AutoCAD has faced off against many other programs that are equally capable of meeting the challenge. There is a wide-ranging debate about which AutoCAD users are better than the MicroStation users. Like most communities, these groups have many reasons to stick with one or the other. We have previously posted articles about AutoCAD at “AutoCAD vs Inventor”, and “AutoCad vs Blender”. Take a look at the following article about AutoCAD vs Microstation.
Both Softwares at a glance
This comparison has some technical value, aside from its reference-material guide. MicroStation was created as a platform through its design, whereas AutoCAD evolved into a platform over the course of a two-decade period. This is a fascinating comparison that gives a glimpse into the history of CAD.
Bently Systems, MicroStation’s parent company has worked tirelessly to bring all their products onto a single platform. Auto CAD has built an empire with its own modules and packages to support specialized projects. Let’s find out what this battle is all about.
How does each differ and how does Microstation stack up?
MicroStation allows drafting/illustrating/detailing, 3D modeling, rendering, and even animations (yes, the really hard animations too.) Its modular, centralized design is what makes it so useful. It does all of this using the same file formats, which means interoperability between a variety of software functionality. This is in contrast to AutoCAD’s approach where you create a base design in AutoCAD then use GreenBuild engine and BIM tools from another program. MicroStation can do all of this under one roof.
Bently doesn’t need to worry about it because this is how the software has been designed from the bottom up. Autodesk has over the years transformed a 2D/3D drafting tool into a CAD platform. Professional users are more comfortable with the way Autodesk presents its products than trying to change their software. This is due to industry acceptance. Every professional revit can find the right package or suite with Autodesk’s advancement. Also, the 2D/3D drafting tools reference is another important point. AutoCAD was an drafting tool and is still the best in this area. Many software have failed to meet this standard, and MicroStation is no exception.
So what is Microstation good for?
Do not give up on CAD software. Every CAD software is successful in this highly competitive market because of its unique features that suit certain people better. Let’s dive deeper to find out what this software can offer.
MicroStation is not like AutoCad. It doesn’t need LISP or any other third-party application. This allows CADers to CAD instead of code. MDL, which is the programming language used here, can be added if necessary. This is for those CADers who hate coding (when CAD.).). There is no need to have multiple monitors for drawing in multiple views.
Conclusion and Comparison
AutoCAD is a great documentation tool that has a wide range of extensions. MicroStation was designed as a collaboration tool that provides all the functionality you need under one roof. There is no one software that is better than another, but what matters is your requirements. It is possible for one software to accomplish this task, so we present a side-by-side comparison.