Cadalyst-Mobile-CAD-Software-Roundup
Cadalyst-Mobile-CAD-Software-Roundup
Cadalyst-Mobile-CAD-Software-Roundup
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<strong>CAD</strong>ALYST LABS REPORT<br />
Navigator <strong>Mobile</strong> v4.00.01 (iOS)<br />
<strong>Mobile</strong> <strong>CAD</strong> viewer<br />
Overall Grade: A-<br />
Pros: Robust object property reporting; virtual<br />
walkthrough of building projects.<br />
Cons: No markup or comment function; available<br />
for iOS only.<br />
Price: Free<br />
Bentley Systems<br />
800.236.8539<br />
www.bentley.com<br />
AEC professionals who visit jobsites may find<br />
that Bentley Navigator <strong>Mobile</strong> is just what they<br />
have been looking for. Navigator <strong>Mobile</strong> is more<br />
than a simple mobile <strong>CAD</strong> viewer — it’s a powerful<br />
viewing and field information tool.<br />
Navigator <strong>Mobile</strong> is available for iOS devices<br />
only; users can download it from the Apple App<br />
Store. It is most commonly used in conjunction with<br />
ProjectWise technology for project collaboration,<br />
and plugs directly into workflows that ensure secure<br />
viewing, authoring, searching, and the delivery of<br />
feedback from the reviewer to the other project<br />
stakeholders.<br />
Those users who take iPads to the jobsite can<br />
carry a wealth of information that supplants the<br />
plan sets of yesterday. With just a few taps, users can<br />
pull up their project models or PDF files to access<br />
details, cost estimates, or other text-based information.<br />
Object data is by far the most robust that we<br />
have seen in a mobile solution, and could easily challenge<br />
many desktop applications. Accessing, changing,<br />
or creating model views is intuitive. Navigating<br />
the 3D presentation is easy, and navigation is quick<br />
Navigator<br />
<strong>Mobile</strong>’s<br />
object property<br />
window rivals<br />
some desktop<br />
applications.<br />
to respond to standard multitouch input. With Navigator<br />
<strong>Mobile</strong>’s unique walkthrough tool, users can<br />
manipulate two virtual on-screen “joysticks” to visually<br />
tour a project while it’s still under construction.<br />
While Navigator <strong>Mobile</strong> doesn’t support DWG<br />
or DGN files, it utilizes i-models, which can include<br />
content from any common AEC design application.<br />
Users publish i-models using free plugins available at<br />
www.Bentley.com/iWare or any Bentley product, or<br />
access them through ProjectWise Explorer <strong>Mobile</strong><br />
or Field Supervisor.<br />
CadFaster Collaborate v2.0.3 (iOS)<br />
<strong>Mobile</strong> <strong>CAD</strong> viewer/collaboration tool<br />
Overall Grade: B<br />
Pros: Unique model viewer and collaboration tool; real-time screen-sharing<br />
experience.<br />
Cons: Requires expensive desktop application plugin; no industry-standard file<br />
support; available for iOS only.<br />
Price: Free, plus cost of required desktop plugin.<br />
CadFaster<br />
+358 40 168 3398<br />
www.cadfaster.com<br />
CadFaster Collaborate is a mobile <strong>CAD</strong><br />
viewer meant for the 3D AEC and M<strong>CAD</strong><br />
markets, but it really shines as a mobile collaboration<br />
tool. Users can view and comment<br />
on building information modeling (BIM)<br />
models while on the go, plus they can comment<br />
and conduct live screen-sharing markup<br />
sessions, all without needing any <strong>CAD</strong> software<br />
on their PC or iPad. CadFaster accomplishes<br />
this by using a plugin for desktop<br />
<strong>CAD</strong> applications that exports either an EXEformat<br />
or iPad-compatible file.<br />
Therein lies the downside of CadFaster.<br />
First, the plugin software license for the<br />
desktop <strong>CAD</strong> application is rather expensive.<br />
While the CadFaster mobile application is<br />
free, the plugin licenses cost between $189<br />
and $389 for a one-year subscription. In<br />
addition to the cost, the workflow of sharing<br />
models via EXE files raises concerns because<br />
many IT departments treat EXE files as a<br />
threat, stripping them from e-mails and refusing<br />
domain users the admin rights needed to<br />
execute them. Although the real-time collaboration<br />
options are very impressive, the concerns<br />
of cost and potential corporate security<br />
policy violations mean this <strong>CAD</strong> viewer and<br />
collaboration tool is not for everyone.<br />
CadFaster is available as a free download<br />
from the Apple App Store for the iOS mobile<br />
operating system. The plugins needed to<br />
publish the CadFaster models are available<br />
CadFaster’s file directory interface makes<br />
it easy to find your current drawing.<br />
CadFaster offers excellent real-time<br />
collaboration options, such as the object<br />
visibility options shown here.<br />
for Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks, Autodesk Revit, Bentley SELECTseries, and<br />
Nemetschek Vectorworks. Versions are available for the Windows and Mac platforms;<br />
all can be purchased from the CadFaster site.<br />
Users who find that CadFaster fits both their budget and their IT department’s<br />
security requirements will find a truly interactive mobile <strong>CAD</strong> viewer<br />
experience. The application is intuitive and quick to respond, with fast, smooth<br />
zooms and model rotation. Unique to CadFaster is the ability to share screens<br />
between iPads and even desktop workstations, with the collaboration session<br />
hosted by any participant. Also useful is the real-time commenting ability that<br />
attaches annotation to the drawing for sharing with others across the CadFaster<br />
cloud servers.<br />
Editor’s note: The company states that MyCadbox 2.0 will be released soon and will<br />
replace CadFaster Collaborate. It also reports that this new version addresses many of the<br />
concerns stated here.<br />
6<br />
www.cadalyst.com cadalyst Special Report Summer 2014