A Guide to Different CAD Drawing Software
Computer-aided design (CAD) software has become a non-negotiable part of modern engineering, leading the market to provide many options for engineers.
However, these high-powered programs are hardly specific to engineering and finding the right one for each application plays an important role in delivering for clients.
As one of the engineering and drafting companies Australia relies on for expert consultation and project delivery, Fimcen knows its way around various CAD software.
This blog will outline a few of the options our team has used over the years and which ones are best suited to our engineering applications.
BricsCAD
Popular opinion might tell you that this list could start with AutoCAD – a state-of-the-art program of international renown.
However, some stiff competition has recently been developed to challenge AutoCAD in more ways than one.
BricsCAD was developed by Bricsys and many experts have labelled it as a perfect equivalent to AutoCAD.
The reason Fimcen prefers BricsCAD, however, with the lower cost and the support provided on top of the program.
Unrivalled in their expertise and responsiveness, the BricsCAD team have nailed this program and help Fimcen to deliver projects to perfection time and time again.
SolidWorks
SolidWorks is one of the world’s most widely used 3D CAD software and becomes highly intuitive as the user becomes accustomed to its workflow.
Every piece and part put into the design by the engineer is set in its place and interconnects with its neighbours as it would in the final project.
This can constrain a designer at first, however, the program also ensures that the model updates dynamically in the case of edits and revisions by the designer.
Solidworks is useful for product design and engineering, as well as university-quality education, furniture and medical devices. It is especially good in Mechanical Drawings for production and Manufacturing.
EPLAN
EPLAN is a leading electrical CAD platform designed to automate and streamline the creation of schematics, panel layouts, and documentation.
Its biggest advantage is efficiency: tasks like wire numbering, device tagging, and cross‑referencing are generated automatically, reducing errors and speeding up engineering workflows.
For teams handling complex or repetitive electrical designs, this can significantly improve accuracy and consistency.
The software also excels in producing high‑quality, standardised documentation that supports manufacturing, installation, and maintenance.
However, EPLAN comes with a steep learning curve and higher licensing costs than general CAD tools.
Creo
If you’re looking for a program that gives you all the creative freedom you need, and is trusted by some of the largest manufacturers in the world, Creo might be your CAD of choice.
Aston Martin, John Deere, Volkswagen, Toyota, and Amazon have all reportedly used Creo for their product development.
This powerful program can work with assemblies that consist of over 1000 parts, combining several types of modelling for a more comprehensive package.
Some key features include automatic window activation, custom shortcut commands, model tree visibility, and charting tools.
Onshape
This cloud-native program integrates CAD, data management, and analytics together in one place, allowing designers and engineers to work and collaborate from anywhere.
Adding to this flexibility is the program's compatibility with several operating systems including iOS, Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows.
If you’re an engineer with a need for collaboration, then Onshape may just be the program for you.
Granted, it doesn’t quite have the advanced modelling capabilities of SolidWorks, Creo, or BricsCAD, but it’s a great stepping stone for intermediates who are breaking into the industry.
Contact Fimcen
There are so many more kinds of software that we would love to discuss with you, so get in touch to find one that suits you.
If you prefer to let us do the work, we’re masters in our chosen programs and would be happy to deliver engineering consultation and design work to suit your brief and budget.