Chief Vs Autocad

[dshall]

CA has stated that one of their goals is to be able to create the model in 2D/3D and then generate the CD's from there.

Lew

Come on Lew, we are now talking about the Ethiopian runners, CA is old news. Ethiopians rule!

[yusuf]

Orbit,
For me, one of the strongest points of Chief is kitchens,baths and cabinetry.
Revit has some useful tools for renovation/remodeling that Chief doesn't, but you can't design a kitchen in Revit as easy as you could do in Chief. You may require some plug-ins.
Chief is what you need. There will be important new features and improvements for kitchen and bath designers in Chief X5, so you may want to wait until at least X5 Public Beta version is released to see if it really meets your requirements.
However as Scott said, it's not easy to draw all the manufacturing details of your cabinets with Chief. There must be more specialized programs on cabinet manufacturing such as this one: http://www.cabinetpro.com/
Alternatively you may use Chief and Autocad collaboratively for manufacturing details.
Also you asked if Chief's 2D capabilities are as good as Autocad's. Frankly my answer is no. If you want to switch to half-BIM or BIM programs such as Chief,Revit,Archicad,etc. then you shouldn't expect Autocad level CAD capabilities.

i used autocad and ca collaboratively i feel the same way about the strength of autocad on cad capabilities over chief but if some one asks me to support this arguement it may be hard for me to fegure out one major tool regarding the draw and modify tool bars cus ca has every tool of those mentioned tool bars in a very excellent way. nowa days i am avoiding using autocad for cad detailing since i never had any constraint in using the compact but broad cad mode of ca for even structural drawings easily and quickly.like auto cad i use one layout sheet to display all. Slab,beam,collumn stair detail, and foundations and even more. I get every thing in ca to make a detailed architectural and structural drawings. Finally i just like to export it to autocad just because i like to c it there. May be just a habit i developed before but add nothing on it. simply plotting from autocad is what i prefer. since other engineers i share the jobs usually dont use ca. But the one thing i know for sure is ca is optimized for building, so mechanical engineers that work on machine parts and other different works shall use autocad. Finally mr orguz i feel the same like u some how but i believe ca is fit enough. but to support the arguement i would have been happy if u just post any particular strength or weekness regarding the major areas of concern on this topic
Thanks for all.

[ORBIT]

i used autocad and ca collaboratively i feel the same way about the strength of autocad on cad capabilities over chief but if some one asks me to support this arguement it may be hard for me to fegure out one major tool regarding the draw and modify tool bars cus ca has every tool of those mentioned tool bars in a very excellent way. nowa days i am avoiding using autocad for cad detailing since i never had any constraint in using the compact but broad cad mode of ca for even structural drawings easily and quickly.like auto cad i use one layout sheet to display all. Slab,beam,collumn stair detail, and foundations and even more. I get every thing in ca to make a detailed architectural and structural drawings. Finally i just like to export it to autocad just because i like to c it there. May be just a habit i developed before but add nothing on it. simply plotting from autocad is what i prefer. since other engineers i share the jobs usually dont use ca. But the one thing i know for sure is ca is optimized for building, so mechanical engineers that work on machine parts and other different works shall use autocad. Finally mr orguz i feel the same like u some how but i believe ca is fit enough. but to support the arguement i would have been happy if u just post any particular strength or weekness regarding the major areas of concern on this topic
Thanks for all.

Thanks for the reply.
My only areas of concern are, I can see I will need a program for BIM I use AutoCad which really isn't a BIM program. Like I said I have had a look at Revit and Archicad and I don't really want to spend the next few years becoming an expert in one of those programs, when I can see that CA can do just about all
Revit and Archicad can do. I want to get as much feed back as possible from people that use CA, and better still people who have also used Revit and Archicad. I think I would also still like to use AutoCad and maybe even import CA perspectives into Autocad for printing. Anyway guys and Gals thanks for your feed back so far. If there are anymore CA users out there that do a lot of kitchens and bathrooms, I would love your feed back on CA also.
Cheers Orbit..

[lbuttery]

I can see I will need a program for BIM

Note: while Chief has some BIM concepts you won't be able to share with other BIM apps like Revit etc can

Lew

[ORBIT]

I can see I will need a program for BIM

Note: while Chief has some BIM concepts you won't be able to share with other BIM apps like Revit etc can

Lew

Hi Lew
No what I mean is, I would only be using CA, and maybe AutoCad for detail stuff. I would not want to share with other products such as Revit or Archicad. Thats why I want to make sure that CA will do everything I need.
Can you, or anybody tell me, can CA do most of what Revit or Archicad does?
I want to start learning a BIM program over the next month or so and I don't want to put all my effort into a program only to find out 6 months or a year down the track, it was the wrong one. So I guess thats why I am asking for a comparison between the two major BIM packages, Revit and Archicad, with CA. I do like the look and layout of CA, and it does look easier to learn.
Thanks for the help.

