AutoCAD does it best
Updated April 01, 2021
AutoCAD does it best
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with AutoCAD
Our firm uses AutoCAD across all 3 of our offices. We mainly use AutoCAD to layout two-dimensional plans for various building design projects. We first implemented the use of AutoCAD over 25 years ago to produce high-quality ink drawings to present to our clients.
- AutoCAD is perfect to use when the graphic representation of objects are shown in multiple drawing locations. Then this graphic can be changed once and all occurrences will be automatically updated.
- Using AutoCAD to draw plans is so much more efficient than drawing by hand. This is especially true when it comes to having to make changes. Everything can be done on the computer. There's no need to redraw or retrace the plan because with one command it's so easy to just make a digital copy of it.
- AutoCAD supports not only two-dimensional drawings but also three-dimensional drawings. With a three dimensional model, a user can actually create walkthrus and flybys of the project instead of having to create a physical model.
- AutoCAD cannot produce a drawing file that contains the needed building information for construction. It only offers various tools to create the needed drawings to communicate the design intent but not more than what is graphically shown.
- Though AutoCAD offers many three-dimensional modeling tools, it is still not efficient. It is very difficult to stretch or modify three-dimensional objects especially after holes have been cut out of the object.
- AutoCAD is missing a very important feature where it can be linked to third party spreadsheets like Microsoft Excel. Currently, there is no option where changes in an Excel spreadsheet can inform AutoCAD how to change the graphic objects to match.
- AutoCAD has helped our smaller firm produce lots of finished products matching that of a much larger size firm. With its many features, we have been able to do so much more and meet deadlines that much faster.
- Since we do use AutoCAD, we're able to work with many other engineering firms to collaborate together to complete various building projects.
- We have many clients now who expect us to provide for them at the end of a project not just printed construction drawings but also the digital AutoCAD drawing so they can in turn use it for future modifications themselves.
AutoCAD & Revit are both sold from the same company Autodesk. Revit comes from the point of view of providing powerful tools to create a three-dimensional model where you can extract two-dimensional drawings. AutoCAD, on the other hand, focuses more on providing powerful tools to generate two-dimensional drawings and on the side also offers tools to create a three-dimensional model.