Product Description


DesignCAD
£36.00–£71.00
The DesignCAD product family includes versatile 2D and 2D/3D CAD solutions that are easy to learn and use. Perfect for beginners. Access hundreds of drafting and design tools through an intuitive interface, to quickly and easily produce accurately scaled, precision designs – perfect for architectural drawings, engineering layouts, and more.
Product Description
Get Started in CAD with DesignCAD
The DesignCAD family offers versatile, easy-to-use 2D/3D CAD tools perfect for novice designers, but powerful enough to create high-quality designs, models and animations. This latest release now allows users to import and export 3D models to STL file format for rapid prototyping with 3D printers*. It’s everything you need to design anything, from simple hobby projects to professional precision drawings.
- Precision 2D Drafting Tools
- 3D Solid Modeling Tools*
- Mechanical Design Tools
- Architectural Design Tools
- Realistic Rendering
- Intuitive User Interface
- Extensive Online Help
Easy to Use
DesignCAD offers simple operations, intuitive drawing tools, editing commands, and extensive online help to make it easy for you to quickly get started using CAD.
Fast, Powerful Commands
Drawing shortcuts, horizontal and vertical cursor mode, and cursor step size enable you to make faster and more accurate drawings. Shortcut keys and dynamic toolbars can make commonly used commands a snap!
Full Featured 2D Drafting and 3D Design
You can draw virtually anything with DesignCAD’s sophisticated 2D drawing and editing features, advanced geometric construction capability, complete layer management, extensive text manipulation functions, dimensioning and annotation features. Create complex 3D shapes by simply extruding from 2D shapes*.
Animations & Walkthroughs*
Enjoy user-friendly tools for creating professional level animations and walkthroughs of your finished drawings.
AutoCAD® 2016 .DWG/.DXF Compatibility & More
DesignCAD is able to import/export AutoCAD® files from R12 to new 2016 with support for AutoCAD® layouts, PaperSpace, layers, linestyles, views, and blocks in both DXF and DWG file formats. See the Key Features tab for a full list of compatible file formats.
Extensible
Use the built-in BasicCAD scripting language, or OLE Automation, or both, to add new tools to the existing toolset.
Perfect for:
- Architects
- Engineers
- Illustrators
- Builders
- Contractors
- Hobbyists
- Educators
- Students
*DesignCAD 3D Max only.
Key Features - v25
Easy to Use 2D Drafting & Design
Intuitive yet sophisticated editing tools, advanced geometric construction capabilities, drawing short cut keys and complete layer management make 2D drafting a breeze.
- Usability Tools
- Workspace Tools
- Macros
- Drawing Tools
- Editing and Measuring
- Dimension Tools
- Groups, Blocks, Symbols and more!
- Windows 64-bit & 32-bit Compatible
- Choose from our traditional 32-bit version, or install the new 64-bit compatible version, that utilizes expanded computer memory to load, process, and render files of nearly any size.
Smart Menus
DesignCAD offers smart menus that are initially presented with a shortened list of available menu commands to help reduce screen clutter. The menus can be expanded to show all items by clicking on the double arrows at the bottom of the menu. Great for learning, this option can be enabled or disabled depending on the user’s preference.
Layers
DesignCAD utilizes layers that can be independently switched on and off in order for users to have a better visibility of the drawing. For example, if you just need to see the outline of a component, switch off other layers containing center lines, dimensions, etc.
DesignCAD can also lock layers, so that they are visible but not editable, in order to prevent accidental changes to the locked layer. Some features of objects, such as color or linestyle, can also be controlled on a per-layer basis.
Associative Dimensions
Associative dimensions will automatically update as you change the size of the object they are associated with. For example, if a radial dimension is associated with a circle, when you change the radius of the circle using the Info Box, the associated radial dimension is automatically updated to match the new radius.
Added Flexibility when Sharing Your Work
- Print Section – Print only a specified region of the drawing.
- Print Scale Options – Select from a standard set of print scale options or create your own.
- Info Box – Roll out or more permanently open the info box to display the details of any selected object to help you speed through the design options, even if you’re still learning
- User Notes – Add notes to any drawing/span>
- Save for Sharing – When you save a drawing, all files referenced externally (textures, symbols, images) are saved to a subfolder with the host drawing’s name.
- Paper Space Mode – Create a view frame and choose a specific scale or enter a custom view frame scale.
AutoCAD® DWG/DXF Compatible
Work with the latest AutoCAD® files. Import/Export AutoCAD® files from R12 through 2016 and enjoy excellent compatibility with AutoCAD® layouts and PaperSpace, plus support for AutoCAD® layers, linestyles, views, and blocks in both DXF and DWG file formats. DesignCAD even offers limited support for Architectural Desktop (ADT) objects, which are recognized and exploded to DesignCAD equivalents.
DesignCAD can import, or open, leading CAD file formats including DWG, DXF, vector WMF, HPGL, and XYZ. DesignCAD can export or save to DWG, DXF, vector WMF, HPGL, PDF and SKP.
DesignCAD also supports several image formats including .BMP, .TIF, .JPG, .TGA, .PCX, .PNG, and .GIF
Key Features - 3D Max v25
Versatile 2D/3D CAD Solution
DesignCAD 3D MAX is a general purpose CAD tool for easily creating precise, high-quality 2D designs, 3D models, renders and animations. Design everything from furniture, decks, floor plans and architectural drawings to engineering layouts, electronic schematics, plats, maps, elevations and even toys for hobbies.
