This week Autodesk announced AutoCAD 2023, the latest version of its flagship CAD product line for AEC, manufacturing, and design industries. This year’s release puts the focus on automating processes and collaborative working.
Highlights include LISP integration with AutoCAD web and new AI-driven insights to help users improve workflows inside AutoCAD.
AutoCAD 2023
Autodesk AutoCAD is a family of modern software applications for desktop computers, cloud (web), and mobile devices. Additionally, AutoCAD software has integrations with other Autodesk tools, particularly those connected to Autodesk Cloud, Autodesk Revit, and Autodesk Docs.
Collaboration
Collaboration is an area of improvement in version 2023 with the new Markup Import and Markup Assist features. They help users automatically import collaborator feedback into drawings, thus reducing human errors in doing this manually. Written comments and markup on Trace layers can now be added directly to the AutoCAD drawing with a mouse click.
Markup Import will take feedback from the job site on printed paper or a PDF and enable the importation of said data onto a Trace layer in AutoCAD. AutoCAD then detects the markup and converts it to an AutoCAD object. Markup Assist then helps the user complete the process, integrating the markup into the AutoCAD drawing itself.
Autodesk announced new AutoCAD 2023. A new feature this year is LISP support in AutoCAD web app.
“We’re excited about the future of AutoCAD and are committed to addressing our customers’ rapidly evolving modern workflows,” said Dania El Hassan, Director of AutoCAD Product Management. “With Markup Import and Markup Assist and My Insights: Macro Advisor in AutoCAD 2023, both powered by machine learning, we strive to make sure the time users spend in AutoCAD continues to be efficient and productive. The automations and insights we’re developing will continue to leverage the latest technology to guide users toward completely new design outcomes.”
Automation
The LISP API is now part of the AutoCAD web app. Users familiar with the programming language in AutoCAD can use it to streamline and automate repetitive processes wherever they are working regardless of computer as the AutoCAD web app is run through a modern browser and across platforms.
Users can load and manage LISP files and type in LISP commands in the AutoCAD web app as they do in AutoCAD on the desktop. This feature is just available for AutoCAD subscribers (AutoCAD web app also has a free plan since the global pandemic).
Moreover, the cloud-first Sheet Set Manager in AutoCAD 2023 now lets users open sheet sets faster from Autodesk Docs.
Machine Learning
My Insights: Macro Advisor is a feature set that uses machine learning algorithms to deliver curated insights and recommendations to the user while they work to help them perform repeated workflows using automation macros.
Macro insights will also appear as notifications at the bottom of the screen while working, in addition to the dashboard in the start tab where you can view a set of personalized usage insights about your time in AutoCAD. When you click on a macro suggestion, the user is taken to a new Command Macro Palette where they can learn more, save the suggested macro, and even tailor the new macro to their needs.
Autodesk says, “The My Insights: Macro Advisor is a frictionless guide to provide valuable information to you at the right time and in the right context.”
Other Improvements
Users have been asking for floating windows to have their own command lines so this is a new feature in AutoCAD 2023. The command line is available in any active window. Trace layers can now be created from the AutoCAD desktop application and not just AutoCAD web and AutoCAD mobile. Trace layers let users collaborate with others about drawings by safely adding markups without touching or altering the existing drawing state.
The count command is further enhanced to enable the counting of objects within a user-defined area.
Lastly, AutoCAD 2023 features updated graphics for rendering 3D objects up to 10x faster than earlier versions using the Shaded, Shaded with Edges, and Wireframe visual styles.
AutoCAD 2023 for Mac is also announced. See our separate report here.
Learning More
Those with active subscriptions can log into their Autodesk Account and download the latest release. There is a free 30-day trial available for AutoCAD 2023 on both Windows and Mac, including the new AutoCAD LT 2023 versions. Readers can learn more about the AutoCAD web app and AutoCAD mobile app here and here, respectively.
Click here to learn more about AutoCAD 2023.