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ZWCAD+ is ZWSOFT's 2D and 3D drafting software, and with a user base of over 320,000 satisfied users across 80 countries, ZWCAD+ is gaining momentum as the .dwg-compatible, affordable alternative to other mainstream CAD tools. In addition to ZWCAD+ Standard and Professional, the ZWCAD+ family of products includes ZWCAD Architecture and ZWCAD Mechanical - a solution for all users across the AEC and MCAD industries in other words.

As one would expect ZWCAD+ has a comprehensive set of common 2D and 3D drafting functions, so this article will highlight some of the innovative features in ZWCAD+ that differentiate it from similar CAD tools.

Often it's easier to express design intent, request design changes or capture design review comments as audio rather than text. ZWCAD+'s SmartVoice allows users to do exactly that by enabling users to annotate their drawings with voice notes, the SmartVoice Manager providing options to manage the voice objects.

Other features such as SmartMouse, SmartSelect and File Compare further differentiate ZWCAD+ from its competition. SmartMouse allows the user to execute defined commands by moving the mouse on a certain path, for example pressing the right mouse button and moving vertically upwards invokes the '_new' command. The set of predefined mouse gestures can be augmented with user defined gestures to invoke other favourite or often used commands.

SmartSelect presents the user with a dialogue box which presents lists of all the objects in the drawing and allows easy selection of the objects through a series of filters. File compare enables users to spot any differences between two similar drawings by highlighting them in different colours. Variations between blocks, attributes and text can be easily found, and the comparison settings such as colour and filters can be customised.

The Online module for file synchronisation in ZWCAD+ allows users to save drawings and customisation settings to third party cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive and others. Configuring the Online Module is straightforward and, coupled with ZWSOFT's mobile CAD solution CAD Pockets, drawings can be accessed at anytime from anywhere.

ZWCAD+ offer many functions for drafting and detailing - however sometimes the standard commands and features in CAD tools are not sufficient and further customisation is necessary. There are a number of APIs available in ZWCAD+ including LISP, VBA, .Net and ZRX. The ZRX, ARX and .NET are code-level compatible and Lisp routines can now run directly on ZWCAD+ with only a few modifications. These APIs also enable developers to very quickly port applications written for other CAD tools to ZWCAD+ .

In addition to the regular ZWCAD+ products, ZWCAD+ Standard and Professional, there are two application-specific ZWCAD+ products available, ZWCAD Architecture and ZWCAD Mechanical.

ZWCAD Architecture includes all the functionality of ZWCAD+, plus content libraries and tools designed specifically for architectural drawings, which enhance the workflow, automate tedious drafting tasks, reduce errors and increase efficiency.

ZWCAD Architecture allows users to generate walls, add doors and windows, and create roofs. From the completed 2D plan, elevations and sections can be generated accordingly. The components you draw in 2D, but after switching views they can be viewed in 3D, and the 3D model can then be exported as a .dae file or .stl file.

ZWCAD Mechanical is also built on ZWCAD+ and supports ISO, ANSI, DIN, JIS, and GB drafting environments. ZWCAD Mechanical has a number of additional features specific to mechanical design. For example, Power Dimension makes dimensioning easier with abbreviated dialog boxes that control and expand the variables relevant to manufacturing, as well as integrate tolerance and fit list information. There is a comprehensive part library containing screws, nuts, washers, pins, rivets, springs and bearings, and parametric models of shafts and gears are also available.

One feature of ZWCAD+ that remains constant is its licensing mechanisms. ZWCAD+ products are licensed either as a single user or a network license, giving flexibility in how users access the software. Licenses are perpetual and there are no ongoing subscription fees. Users are not obliged to update their licenses as new releases of ZWCAD+ become available.

ZWSoft continue to develop ZWCAD+, and current projects include cross-platform support, more optimisations in performance and additional features to further improve the ZWCAD+ user experience.

In the UK ZWCAD+ products are available from ZWSoft's Valued Added Reseller EDA Systems. For more than five years EDA Systems has provided sales and technical support for ZWCAD+ as well as developing add-on applications for users, including lighting design, drain surveying and arboriculturists.

EDA Systems' ZWCAD+ user base currently comprises over 150 companies, ranging from multinational corporations with many licenses through to small companies with one or two licenses.
www.edasystems.co.uk/
Email: info@edasystems.co.uk