Easy to Use 2D Drafting & Design
Intuitive yet sophisticated editing tools, advanced geometric construction capabilities, drawing short cut keys and complete layer management make 2D drafting a breeze.
- Usability Tools
- Workspace Tools
- Macros
Drawing Tools - Editing and Measuring
- Dimension Tools
- Groups, Blocks, Symbols and more!
Precision 3D Modeling
Access a full range of powerful 3D modeling primitives, including box, sphere, hemisphere, pyramid, cylinder, cone and torus. Utilize Boolean operations, including solid add, solid subtract, and slice, to shape your 3D parts, now with a new option to limit solid Boolean operations to pre-selected entities only for greater control. Add materials to your model to create presentation ready designs.
- 3D View Settings
- 3D Primitives
- 3D (Solid) Editing Operations
- 3D Visualization
Realistic Visualization and Lighting
Render your 3D models with applied materials or texture maps or use transparency and fogging for added impact.
- Shadow Tool – smooth the edges of rendered shadows
- Procedural Textures – add marble, wood, cement, grain, patch, perlin noise, brick, cells or wood extended textures to your designs.
- Image Fills – Use an image as a fill pattern.
Accelerated Drawing Performance
Choose our traditional 32-bit version, or install the 64-bit compatible version that utilizes today’s expanded computer memory to quickly load, process, and render files of nearly any size. For greater speed, DesignCAD 3D MAX offers an enhanced RedSDK mode which leverages the power of modern graphics cards to zoom, pan, and rotate your designs up to 30 times faster than using the OpenGL mode! RedSDK is available in wireframe mode as well as with shaded and hidden-line 3D views.
3D Model Content for Easier Architectural Design
Access 600 editable 3D models to quickly drag and drop into your architectural designs. Each colorful, fully texture-mapped symbol can be modified to your exact specification.
- 129 structural models – doors and hardware, windows and window treatments, fireplaces, wood moldings and more
- 234 kitchen items – cabinets, appliances, faucets, sinks, counters and more
- 52 bath items – tubs, faucets, sinks, vanities and more
- 134 residential items – furniture, lighting fixtures and home décor
- 51 office items – desks, file & storage cabinets, tables, shelving and more
Layers
DesignCAD utilizes layers that can be independently switched on and off in order for users to have a better visibility of the drawing. For example, if you just need to see the outline of a component, switch off other layers containing center lines, dimensions, etc.
DesignCAD can also lock layers, so that they are visible but not editable, in order to prevent accidental changes to the locked layer. Some features of objects, such as color or linestyle, can also be controlled on a per-layer basis.
2D/3D Symbols
DesignCAD 3D Max comes with more than 10,000 2D/3D symbols to quickly drag and drop into your design.
Drawing Compare
Select two DesignCAD drawings or .BMP images, and Drawing Compare will perform a visual comparison of the two. It’s an invaluable aid when working collaboratively on a project, or when picking up an older project and looking to see the status of updates. Use it to compare a design and an As Built drawing to see where changes have been implemented.
Added Flexibility when Sharing Your Work
- Print Section – Print only a specified region of the drawing.
- Print Scale Options – Select from a standard set of print scale options or create your own.
- Enhanced Print to PDF – Print multiple panels to PDF format to create a multipage PDF file.
- User Notes – Add notes to any drawing
- Save for Sharing – When you save a drawing, all files referenced externally (textures, symbols, images) are saved to a subfolder with the host drawing’s name.
- Paper Space Mode – Create a view frame and choose a specific scale or enter a custom view frame scale.
Animation & Walkthroughs
Create stunning animated presentations with a moving view of your 3D model.
AutoCAD® DWG/DXF Compatible and more
Work with the latest AutoCAD® files. Import/Export AutoCAD® files from R12 through 2016 and enjoy excellent compatibility with AutoCAD® layouts and PaperSpace, plus support for AutoCAD® layers, linestyles, views, and blocks in both DXF and DWG file formats. DesignCAD even offers limited support for Architectural Desktop (ADT) objects, which are recognized and exploded to DesignCAD equivalents.
DesignCAD 3D MAX can import, or open, leading CAD file formats including DWG, DXF, vector WMF, HPGL, XYZ, STL, and OBJ. DesignCAD 3D MAX can export or save to DWG, DXF, vector WMF, HPGL, RIB, VRML, WPG and PDF.
DesignCAD also supports several image formats including .BMP, .TIF, .JPG, .TGA, .PCX, .PNG, and .GIF
Extensible
Use the built-in BasicCAD scripting language, or OLE Automation, or both, to add new tools and enhancements to DesignCAD.
System Requirements
64-bit System Requirements: Microsoft Windows ® 10*, Windows ® 8* (64-bit), Windows 7 (64-bit), Vista (64-bit)** – 2GB RAM; 750 MB free hard drive space
32-bit System Requirements: Microsoft Windows ® 10*, Windows ® 8*, Windows 7, Windows Vista**, Windows XP** – 1GB RAM; 750 MB free hard drive space
Recommended: Newer generation, higher speed CPU; 4+ GB RAM; Large display resolution and graphics support; Internet connection for online features and content; Supported graphic processing unit (either a chip on the board, or on a video card) required to use the GPU-accelerated Redsdk render modes. For a list of RedSDK supported cards and drivers, visit http://www.redway3d.com/pages/GPUList.php
*DesignCAD is designed for desktops or laptops that meet the indicated system requirements. Windows RT technology for use on tablets is not supported.
** DesignCAD will run on XP and Vista platforms; however, these platforms are no longer being officially supported.
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