Overcoming AutoCAD’s shortcomings from the site engineer’s perspective

Aug 31, 2021

As most people know, AutoCAD is one of the most used digital tools in UK construction. AutoCAD was primarily designed as a tool for architects and designers, though – not for site engineers. One of the biggest limitations of AutoCAD from a site engineering perspective is that it’s not Digital Terrain Modelling software. It can’t work with 3D surfaces so it’s not the best tool for site engineers. However, AutoCAD is often the only tool they have to work with.

This is why Gail McEwan from our sister company, Setting Out For Construction, created a two-day CITB-Assured ‘AutoCAD for Site Engineers’ course designed to help site engineers get the most out of this digital tool.

In this short interview, Gail talks about:

  • Why she created the course and why there’s a need for it.
  • Why you won’t find any of this information on the AutoCAD ‘how to’ videos on YouTube .
  • How the course takes you from the basics – such as drawing shapes and lines – right through to the more advanced functions – such as importing data from Total Stations, GNSS and laser scanning equipment .
  • How you’ll be able to import different file formats – including the one file format many engineers struggle with !
  • How the course teaches you to present professional-looking information and shows you how to give your AutoCAD drawings the wow factor , to make you stand apart!
  • How you can use AutoCAD to geo-reference setting out when you have no co-ordinate system information available on site.

Listen in…

This interview is around 11 minutes long and you can watch or listen to it here (links open in new windows):

Find out more about digital tools…

Sign-up for DCS’s free CITB-Assured eLearning module, Getting started with digital construction , to:

  • Find out what’s out there and how these tools can help you solve problems and improve your business.
  • Discover the benefits digital tools can bring and the broad factors to consider when selecting digital tools.
  • Uncover the barriers to, and risks involved with, adopting digital tools – and learn about the successes!

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