Difference Between BIM and CAD

Many people have asked the question regarding the distinction between Building information modelling ( BIM) and computer-aided design ( CAD) with its various software.

what is BIM

BIM (Building information modelling) is an integrated workflow built on coordinated, reliable information about a project from design through construction and into operation. In my last post, I explain BIM in detail and the processes involved in converting point cloud data to BIM models. you can check out the post for more information on BIM and scan data

What is CAD

Computer-aided design is a way of creating digital 2D and 3D drawings of real-world products before they’re manufactured. While BIM tools such as Revit are technically CAD programs, the term “CAD” is used more for drafting programs. In terms of building design, CAD is essentially using a drafting tool, such as AutoCAD, to create lines and arcs to represent a building design

Basically, when using CAD for building design, you focus on creating drawings. When using BIM, you focus on creating a building model and then the drawings can be generated from the model. This saves time because you really do not have to draw anything twice. With CAD, you typically draw floor plans and then sections. But with BIM, you create the elements in one view, and they appear in all views in which their visibility is turned on

Additionally, when it comes to documenting your design with tags and schedules, the parameters that are programmed into the elements can easily be used. This saves time when it comes to updating building components, and it cuts down on errors since a component will not be tagged differently in two views

finally, try to remember that Revit is not BIM. Revit was designed for BIM, but it does not accomplish every aspect of BIM. However, when using Revit to create a building model, you can easily export the model to other programs to produce higher-quality renderings, perform analyses, coordinate with other disciplines, fabricate parts, and so on. When using CAD, many of these options are not available. So, the interoperability with BIM is much greater

Originally published at https://engineerxp.com on April 4, 2022.