CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
26 April 2010
Product News
Autodesk Launches Easy-to-Use, Low-Cost Drawing Software
Autodesk, Inc. announced the availability of AutoCAD Freestyle software, a new, easy-to-use application for 2D drawing and sketching that specialty contractors and do-it-yourselfers can use to create professional-looking drawings, layouts and plans.
“Many people—from do-it-yourselfers to home contractors to landscape designers—still use pen and paper or software that does not enable accuracy and is hard to use,” said Amar Hanspal, senior vice president, Autodesk Platform Solutions and Emerging Business. “AutoCAD Freestyle has been created to meet the needs of these users and anybody else who needs to generate quick, accurate and professional-looking designs without the need for or learning curve of industrial-strength CAD software.”
Designed for any task that requires the creation of accurate plans, such as home renovations, gardening or landscape design, AutoCAD Freestyle is simple enough for use by home owners and do-it-yourselfers as well as specialty contractors such as plumbers, electricians and carpenters to create plans and construction documentation. AutoCAD Freestyle is also intended for non-CAD employees who work with architects and engineers, enabling markup and annotation of designs created in AutoCAD software that can be sent back for incorporation into the AutoCAD file with complete DWG compatibility, which helps reduce rework.
“As an electrical contractor, I’ve found AutoCAD Freestyle to be a useful tool for project layouts, markups of existing drawings, and revisions,” said James Ogonoski, Service Manager, Contract Service Enterprises, Inc. “The intuitive interface made it easy to get started and ramp up to productivity—and it plugs right into our workflow.”
Built on the AutoCAD platform, AutoCAD Freestyle is a low-cost application that makes it easier to create accurate, professional-looking drawings and sketches. The software makes design simple and intuitive with a toolset for creating standard shapes (lines, arcs, circles, rectangles), annotating drawings (dimension, text, fills), sketching, doodling and inserting images and symbols. The grid on the drawing surface helps users understand spatial dimensions, such as proportion and distance, so they can easily solve design challenges and create accurate sketches — like drawing on graph paper. A full library of predrawn, commonly used symbols — such as doors and windows — is also included to help save time. In addition, the product provides the ability to insert and trace over a photograph or one of the many sample drawings provided in the software or downloaded from the AutoCAD Freestyle community, simplifying the creation of precise drawings with real-world dimensions.
“My colleagues do most of the design work on my projects, so my main need is to review and mark up designs quickly and efficiently,” said Steve Nichols, President, Cat Cay Yachts International. “This product is a home run for peripheral users of AutoCAD.”
AutoCAD Freestyle is engineered to take full advantage of Windows 7 support for multitouch, including panning, zooming, rotation and flick functionality, an easier way to be productive away from the office.
“AutoCAD Freestyle is refreshingly simple to use—especially compared to other solutions,” said Chris Pugrud, Engineer, Radiance Technologies. “If you’re looking for a simple, low-cost 2D drawing and sketching application, you can’t go wrong with AutoCAD Freestyle.”
Availability
Previously available on Autodesk Labs as a technology preview known as Project Cooper, AutoCAD Freestyle is now available for download from the Autodesk eStore at www.autodesk.com/estore. AutoCAD Freestyle will soon be available from other leading online retailers. Visit the Autodesk eStore for pricing options and promotional offers.
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