CorelCAD for Mac OS X

CorelCAD works with native DWG™ files and comes with industry standard CAD features such as customizable 2D and 3D design tools. CorelCAD supports DWG and DXF up to AutoCAD version 2010 (the same file format that works with AutoCAD 2012).

CorelCAD has a command line bar like AutoCAD. It has properties palettes and dockable tool bars, and right-click shortcut menus. For 3D work CorelCAD supports tiled viewports so you can view your 3D objects from different views (top, bottom, right, left, back, front, iso, etc). You can also choose different rendered view options for each viewport.

Modeling operations include sweeps, extrudes, lofts, revolves and follow along path. Boolean operations are supported. The modeling engine is Spatial’s ACIS, same as ARES.

You can collaborate with others using DXF or DWG  as well as PDF, SVG and DWF formats. You can also open up .SAT files (ACIS) and repurpose data for later work with advanced visualizations in Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite Add-On Right Hemisphere Deep Exploration™ CCE.

Further integration with other Corel software products like CorelDRAW is a major attraction to CorelCAD.

Final Notes

CorelCAD is built on top of Graebert GmbH, of Germany’s ARES platform. It supports robust OpenGL support on both platforms. The price for CorelCAD is 699.USD.

One final note. With CorelCAD, you can access the Graepert Market for CorelCAD Plugin Store for add-ons for this product. This includes plugins, standard drawing parts and libraries.

To learn more visit them online here.

What We Think

It is remarkable how many mid-level 2D/3D CAD programs there now are on the Mac platform, with CorelCAD now being yet another entry making the point. One can ask the question, does the Mac market need another mid entry level CAD app? And why CorelCAD?

Competition is always good and this program is built on top of ARES by German-based Graebert GmbH. It is also priced just under AREA Commander Edition for Mac. This program makes sense for those who are working with other Corel-based software products and want or need a better dovetail between graphics and CAD.

iCADMac runs on all Intel-based Macintosh computers and is capable of pushing out drawings compatible with AutoCAD WS for use on an Apple iPad.  iCADMac is an ACIS based application with full support of ACIS Solid Modeling libraries.

Key Features of iCADMac

• Autodesk DWG file compatibility from version 2.5 to 2010/2011 versions
• PDF to DWG file format conversions thanks to PDF2DWG Module
• Export to Adobe PDF
• Gradient Hatch and Tables Functionality
• Raster and Image Management, including the ability to clip images with rectangle and polygonal tools
• Polygonal Viewports
• XRef Manager
• AutoCAD-like standard user interface with visual property bar
• Rendering with multiple light and shadow support
• Multiple main windows (top, axo, side, et cetera, simultaneously)
• Custom menu support with Lisp and C++
• 15,000 Advanced Library of Blocks

An advanced rendering module is in the works and will be Raytracing based featuring transparency, reflections and smooth shadows.

01 - iCADMac from progeCAD in Italy offers AutoCAD alternative for OS X users.

There are several types of licenses available for iCADMac, including a single license, a dongle-based license and network licenses. There is a 30-day trial version without any limits in functionality. To learn more about iCADMac by progeCAD visit them here. http://www.icadmac.com/

ARES CAD

ARES is the first CAD software to run natively across all three major operating systems: Windows, Mac and Linux. It is optimized for each respective platform and utilizes special features of each OS. According to the company ARES will be 3-5 times faster in operations such as open and save than other rival CAD packages. It will include its built-in VoiceNotes features for attaching notes to specific files, as well as 3D modeling features compliments of its ACIS geometry kernel and AutoCAD-compatible command line scripts.

ARES will include support for AutoCAD DWG 2009 and DWG 2010 native file formats, plus PDF, SVG, DXF, SAT, WMF, SLD, ESRI SHP and more file formats. It features over 400 commands and it extensible via Lisp, C, Delph, and C++.

ARES will ship in two versions. ARES for 495.USD and ARES Commander Edition for 995.USD. To learn more visit them on the web here.

The Interview

AFR: Dr. Sarkar, can you tell me how you went about making the decision on Parasolid, when did this take place?

BS: Back when I joined the company coming from PTC (Parametric Technology Corporation) my focus was on making Vectorworks strong in modeling. At that time we adopted geometric modeling kernel technology from SMLib. In 2002 Gary Crocker, a co-founder of SMLib, broke off from that group and formed IntegrityWare taking his solid modeling libraries with him. We continued to utilize these libraries until our decision a few years ago to look for a better modeling kernel technology.

AFR: So you were using both SMLib and Solids++?

BS: The technology stayed the same, just the companies changed.

AFR: Tell me how you and Sean Flaherty approached your superiors in Munich about the idea of adopting Parasolid. I’m assuming you needed some approval given the cost considerations, right?

BS: Yes…(laughs). Sean and myself went to Munich and broached the subject with the CEO who at that time was a real technology driven person. We didn’t go ask straight out, we brought it up. It turned out they were very interested with this idea.

AFR: So they said go for it….

BS: Absolutely. They are also interested with addressing the same issues we were having in Vectorworks with ALLPLAN.

AFR: So nearly two and a half years ago you did this. Who else was on your short-list…did you look at Spatial’s ACIS?

BS: We looked at ACIS but in the end we believed Parasolid was the better choice. Everyone uses it, it’s even used in ProE and CATIA.

AFR: Wait a minute, doesn’t ProE and CATIA use in-house kernels?

Details of Version 6

In addition to the underlying ACIS modeling kernel update, which improves blending, chamfering, shelling, Booleans and direct-face modeling editing, ViaCAD 2D/3D V6 also has 200x faster hidden line rendering (on both Mac and Windows) and 6x faster dynamic repaints. This significant boost in visualization with the updating modeling kernel by Spatial Corporation brings further robustness to an already affordable, general and mechanical modeling-capable native Mac 3D CAD application.

Punch

Architecture Focus

Interestingly, Punch Software has decided to also focus ViaCAD 2D/3D on the architectural market as well, providing numerous new 2D tools for architectural drafting. Such new tools feature associated and auto dimensions, automatic healing between neighboring walls, wall, window and door object types, support for custom wall styles where the user can affect the thickness, lines and fill patterns and more.

Lastly, 3Dconnexion’s SpaceNavigator is now fully supported, which will aid 3D navigation when working on both Intel and PowerPC based Macs.

ViaCAD 2D/3D for Mac and Windows retails for 99.00.USD and is available at most Apple Retail Stores, Staples, Amazon and other leading large-box retailers. Punch Software is the fastest growing retail publisher of CAD software in the United States and a leading provider of 2D and 3D design software solutions. To learn more visit them at:

http://www.punchcad.com/