[lbuttery]

Orbit:

no, what I meant was that Revit, etc can send their plans to other BIM programs that do specialty tasks and then they can send the plans back to Revit for additional work

Revit - App A - App B - Revit - App C - Revit - App D etc


each App adding to the overall plan or producing reports or views for structure or energy or ....

do a search on BIM on this forum and follow some of the prior links I have posted or do a google search on BIM and see what is out there in the world of 3D and 4D and 5D and 6D BIM apps

however, if you don't know what it is then you probably don't need it

at least for now

Lew

[marty]

The way I see it is not a question of which is better more which is more suited to the task.

For residential work Chief is the way to go except perhaps for very large custom houses using non standard construction methods

For larger commercial type projects needing teamwork and extensive sharing of data programs such as Archicad and Revit are the only way to go. The longer time required to build the CAD models and input the data is paid back many times over the course of the project. Use those programs for standard residential and the payback is less likely to happen.

I have been using Chief since V4 (Then in conjunction with DataCad for detailing) and have always said that when I get a project Chief cannot handle I will spend the money (and time) and move to Archicad. To date the largest project I have done is a 5 storey apartment complex and Chief handled it fine.

[joverberg]

I have been messing with the trial version of Revit 2013 all day and half the night.
What it can do is simply amazing especially with all three integrated modules:
Architecture
Structure
Systems
Downsize:
$6,500 per module and $770 per year for support. That is almost $20,000 upfront and $2,100 per year for support. Maybe if I were rich but for now I will stick with Chief for 1/10th the cost.

Jeff

[Gene Davis]

Look at the samples pages at the Chief website and drill into them to find kitchen stuff. Look at the dimensioning, look at the cabinet scheduling, and see how that might fit your needs.

In one of your posts your words were a little unclear. Do you need a cabinet schedule that can be used for purchasing factory-built cabinets and the whole accessory package of panels, trim, etc., or are you needing actual CNC input for the shop, in order to actually build the cabinets?

See what those samples show you and tell us what you think.

[IRISH]

I have been messing with the trial version of Revit 2013 all day and half the night.
What it can do is simply amazing especially with all three integrated modules:
Architecture
Structure
Systems
Downsize:
$6,500 per module and $770 per year for support. That is almost $20,000 upfront and $2,100 per year for support. Maybe if I were rich but for now I will stick with Chief for 1/10th the cost.

Jeff

Jeff, I think you are mistaken about the cost. Their "design suites" are considerably less. Also, on the new version the "Architecture" has most of the structural capabilities installed. Not sure about the "systems" though and it is only one support payment per year which yes, is a lot.

[joverberg]

I looked for a package price and just saw the 3 individual modules listed all at the same price. The architecture module perhaps has some structural analysis capability I am not sure. The structural module though seemed quite comprehensive, something a structural engineer could use for specs that are easily incorporated into the project. Perhaps not incorporated but as part of the project in a different location. Collaboration is a big part of the software. Not sure. I can not afford it either way but it does seem like an amazing piece of software.

Jeff

[WendyWelton]

Chief will not automatically detail all cabinet panels. But honestly, in 20 some odd years in this business, including doing very high end custom cabinetry, I've never once provided that. I've done detailing to the extent where I get my own cabinet details back with a few added notes as shop drawings for approval - still not doing a panel list. I don't know a cabinet shop that would accept mine and not do their own. So, my advice is to not let that be one of your criteria - or any other feature that might sound cool or like you might maybe someday use it. Your criteria should be things you need now or know you will use within the next year or two - just my not so humble opinion.

[WendyWelton]

And - what Gordon said.

[D.Y.D.]

I am also in this same dilemma. Been reading lots of different reviews between ArchiCAD and Chief, and yes the powerhouse Revit. I used revit a few years ago while I was doing some classes at the local college. My plan is to go from autocad LT to a BIM type platform. My typical work ranges from simple renovation drawings to full custom acreages and inner city housing. I've heard that chief has some restrictions when it comes to some of the more complicated designs. I'm just wondering if anyone has run into road blocks with chief when it comes to a more non conventional design. Do these designs come with more of a modern type of architecture? any opinions here would be great, thanks!

[lbuttery]

you should provide some examples of non-conventional designs

Lew