Item: AutoCAD
Rating: 8
Author: Gautham Prasad

Overall Satisfaction with AutoCAD

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I am a VDC senior manager in the BIM department of a general contractor. We use AutoCAD when dealing with subcontractor models. I mostly use it to manipulate an existing model. I have subs who use AutoCAD for all of their 3D modeling and I wonder why they don't just use Revit. The AutoCAD plugin, Hydracad, is still preferred by fire protection subs.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Simple linework modeling
understanding coordinate systems in Revit
large scale formatting and printing

Cons

I don't see room for improvement. AutoCAD is an excellent tool, but I do think that Revit is replacing it for a lot of applications.

Return on Investment

AutoCAD is cost effective when you get the Autodesk suite, so it makes sense to have it for many of our workflows.
AutoCAD is like a hammer. It's simple and is very good at certain things. No matter how advanced tools get, you will not soon get rid of hammers.
AutoCAD is really useful when models do not line up correctly in Revit.

Usability

AutoCAD is fairly easy to use, but there is a little bit of a learning curve with the more advanced functions. There are dozens of commands that are tricky to find. You really need to understand the type-in feature to find the command you want. When you understand the basics you can really get flying with your drawing and modeling.

Alternatives Considered

Revit

I use Revit far more than I use AutoCAD. AutoCAD is great for simple linework, but even then I will often create the lines in Revit and then export to AutoCAD for final touches and printing. AutoCAD is a bit easier for large-format prints, which is why I almost always end up using it after starting in Revit.

Key Insights

Do you think AutoCAD delivers good value for the price?

Not sure

Are you happy with AutoCAD's feature set?

Yes

Did AutoCAD live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of AutoCAD go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy AutoCAD again?

Yes

Other Software Used

SketchUp, Bluebeam, Autodesk Construction Cloud, OneNote, Navisworks

Likelihood to Recommend

AutoCAD is great for large-scale printing, simple drawing, and manipulating exports from Revit to understand coordinate systems. We often use AutoCAD to create overlays that we then take into Navisworks. Understanding AutoCAD is crucial when working with subcontractor models. I have subs who only work in AutoCAD and I use it to make sure their models will work in my process.

AutoCAD Feature Ratings

Comments

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Great tool that is reliable and simple