Young Industries, a leading manufacturer of custom-designed equipment for handling dry bulk materials, had been using SOLIDWORKS 3D applications for two decades. The company also used 2D CAD for critical workflows including modifying legacy drawings, creating new layouts and sketches, and developing diagrams. They knew it was time for a change when their MountainTop 2D design software experienced hardware and software failures.
After a thorough evaluation of 2D design software, DraftSight rose to the top of Young Industries’ list. The most critical consideration was DraftSight’s compatibility with the company’s SOLIDWORKS design environment. The second consideration was cost, and DraftSight provides the 2D design tools Young Industries needs at a fraction of the price of comparable CAD applications.
“DraftSight Enterprise does exactly what we need,” said Ryan Vandine, mechanical designer for Young Industries. “If I’m working with a customer that can’t use SOLIDWORKS, we use DraftSight to open the file, make changes, and communicate back and forth. It’s plugged into the network license server and SOLIDWORKS PDM (Product Data Management) system. It’s just easy.”
DraftSight Enterprise and DraftSight Enterprise Plus are designed to help businesses work efficiently, with flexible licensing for standalone or network use and deployment and technical support.
DraftSight Enterprise is an advanced 2D drafting solution for organizations with multiple users and sites, offering network licensing and deployment to efficiently enable concurrent usage and compliance across the organization. Advanced features include Image Tracer to quickly convert raster images to DWG files; the Mechanical Toolbox to insert BOMs, hardware and surface finish symbols; batch printing; and automatic dimensioning. Users can also leverage existing customizations with the DraftSight APIs including LISP and can easily translate and manage legacy drawings (even those dating back to AutoCAD 2008) and more complex objects like Dynamic Blocks.
DraftSight Enterprise Plus offers all the productivity functionalities, APIs and network licensing in DraftSight Enterprise, with the addition of 3D DWG file-based design and 2D constraint capabilities to effortlessly go from 2D drafting to 3D modeling within the same environment and enable downstream use like 3D printing (export to .stl or .sat), laser cutting or manufacturing.
Young Industries uses DraftSight Enterprise to optimize workflows and the use of 2D and 3D design tools. “DraftSight is an indispensable tool in our tool belt. 3D modeling is our first preference for designing custom equipment, but we could not operate if all we had was 3D,” said J. Tyler Thompson, VP of operations for Young Industries. “There is a time and place where 2D makes the most sense. We use DraftSight as our go-to for P&ID processes. There are times you need a hammer and times you need a screwdriver. We can very quickly and easily translate what is possible between those two applications if we need to jump from one to another.”
Top Enterprise Features – Support
Network license deployment makes getting started with DraftSight Enterprise easy. The deployment wizard frees CAD managers from installation and upgrade headaches, and technical support resources sustain productivity and keep DraftSight running smoothly.
Top Enterprise Features – Licensing Flexibility
With DraftSight Enterprise, organizations benefit from concurrent usage and the freedom of network licenses. This contrasts with Autodesk’s Aug. 2020 announcement that network licenses will be discontinued with the transition to individual licenses in 2021.
DraftSight uses the same Network License Manager as SOLIDWORKS, making it even easier by adding DraftSight licenses to existing network license pools. It keeps track of where the license activations are being used and stores them when not in use. DraftSight Enterprise can be installed on as many workstations as needed with local network access. The tools from the Network License Manager make it easy to control who has access to what and for how long.
DraftSight Enterprise also offers the flexibility to choose subscription or perpetual (one-time purchase) licensing options. Autodesk discontinued their perpetual license option in 2016.
Top Features – Seamless Design Experience
DraftSight Enterprise integrates seamlessly with other Dassault Systèmes and SOLIDWORKS solutions and services, including SOLIDWORKS PDM and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform supporting easy collaboration and management of DWG file designs from first inspiration to outcome.
If you have a SOLIDWORKS PDM system in place, you can now include your DraftSight users in your workflows. The perpetual license model is attractive to many, guaranteeing that you’ll never lose access since you own it as opposed to leasing it.
DraftSight Enterprise also provides a seamless 2D and 3D design experience with 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace Make, connecting you with global manufacturers that can make your parts using any process: 3D printing, CNC machining, laser cutting and more.
Consider the opportunity - DraftSight Enterprise is an advanced 2D drafting solution and DraftSight Enterprise Plus is an all-in-one 2D drafting and 3D design solution at an attractive value.
“The big word to us is value,” Thompson noted. “There is a reason we chose DraftSight Enterprise with the network license and everything else.”
Your CAD software is your choice. Learn more about DraftSight Enterprise and request a quote today.