CAD Managers

[#1]

New client - they use RADAN for historic reasons. They dont use the full cpability anymore as they dont do sheet metal work.

PLEASE give me some good reasons and arguments why I should try to get them to switch to AuitoCAD LT.

[#2]

1.  I've never heard of RADAN (format?), nobody else here has either, including clients.

2.  Everybody here has heard of AutoCAD (DWG format), including all of our clients.

[#3]

You would need to find out why the would like to continue with their current software.

If the need is to integrate with other Vendors using a similar drawing format then switching may not be in their best interest.

If the need is to only do 2D drafting and they are not interested in potentially having access to Lisp or other third partty programming then LT may be a good choice.

The website stated that there is easy integration with DWG format so cost may be the only reason to switch possibly?

But if there is no need; then spending nothing and keeping the current software package is the least expensive.

[#4]

Well

thanks you for your input.  A little research on the web - I mean I typed it into Google and came up with this link!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.radan.com/

Your attitude stinks pal. I posted this as I know that there are people out there that are willing to help.

[#5]

Charles

Thanks for that. Informed input and rational as usual.

I have had a brief look at their software, and therir release may be old too! They produce drawings TO SCALE and also dimension accordingly. they sit there with calculators and work out what the dimensions should be!

Integration is a problem with them, they say that they can't exchange information with AutoCAD too easily and they have problems when trying to share drawings with architects.

I think hidstorically they used to use the sheet metal (bending and sheet development) properties in the past but they do not have any presses any more so that is not a reason to use it.

They also have very "experienced" designers that are well versed in using Radan but are ignorant in using any other software. In their technical office they have a guy that still only uses a drawing board!

Hance my quest to see if we could put up an informed argument about why they should consider change. And  felt that there are people here with a lot more experience than me in all aspects of CAD design.

Thanks for your help.

[#6]

Steady on lad - it's "teh internetz!".  No attitude implied - except by yourself. 

Look at from what I posted: if it's not common (i.e. needs to be Googled rather than off the top of the head), then finding support, training, specialists, and third-party applications will be more difficult than a more well known product.

[#7]

Well, that is a slightly more friendly reply than your first. Thanks for your ideas about training etc but these guys have been using this for donkeys years so it is going to be a tough struggle to try to convince them to change.

Have a nice day and thanks again!

[#8]

They may simply benefit from some of the cheap retail-store CAD apps instead if all they do is draft on CAD like they would do on paper: simply piling on the cost of software, hardware and training is not worth it IMHO or they would have done it on their own ages ago.

Do they even have the funds to do any of what you want to "convince them" to do? That's not been an industry flush with cash in the last decade or so.

[#9]

I think the problem is that the industry started on drawing boards and they haven't realised the potential of using CAD to its fullest. Since they have stopped suing the sheet metal element then they use the drawings to get architectural approval of elevations and details. I am not sure that RADAN is the package for them to use now but they have a workforce that is used to using it. It is a bit like the initial arguments about CAD vs Drawing board.

I take your point though about the cheaper versions of CAD.

[#10]

I used to work for a compeditor of Radan and I know their VP pretty well.  Radan does sheet emtal programing for CNC cutters and benders. They have their own 2D CAD program but last time I check it was jsut AutoCAD OEM. So in reality they really are already on LT (just with a few special toolsbars).

• They may just not have updated it to the latest version and or are use to what they have.
• Those guys have some neat little tools like my former emplyer did so it may be the addational functionality.
• Last I was in the know they could also do things like open step and iges files that LT could not.

I am from the school if you should keep it all the same meaning, if you use Autodesk software and that is it, then buy autodesk software.

The guys up north do decent support but if you ever run into a problem it may end up in a blame game of whos fault it is. I know I ran into this internally with Autodesk and it was not an angry thing it was Autodesk was trying to figure out if they did it or if we did. I took both companies about 3 weeks to track down who was causing the crash.