports stages of product development—from concept design and engineering to manufacturing—to optimize design processes and enhance team collaboration.N/A
    Pricing
    MicroStationDesigncenter
    Editions & Modules
    Microstation
    $250.00
    Per User Per Month
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    MicroStationDesigncenter
    Free Trial
    YesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    MicroStationDesigncenter
    Considered Both Products
    Bentley Systems
    No answer on this topic
    Siemens AG
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    No answers on this topic
    96%
    Would buy again
    26 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    17 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    27 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    92%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    11 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    88%
    Implementation went as expected
    15 Answers
    Features
    MicroStationDesigncenter
    Computer-Aided Design Software
    Comparison of Computer-Aided Design Software features of MicroStation and Designcenter
    Feature
    MicroStation
    -
    Ratings
    Designcenter
    7.6
    5 Ratings
    2% above category average
    3D Modeling00 Ratings8.75 Ratings
    2D Drafting00 Ratings8.85 Ratings
    Rendering and Visualization00 Ratings5.94 Ratings
    Parametric Design00 Ratings8.45 Ratings
    Collaboration and Sharing00 Ratings6.54 Ratings
    Compatibility with other software and formats00 Ratings7.65 Ratings
    Assembly Design00 Ratings8.35 Ratings
    Simulation and Analysis00 Ratings7.33 Ratings
    Documentation and Annotation00 Ratings7.15 Ratings
    Customization and Extensions00 Ratings7.45 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    MicroStationDesigncenter
    Small Businesses
    Civil 3D
    Score9.3 out of 10
    Onshape
    Score6.4 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    No answers on this topic
    Onshape
    Score6.4 out of 10
    Enterprises
    No answers on this topic
    PTC Creo
    Score7.6 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    MicroStationDesigncenter
    Likelihood to Recommend
    7.2
    (8 ratings)
    8.1
    (28 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.5
    (7 ratings)
    Usability
    2.0
    (1 ratings)
    7.3
    (8 ratings)
    Support Rating
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    7.3
    (3 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.4
    (3 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    MicroStationDesigncenter
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Bentley Systems
    MicroStation is THE program to use for roadway and corridor modeling. Most departments of transportation and municipalities in my region require that the models be delivered in the dgn format, so it is MicroStation or bust. It is an absolute pain to use some of the add-in features though. Things that are easy in other programs like making smart tables that update with the latest information usually necessitate the use of Axiom or similar outside programs/add-ins. I design storm sewer systems, and it takes us 6 months to train up new hires on this software, because it is NOT intuitive. You need to know which buttons to press, since it is not designed to be easily command-based like AutoCAD Civil 3D.
    Incentivized
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    Siemens AG
    There is perfect integration between NX CAD and NX CAM modules with less data loss. Better graphical interface and simplified commands makes NX CAD a better software then others. The tool has scope to develop an algorithm for generating surfaces from the point data. Include of option to convert .STL to any CAD format will be helpful. The connectivity of splines laying in different planes can be improvised.
    Incentivized
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    Pros
    Bentley Systems
    • Plethora of design alternatives to choose from right from design to completed models
    • Detailed approach towards parametric, mesh and surface modelling
    • Well integrated modelling workflows
    • Intelligent parametric components with 2D and 3D designs
    Incentivized
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    Siemens AG
    • Seamless interaction across multiple departments.
    • The software allows you to create a very high level of control and organization within your engineering staff. This reduces the companies mistakes and maximizes productivity.
    • The software makes it very easy to track your product through every phase of the production cycle.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Bentley Systems
    • Some of the more complex models have had a few issues exporting.
    • We've struggled with external consultants using the custom Autocad engineering tools, and it plays nicely with MicroStation.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    • Keeping the colors of surfaces if volume bodies are linked
    • Show and keep symbolic threads
    • For me, I miss more information why a surface can't be deleted or a radius is not possible. And maybe a solution, how could it look like, if NX CAD adds a new surface.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Bentley Systems
    No answers on this topic
    Siemens AG
    possibility of integration and customization
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Bentley Systems
    MicroStation is very hard to use for our newest employees. It is not intuitive, and you need to know where to find the buttons to perform the commands you would like to perform instead of typing in the commands like other similar modeling programs. Also, it has no good traffic turning add-ins. We continue to run ALL our turning in Autoturn, since this is not a usable feature with MicroStation.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    Siemens NX CAD has been has been simple in design & user interface. It is best among the competitors. It can develop heavy models & designs with very ease. It has Layers options for arranging multiple assemblies in the same file. It does not require heavy system investment & works fine on professional PCs
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Bentley Systems
    We haven't had to use it for many years, so not able to comment.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    NX CAD version is going out of support after only 12 months. Changes will not be implemented after 12 months from prodcution
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Bentley Systems
    No answers on this topic
    Siemens AG
    the manitenance period is too small for our implementation timeline
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Bentley Systems
    The only general purpose CAD program that you can compare MicroStation with would be AutoCAD. MicroStation, in my opinion, is a superior product in every way but one. That one issue is that there are just more people who have and know how to use AutoCAD than there are ones who know MicroStation. This makes AutoCAD easier to get up and running for most firms.
    Incentivized
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    Siemens AG
    NX CAD is very good for interoperability between different three dimensional modelling softwares, it can convert to .jt models, from native format such as .CATPart, .CATProduct, and ones from SOLIDWORKS. Also it is integrated to Siemens Teamcenter, which also enables other downstream workflow, such as Tecnomatix Process Simulate. Other software packages would need more integration effort to make this possible
    Incentivized
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    Return on Investment
    Bentley Systems
    • MicroStation usage is primarily necessitated by our major client who also uses the program.
    • Without using MicroStation there would be many times where we would not be able to provide our clients with what they need.
    • Therefore, MicroStation has had an incredibly positive impact on the business I work for as its usage has continued to secure contracts.
    Incentivized
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    Siemens AG
    • The software itself is pretty expensive compared to other CAD-systems.
    • Implementation is not out of the box, it requires a lot of consulting and iteration cycles.
    • On the positive side is to mention the seamless of downstream functionalities, from product development to manufacturing and visualization, etc.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    MicroStation Screenshots

