Computer-aided design vendor Graebert has just announced new major features for its flagship CAD product, ARES Commander.
These changes will be added onto the latest addition of ARES Commander, ARES Commander 2020, which will be released at the end of Jan. 2020.
New BIM capabilities
The update to ARES Commander will include access to building design and information modeling (BIM) data. This includes file formats such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and Revit's RVT and RFA. These common BIM file types will allow users to upload virtually any BIM file they need to access and view their designs.
Once the BIM model has been uploaded to ARES Commander, users will be able to view the model in 3D as well as create scenarios through the model. Users can generate 2D sections and views of BIM models, extract data in CSV format, and annotate and edit the models as drawings.
Graebert, traditionally known as a CAD-compatible DWG software, is beginning the multi-year buildout of its platform to target the BIM market. But the question is, why?
Cédric Desbordes, Graebert's business development & marketing director, had this to say regarding the focus on BIM:
“BIM has been around for more than twenty years now but less than 20% of the users in the Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) industry have transitioned from CAD to BIM. There is a strong expectation in the market around BIM because it represents a smarter way to collaborate around construction projects. But the numbers reflect also a much stronger resistance than for the transition to PLM software that we have seen for the mechanical industry.”
While BIM is meant for users in the AEC space, Desbordes states that more than 80% of AEC users are still failing to adopt the software. With these new BIM features in ARES Commander 2020, it's clear that Graebert is trying to drive some of that market toward its own product.
Graebert announces new plans for SaaS CAD
In addition to new BIM features, Graebert also launched the CLOUDify Pack for ARES Commander OEM. This optional development kit enables software vendors to add cloud utility to their existing on-premises solutions. With this new toolkit, users can make a cloud storage palette solutions that can connect to popular cloud storage solutions such as Google Drive and Dropbox.
Following the announcement of the CLOUDify Pack for ARES Commander, Graebert talked about its plans to take CAD users into the cloud:
“The CAD industry is facing the challenge to start immediately investing in Cloud without neglecting their existing on-premises solutions.”
-Cédric Desbordes, business development & marketing director from Graebert
In October of this year, cloud CAD vendor Onshape was acquired by PTC. Similar to Graebert, PTC made this investment because the company sees massive potential in cloud-based CAD solutions.
With CAD vendors heavily investing in the cloud, we should expect to see more of this in the near future.
Looking to read more about the latest trends in computer-aided design? Check out some predictions I made for the year ahead!
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