SmartDraw's CAD drawing software has the CAD tools you need to make scaled drawings of all kinds without CAD training and cost. Start with any of the built-in CAD templates and drag and drop symbols. You can set the size of walls or objects by simply typing into the dimensions label. You can also set the specific angle between two walls.
SmartDraw includes a vast collection of mechanical engineering and architectural symbols for every type of CAD drafting project. You'll get industry-standard symbols for:
You can easily add common architectural callouts, keynotes, markers, and references including:
SmartDraw has built-in automation that lets you attach doors and windows to your walls more easily than traditional CAD programs. Doors and windows will automatically snap and rotate with walls. When you see your cursor change to an anchor, you'll know your door or window will attach to the wall at that spot. Once attached, you can resize the opening and move it around on the wall until it's positioned where you want. The distance guides will help you position things accurately.
As you drag a symbol to your floor plan, you'll see exactly where your object will be in relation to the walls and other objects in your plan. The blue guidelines will show the distance to the nearest wall or nearest object to help you position it.
If you have an existing CAD file as an image or PDF, you can import it into SmartDraw, scale it, and draw your new designs or plan right on top.
Draw custom shapes from scratch or import images, then organize everything into shared custom libraries your entire team can use.
Add model numbers, costs, descriptions, and other important manufacturing information to elements in your floor plan to display as a tool tip.
You can also export this data as a manifest. You can export the number of chairs of a certain model or get a list of equipment based on purchase date.
SmartDraw lets you quickly select a common standard architectural scale, a metric scale, and more. You can print to scale just as easily. And your printed scale doesn't have to match your drawing's scale. You can easily change the scale at any time, even after you've started drawing. Keep track of your settings in a scale-independent annotation layer.
Layers let you separate your CAD design into distinct views and focus on the system you're working on. You can manage complex electrical, plumbing, HVAC information easily and make edits without affecting other parts of your plan. Use a scale-independent annotation layer to keep track of information like the CAD drawing's author and other settings.
Share your CAD drawing with anyone, even if they don't own a copy of SmartDraw, with a link. You can also easily export any diagram as a PDF or common image formats like PNG or SVG.
Have a question? Chat or email us. SmartDraw support is in-house and free!
SmartDraw makes it easy to work with a team on any engineering or design project in real time.
Invite your team or client so you can collaborate or share comments and feedback.
SmartDraw also works where you already communicate with your team. You can collaborate on plans in Microsoft Teams®, Slack or Confluence.
Use SmartDraw's CAD drawing software to realize your vision and share the results.
Determine the type of diagram you're going to make. SmartDraw has templates for all kinds of floor plans to warehouses and offices.
SmartDraw also has templates for engineering diagrams including circuit diagrams, wiring diagrams, HVAC diagrams, piping diagrams, and more.
If you're making a scaled CAD drawing like a blueprint or floor plan, you'll want to start by taking measurements of any existing structures. If you're creating a new plan, brainstorm designs based on the size and shape of the location on which to build.
Engineering diagrams like circuit diagrams will use lines and connect symbols that represent components like switches and fuses.
The foundation of most floor plans will be creating an outline of walls much like lines.
Find the symbols needed to create your design. Most engineering diagrams like HVAC and electrical drawings will have specialized symbols that represent components you need. These will be docked to the template you selected.
You can also search for symbols and easily drag and drop symbols to your drawing area and connect them.
Once your drawing is finished you can insert it directly to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, PowerPoint®, Google Docs™, Google Sheets™, and more.
SmartDraw also has apps to integrate with Atlassian's Confluence and Jira. You can share your design in Microsoft Teams. You can also easily export your plan as a PDF, PNG, SVG, or print it.
SmartDraw comes with dozens of templates to help you create blueprints, landscape layouts, electrical schematics, mechanical drawings, block diagrams, facility plans, circuit diagrams, and more.
CAD stands for computer-aided design and drafting and it refers to designing and documenting technical specs and plans in various engineering fields.
CAD drawing does not have to be challenging to be effective. And you don't have to be tied to a PC to do it either. SmartDraw's CAD drafting software is uniquely powerful and easy to use. Get started quickly with templates and examples that are easy to customize. Bring drawings to life in minutes with powerful CAD drafting tools. Extensive, custom symbol libraries give drawings a professional finish. SmartDraw CAD drafting software produces presentation-ready results for both the beginner and the expert.
CAD stands for Computer Aided Design (and/or drafting, depending on the industry). CAD usually refers to computer software used to create 2D and 3D models and designs such as architectural designs, building plans, floor plans, electrical schematics, mechanical drawings, technical drawings, and blueprints.
CAD drawings are used by architects, civil engineers, mechanical engineers, and construction professionals.
CAD drawings can include floor plans, blueprints, piping and instrumentation diagrams, HVAC, site plans, wiring diagrams, circuit diagrams, and other technical drawings. Learn more.
Traditional CAD software like AutoCAD is well-known for having a steep learning curve. CAD doesn't have to be hard. SmartDraw was designed to be more accessible and easier to use.
To help you move away from legacy software, SmartDraw can import and edit Visio® diagrams and stencils. See how good SmartDraw's Visio import is.
There are many options when it comes to choosing CAD software, and all options have their perks and drawbacks. The best software for you depends on what types of designs you will be making, as well as how much money and time you are willing to dedicate to buying and learning a new program. One of the biggest benefits of SmartDraw over traditional CAD software is that you can use SmartDraw on any device. Whether you're in the office or on the go, you'll enjoy the full set of features, symbols, and high-quality output you get only with SmartDraw. Learn more.
Discover why SmartDraw is the best CAD drawing software today.