A Replaceable/Alternative for AEC Industry?
INTRODUCTION
AEC industry is well known as, architect, engineer and construction industry. One of the biggest industries in Malaysia’s development – use the standard 2D CAD drafting tools to speed up the drawing of the construction project; use cloud markup, to ease the contractor or civil engineer to check the latest revision, to ensure the project is on-going with no issues. Being fancy in 3D is not the kind of thing for the AEC industry, the drafting tools will remain as the standard drafting practice when needed to produce the construction drawing.
What are the main reasons DraftSight remain as an unknown tool in the local industry? The local culture or practices in Malaysia and lack of awareness of DraftSight in the AEC industry. 20 or 15 years ago, using AutoCAD has been one of the government’s initiatives to push evolution of digital transformation. In order to receive projects from government, using AutoCAD has been one of the criteria for the local firms, contractors and vendors. When there were changes in the government structure with the restriction of CAD software lifted, they have already became too attached and rely on AutoCAD too much due to years of local practice. This caused AutoCAD remains as the main option for them that is a must-have in order to bid for government projects, making it a difficult decision for the local to accept and try DraftSight software.
DraftSight VS Another CAD
DraftSight should not be considered as alien software in the AEC industry. The software has been on market for more than 10 years. The black color background, the command bar below the window options, that software UI developed based on window UI layout. The similar UI from DraftSight provides users to have a familiar feeling on the interface with other CAD software, allowing them to have minimum guidance and tutorials needed to pick up on DraftSight software. This makes DraftSight not much different compared to AutoCAD, ZW Cad, and other CAD software that are being used in Malaysia. Similar functions and commands in DraftSight with different names make it easier for them to convert to DraftSight from existing CAD software such as standard layer properties to define the entity into different group by colors, and the ability to temporary show and hide entities in different layers.
Cost Effective and Wise Investment
If you love your products, why are you still looking for alternatives? If you’re able to cover the cost of maintenance for the products, why are you still here? How do you feel, when you’ve been forced to pay for a product, not to mention, payment of a full brand-new price products, again and again every year, just because you need it to do some project?
Currently, most of the drafting software, come with SAAS model. It is compulsory to renew subscription for you to continue to use the software, regardless if your company is looking for a temporary or permanent solution for the tools.
DraftSight comes with perpetual and subscription type licenses, providing the options for users to invest into the correct product for long-term or short-term planning for the company.
Features & Smart Power Tools
Instead of coming out with new, fancy functions and features in the software, the DraftSight engineers are more focused on the reliability and functionality of the software, providing more related features to solve the users’ issue such as importing entities from PDF format; tracing images and convert those edges to drawing entities, it can even trace topographical pictures, to study the contour of the mountains. R&D started to accept suggestions from the community, started to include new enhancements that are in high-demand from customers and prospects such as support dynamic blocks and LISP automation files.
Review from Converted Users
You will getting similar reviews from different converted users. One thing for sure is they do not feel any regret for converting to DraftSight. If you watch their videos, most of them have mutual point – that, DraftSight is easy to use, cost effective for long term investment if you purchase perpetual license with useful power tools that help users to improve their design workflow, based on years of using conventional drafting CAD software, transitioning to DraftSight is quick and easy. There are also new enhancements developed by DraftSight R&D department every year.
Traditional Culture VS Smart Transformation
Instead of relying on your current CAD software, the drafter or the management team in AEC corporate should give a try on DraftSight. Instead of doubting the capabilities of DraftSight based on the prices of the products, they should be more open-minded to fully utilize the 30-days trial to evaluate the software and push the limit of the software. Stop giving excuse, lying to yourself, saying AutoCAD DWG is not supported in DraftSight, tolerance error appears in DWG file after import in PDF.
By collaborating your DraftSight with 3DEXPERIENCE tools, it allows you to directly manage, update, and review your files on cloud without compromising the storage on your phone; reduce communication breakdown within your corporate; lets you to take charge of project schedules via your mobile phone with internet access. Dedicated discussion only between you and your team, or task discussion between you and contractors – all can be done using the mobile web at any place, any time.
If you’re interested in knowing more about DraftSight, watch our on-demand webinar – curated specifically for AEC industries. You can also drop me an email – chchai@cadcam.com.my, if you want to test it out or know more the capabilities of DraftSight.
– Henry Chai, Application Engineer, IME Technology Sdn Bhd