BricsCAD vs. GrabCAD Workbench (discontinued)

It is possible to use BricsCAD in a free version over time except that it is considerably reduced in terms of functionality and performance. I especially like the collaboration, import and export features. These tools are important in that they allow you to exchange with the different teams involved in the project to make the necessary changes in time.

Incentivized

GrabCad Workbench is well suited for group projects, where all my team members can view the designs at the same time, and by integrating it with CAD software like SolidWorks, all my team members can see the live changes in the projects based on the recommendations received. I can also do conversations with my team, which are project-specific, thus reducing time in email and video conferences. For assemblies, I can generate a Bill of materials with a single click. However, there are some drawbacks like every member needs to have an account in order to sync files with everyone, and the platform requires good internet connectivity otherwise file uploading will be time-consuming.

Incentivized

• 3D Modeling
• Machine learning / A.I.-assisted feature named PROPAGATE.

Incentivized

• GrabCad is great at uploading files to the cloud.

Incentivized

• there is not full compatibility with dynamic blocks but it isn't so bad -we can create them in AutoCAD and use them to some extent anyway
• it doesn't look as "sexy" and the interface looks kinda orimitive in some screens but the functionality is all there and the some
• there is the hurdle of users thinking they are getting a lesser product so more marketing pozazz is needed to get the message over it is a very capable product

• One major drawback is, that it cannot display sketches and drawing files, only solids and surfaces can be seen on this platform.
• The platform sometimes becomes unstable, it lags when I try to upload complex assemblies. Hence, GrabCad teams need to work to improve the stability of the platform.

Incentivized

it's exteremly useable. AutoCAD users will carry over many eisting skills and learn some new ones on the cross over. It's fast adn lightweight meaning ot can be run on just about any PC. The help and support are realy good and problems are usually responded to within a day by experts.

Never needed.

Incentivized

Very cost-effective solution, it even supports pointclouds natively and is something we will investigate further as time goes on and may in fact utilise it to replace AutoCAD with 3rd party add-ins at some point in the future, and we hope it can further reduce costs in the long-run as it continues to develop and mature.

SOLIDWORKS PDM is great because it is connected with your windows explorer, so you can guarantee that you will get the most recent version of the file. You need to remember to regularly update your files when using GrabCAD. SOLIDWORKS PDM has a more useful interface, where you can see previews, find BOMs, and view configurations without opening any files or checking them out. GrabCAD was chosen as a starting point to get the team started and familiar with a PDM system with the intention that another PDM would be chosen at a later date

Incentivized

• yearly subscription/update costs vastly reduced
• abiity to keep it up to date without bloated updates - the installer is smaller than many typical Autodesk service packs
• speed
• scripting/lisp routine suppport by default

• Our team can share and open their files from anywhere, and we don’t lose time.

Incentivized