    Screenshot of Take advantage of built-in support for 100+ common formats and data types for 2D and 3D raster and vector geometry and associated BIM information, including trusted RealDWGScreenshot of Supporting hundreds of coordinate systems and dozens of geospatial data types, users can reliably integrate existing data quickly and confidently.Screenshot of Produce better documentation, faster, with fully integrated 2D and 3D workflows, creating a single integrated model that allows you to view drawings and other model information directly immersed within the 3D modelScreenshot of You can ensure your design intent while speeding modeling with extremely powerful and flexible constraints and a range of solid, mesh, surface, and topological modeling toolsScreenshot of MicroStation's native support for an unmatched range of file formats and data types means you can leverage any data you have to speed drafting and modeling and decision-makingScreenshot of Turn your models into polished professional presentations to win stakeholder buy-in and speed approvals on your design projects.

    Designcenter Screenshots

    Screenshot of Sustainability in Designcenter helps evaluate a product's environmental impact. Analyze material choices and manufacturing processes to create eco-friendly designs that meet global standards and reduce your carbon footprint.Screenshot of the Performance Predictor, used to simulate and forecast operational efficiency. This helps optimize designs and proactively avoid bottlenecks before physical implementation.Screenshot of Immersive Engineering, used to dive deep into manufacturing environments. Viewers can explore and analyze processes virtually to pinpoint potential issues and optimize workflows before they ever reach the factory floor.Screenshot of the Select Similar tool, used to quickly identify and group geometrically identical or parametrically similar components within a design. This streamlines modifications and ensures consistency across an entire project.Screenshot of a rendering created from the actual product design. Notice the lighting and surface realism.