Editor’s Pick: Corel Adds CAD to its Technical Portfolio

By Anthony J. Lockwood

Dear Desktop Engineering Reader:

Corel has a history of developing applications that either are among the leaders in their class or are the workhorses of operations in many small- and medium-sized firms. Corel WordPerfect, for example, is probably the leading word processor in the legal profession, and Corel VideoStudio Pro is a mainstay among video-editing cognoscenti. And, of course, CorelDRAW and the technical illustrator Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite are widely acclaimed as being both affordable and powerful. So, it’s no stretch to say that the recent introduction of CorelCAD piqued my interest.

In a nutshell, CorelCAD is a 2D/3D solid modeling CAD application for Windows and Mac that’s suitable for designers and engineers, as well as architects. It works natively with the DWG file format, lets you customize and save as workspace environments, and you can seamlessly navigate between 2D and 3D design environments.

CorelCAD’s 2D drafting capabilities include smart tools like entity snap, entity snap guides, and polar guides. With its entity grips, you can align, copy, reposition or resize entities quickly. 3D solid modeling tools include intersect and subtract bodies, extrude or revolve 2D entities; sweep 2D entities along a path or loft between 2D entities to create solid objects; and slice and intersect solids. The software has automation and collaboration functionalities as well as support for LISP and Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Applications, enabling you to code custom functions, routines, and plug-ins.

The company reports that CorelCAD is the result of a development and marketing partnership with Graebert, the German developer of ARES Commander Edition” which was among the first if not the first multi-platform (Windows, Linux, and Mac) 2D/3D CAD systems. Speaking of which, I found on the Corel website a link to the first steps toward a CorelCAD Plug-in store, which will be maintained by Graebert. With legions of Corel loyalists worldwide, this should become an interesting store in due time.

But right now, it’s CorelCAD that should interest you for two good reasons beyond those already mentioned. One, it costs just $699. Two, you can download a full-function, complimentary trial from a link at the end of today’s Pick of the Week write-up and see for yourself what CorelCAD is all about.

Thanks, pal.—Lockwood

Anthony J. Lockwood
Editor at Large, Desktop Engineering

Read today’s Pick of the Week write-up.

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