When people think of CAD software, they often focus on architecture or general two dimensional drafting. Yet there is a growing niche of users searching for mechanical CAD options that are simpler and more affordable. For many small fabrication shops, machine builders, and product designers, heavyweight tools such as SolidWorks or Autodesk Inventor can feel excessive in both complexity and cost. These users actively seek SolidWorks versus BricsCAD® comparisons or search for affordable sheet metal design software.
Despite steady interest in terms like sheet metal CAD and SolidWorks alternative, the conversation around the mechanical strengths of BricsCAD® remains relatively quiet. Larger competitors rarely reference it, which leaves its mechanical capabilities somewhat hidden. This overlooked niche is promising, and as more engineers discover BricsCAD® Mechanical it is well placed to become a preferred option for cost conscious manufacturers.
BricsCAD® Mechanical forms part of the Bricsys all in one CAD family and stands out by combining familiar two dimensional drafting with powerful three dimensional mechanical design in a single platform. Everything is built on the industry standard DWG format, which means you can draft traditional two dimensional drawings and build detailed three dimensional models in the same environment without importing or translating anything. This seamless integration allows users to move from sketches to solid models, and even into BIM work if required, all within one application.
The interface and commands feel familiar to AutoCAD users, making the transition straightforward. BricsCAD® Mechanical was intentionally designed so that anyone confident with two dimensional DWG drafting can step into three dimensional part modelling and assemblies without a difficult learning curve. It is essentially the experience of AutoCAD combined with a modern mechanical modeller, which is ideal for small teams needing flexible tools.
Rather than relying on separate modules for different tasks, the BricsCAD® philosophy is to offer a complete toolset. Within BricsCAD® Mechanical you will find three dimensional direct modelling, parametric constraints, sheet metal design, assembly tools, drawing creation, and basic analysis symbols together in one place. This unified environment reduces software switching and offers a more streamlined workflow, perfect for small firms or engineers who must manage varied responsibilities.
BricsCAD® Mechanical is fully capable of advanced three dimensional modelling and assembly design. It supports a hybrid approach that blends direct modelling with parametric control. You can push and pull geometry for intuitive changes while adding constraints or parameters whenever precision or reuse is important. This flexibility is excellent for iterative design because it avoids the rigid structure of history based modelling.
The software also supports full assembly creation with components, sub assemblies, and standard or custom parts. Constraints can be applied to position parts, and BricsCAD® can simulate mechanisms using its built in kinematic analysis tool to check motion or detect collisions. Once an assembly is complete, the software can generate exploded views, balloons, and Bills of Materials for full documentation. Fabrication shops can move from modelling a machine to producing all supporting drawings without leaving BricsCAD®.
A significant advantage is the ability to reuse existing DWG based libraries. Many small manufacturers maintain extensive collections of two dimensional DWG files. With BricsCAD® Mechanical, these can be converted into three dimensional models with surprising speed. One user even created a three dimensional model from a two dimensional DWG within half an hour as a new user. For wider compatibility, the optional Communicator add on enables importing and exporting formats such as STEP, IGES, and native SolidWorks or Inventor files.
One of the standout strengths of BricsCAD® Mechanical is its integrated sheet metal module. Sheet metal fabrication is essential in many industries, and BricsCAD® provides a full suite of sheet metal tools without the need for external software. You can create sheet metal parts using flanges, bends, reliefs, and hems, or convert a solid model into a sheet metal part with a single command. The software identifies the correct thickness and faces automatically and converts the model into a sheet metal object with the appropriate parameters.
Once your sheet metal part is created, you can reshape it freely through direct modelling while BricsCAD® maintains the required rules for thickness, bend radii, and relief sizes. At any time you can generate the flat pattern, which remains associative to the three dimensional model. Any change to the design can be updated in the flat pattern automatically.
A major workflow benefit is that BricsCAD® can create flat patterns directly in DWG or DXF format, ready for laser or punch cutting. In other CAD systems this often requires complicated export steps. BricsCAD® provides the cutting file immediately, which is a considerable advantage for small shops that move directly from concept to fabrication.
