Switching to DraftSight from AutoCAD

Article by Dassault Systèmes updated January 28, 2022

Article

Switching to DraftSight is easy, with a familiar and customizable interface. DraftSight also recognizes the commands you already know, making it easy to get started.

About DraftSight

Streamline your design process and deliver great designs through a seamless combination of powerful 2D drafting and 3D modeling capabilities. DraftSight® provides an intuitive 2D drafting and 3D design experience for architects, engineers, construction service providers, professional CAD users, designers, makers, manufacturers, educators, and hobbyists. DraftSight enables you to create, edit, view, and mark up any kind of DWG file. It offers a familiar user interface that facilitates a quick transition from comparable CAD applications.

DraftSight Benefits

Create, edit, view, and mark up any type of 2D and 3D DWG file
Choose from flexible offerings to suit various business and budget needs
Reduce time spent on drafting, design, and documentation with powerful capabilities
Make significant savings over comparable CAD applications
Connect with other Dassault Systèmes solutions, like 3DEXPERIENCE® Marketplace, GEOVIA®, DELMIA®, SOLIDWORKS® Electrical, SOLIDWORKS PDM, and more, for CNC machining, 3D printing, manufacturing, and other downstream uses
Experience reliable DWG file compatibility for current or legacy projects
Minimize learning curve with a familiar user interface and commands
Customize and automate using macros and APIs, and easily transition existing workflows from other applications
Easily deploy and manage network licensing and access full technical support to maximize production

Switching to DraftSight

Capabilities

Essential 2D drafting
- Draw fundamental elements such as lines, polylines, arcs, circles, ellipses, tables, hatches, clouds
- Perform move, copy, rotate, mirror, pattern, scale, trim, chamfer, or split actions with modify tools
- Measure and annotate distances between objects with dimension tools
- Import, create, and manage layers, blocks, and external references, and output drawings to a plotter, printer, or file
Advanced 2D drafting and APIs for customization
- Speed up your production workflows by using APIs for automation and customization
- Save countless hours of design time by eliminating manual or tedious tasks with tools like Drawing Compare, Power Trim, Insert Centerlines, Pattern Along a Path, Curved Text, Batch Printing, and more
- Convert raster images like floor plans and logos to vectorized line entities in seconds with Image Tracer
- Easily insert standard hardware from a fully defined library of bolts, screws, nuts, washers, and pins, generate holes and callouts, create a bill of materials, add balloons, and more with the Toolbox
- Import or export various file types and formats including PDF, DGN, SVG, XLS, and DSHBM (HomeByMe)
Robust 3D design and powerful integrations
- Create anything from essential 3D shapes to sketch-based complex 3D solids, and generate 3D surfaces
- Expand your design workflows through seamless integration with SOLIDWORKS Visualize for rendering and SOLIDWORKS Simulation for analysis. Use 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace Make to connect with manufacturers worldwide for 3D printing or other processes.
- Control drawing entities parametrically by specifying geometric and dimensional properties with 2D constraints
Support for many users and multiple sites
- Enable concurrent usage and compliance across your organization with network licensing
- Access full technical support to resolve issues and eliminate downtime