Editor’s Pick: CorelCAD 2013 Released

There’s always that debate between spreading the power to do things throughout the organization and the power within the tools that people need. Take CAD as an example. You can blow out your budget and equip everyone in your outfit with the high-end solution that only a few designers really need all the time. Or you can try to slide by and gear up everybody but the few elite users with a low-cost solution that you can afford. Only there are those times when that low-cost solution becomes expensive because it doesn’t have the tools or sharing capabilities you need, so you interrupt the process to fix that. This is where a system like CorelCAD offers a solution to fix such predicaments.

CorelCAD is an inexpensive, full-featured 2D CAD system with 3D solid modeling tools. By inexpensive, I mean $699. It supports the AutoCAD DWG file format natively, which takes care of a lot sharing issues right away. It deploys with user interface elements, tools, and commands that complement the feel and conventions of your typical CAD application, meaning that CAD users, even occasional ones, should feel right at home with it.

The 2013 version of CorelCAD recently came out. New features include alignment and revision tools, support for the AutoCAD 2013 file format, in-place text editing, an ExplodeX command for converting ellipses and splines into polylines. A new Bentley MicroStation DGN Underlay tools lets you insert DGN files as referenced drawings, specify layer visibility, and align new drawing elements to objects in a DGN Underlay.

CorelCAD 2013 also has new automation features such as a VSTA (Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Applications) Manager toolbar that you users record, edit, and run VSTA macros to perform repetitive tasks or automate command sequences. And it has a VoiceNotes feature that lets you add recorded messages directly in a drawing.

CorelCAD is built around ARES technology from Graebert GmbH, which is the same CAD engine that powers a number of well-known CAD solutions. That also means CorelCAD runs on Windows and Mac platforms, solving another cultural headache for you. BTW, it runs on the latest 32-/64-bit Windows releases as well as the latest in Mac OSes. System specifications are modest.

You can learn a lot more about CorelCAD 2013 from today’s Pick of the Week write-up. Hit the link at the end of the main text that takes you to the details on what’s new in version 2013. There you’ll find a bunch of videos. But your best bet is to download a trial version and take it for a spin. CorelCAD could be your solution for spreading the power of CAD around your organization without draining your wallet.

Thanks, Pal. — Lockwood

Anthony J. Lockwood

Editor at Large, Desktop Engineering

Read today’s pick of the week write-up.

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