Advanced features such as lofted bends, automatic reliefs, and collision checks are also included. If a bend interferes with another part of the model, BricsCAD® highlights it clearly. All of this capability exists within the DWG environment, allowing engineers to design, unfold, and document sheet metal parts without shifting between programs.
BricsCAD® Mechanical continues to expand, with new tools introduced in recent releases that bring it closer to more established mechanical platforms. Recent updates added integrated two dimensional FEA symbols and annotations for drafting. These allow engineers to document support points, loads, and similar analysis details directly within drawings. BricsCAD® Mechanical even includes an experimental two dimensional Finite Element Analysis tool for simple stress checks on cross sections or thin plates. It is not a replacement for complex three dimensional simulation, but it is impressive to see analysis features available inside a CAD platform.
The software now includes a wide range of mechanical symbols and annotations such as welding symbols, surface finish marks, and feature control frames aligned with ISO and ANSI standards. Improvements in how these symbols scale and appear make BricsCAD® more compatible with AutoCAD Mechanical drawings. Automated ballooning and parts lists further improve the documentation workflow. These additions show that Bricsys is committed not only to modelling but to the entire engineering workflow, including communication and preliminary analysis.
The value of BricsCAD® Mechanical becomes clear when looking at companies that have adopted it. Asto Shipyard in the Netherlands selected BricsCAD® Mechanical over Autodesk Inventor and use it for structural and mechanical vessel components, including extensive sheet metal work. They found that BricsCAD® provided everything they needed at a far more accessible cost, with the added benefit of perpetual licences.
Another example is Dook Techniek, a one person engineering workshop. The owner moved from AutoCAD LT to BricsCAD® Mechanical after a recommendation and found the transition extremely smooth. He could open his DWG drawings immediately and begin converting them into three dimensional models almost straight away. Within thirty minutes he had created a full three dimensional model from an old two dimensional plan. BricsCAD® Mechanical provided all the tools he needed in a format he already understood, and at a price suited to a small business.
BricsCAD’s® cost advantage is one of its defining strengths. A seat of BricsCAD® Mechanical or BricsCAD® Ultimate costs significantly less than an equivalent SolidWorks or Inventor licence. Maintenance fees are also lower, and the unified workflow reduces the need for multiple software packages. This affordability does not reflect reduced capability. As this article shows, BricsCAD® Mechanical offers a comprehensive suite of tools for professional engineering.
BricsCAD® is not merely a copy of AutoCAD. It is a complete engineering design platform. Most AutoCAD style alternatives focus only on two dimensional drafting, but BricsCAD® has grown into a multi discipline system with Mechanical and BIM extensions while maintaining DWG compatibility. This means mechanical professionals can adopt BricsCAD® without feeling limited. In some workflows, such as sheet metal design, BricsCAD® may even be faster and more efficient.
BricsCAD® includes productivity tools such as the Quad Cursor, which provides context sensitive command access, and Blockify, which automatically converts repeated geometry into components. These tools create a smoother and more efficient workflow, saving valuable time.
Within the industry, BricsCAD® Mechanical is establishing itself as a practical CAD choice for product design and manufacturing. It covers the vast majority of everyday engineering tasks and offers a balance of capability, simplicity, and affordability that is attractive to small and medium sized companies.
BricsCAD® Mechanical may not dominate industry chatter, but users who adopt it recognise its strength. In a market led by large vendors, BricsCAD® offers a refreshing alternative. You can draft, model, assemble, check for interference, unfold sheet metal, apply welding symbols, and even include basic analysis indicators all within one environment.
Search trends show increasing interest in this underrated CAD tool, with more engineers exploring options beyond Autodesk and Dassault. BricsCAD® Mechanical is ready to fill the gap for users who find mainstream systems too costly or cumbersome.
If you are an engineer or designer seeking a practical all in one CAD tool for product design or fabrication, BricsCAD® Mechanical merits serious attention. It is much more than a DWG editor. It is a capable and evolving mechanical design platform that blends the reliability of DWG with modern three dimensional tools. The niche may once have been quiet, but it is unlikely to remain so as more users recognise the value this platform offers.
