2D CAD Software for Drawing and Drafting
2D CAD design software is used to produce accurate, scaled technical drawings such as plans, elevations, sections, details and schematics. Meet BricsCAD Lite the professional 2D CAD built on DWG.
What Is 2D CAD Software?
2D CAD (computer-aided design) software is used to create precise drawings in two dimensions at a known scale. Instead of drawing by hand, you place lines, arcs and shapes at exact sizes and positions, then add dimensions, notes and symbols so the drawing can be used to build, make or install something.
| What’s on it | 2D Drawing | 2D Drafting |
|---|---|---|
| Shape and layout | ||
| Dimensions at a set scale | ||
| Notes, labels and symbols | ||
| Hatching, line weights and layers | ||
| Title block with scale and revision | ||
| Enough to build, make or install from |
What Is 2D CAD Used For?
2D CAD is used wherever a drawing has to be issued, priced, approved or built from. Here’s what each discipline typically produces with it.
Architecture and Construction
Floor plans, elevations, sections, construction details and setting-out drawings.
Engineering
Part details, general arrangements and system layouts to check function, fit and buildability.
Manufacturing and Fabrication
Production drawings with component sizes, tolerances, materials and fabrication notes.
Building Services and Electrical
Layouts and schematics showing routes, symbols and connection points before installation.
Interiors, Joinery and Shopfitting
Space plans, furniture layouts and workshop drawings for counters, cabinets and displays.
Facilities and Surveying
Measured surveys, site layouts and records of rooms, assets and access, kept up to date.
What to Look for in 2D CAD Software
The best 2D CAD software opens the drawings you already work with, has the tools your drawings need, and fits how you want to pay. Here’s how BricsCAD Lite answers each point.
DWG Files
Clients, consultants and contractors exchange drawings as DWG. Converting files from another format can lose detail.
BricsCAD Lite: Built on DWG, so drawings open and save without conversion.
Precision
A drawing is only useful if every line is exactly where it should be.
BricsCAD Lite: Entity snaps and snap tracking, polar tracking and ortho, dynamic input and dynamic dimensions.
Annotation
Dimensions, notes and tables are what make a drawing usable.
BricsCAD Lite: Dimensions including Quick Dimension, multiline text and multileaders, tables with fields and formulas, annotative scaling.
Blocks and References
Reusing symbols and details saves drawing the same thing twice.
BricsCAD Lite: Blocks and attributes, external references, image and PDF underlays. Existing dynamic blocks can be inserted and adjusted; creating new dynamic block definitions isn’t part of Lite.
Layouts and Plotting
Drawings have to print and export at the right scale.
BricsCAD Lite: Paper space layouts, rectangular viewports at any scale, plot styles and plotter configuration.
Customisation
Your own routines and shortcuts keep repeated work quick.
BricsCAD Lite: LISP routines (most work), tool palettes and shortcuts. Compiled third-party applications need BricsCAD Pro.
Operating System
A mixed office shouldn’t need two CAD packages.
BricsCAD Lite: Windows, macOS and Linux, so a mixed office can use one CAD package across all three.
Licence Type
Some teams want a yearly cost, others want to own the software.
BricsCAD Lite: An annual subscription at £305 a year, or a perpetual licence at £684 one-off.
Trial
Working on your own drawings is the only real test.
BricsCAD Lite: A 30-day free trial with every feature available, so you can test it on your own drawings before you buy.
2D or 3D CAD,
Which Do You Need?
If what you produce is drawings, 2D CAD covers it. 3D is worth paying for when you need to model, visualise or check how things fit together in space.
How Much Does 2D CAD Software Cost?
2D CAD is usually sold in two ways: a subscription you pay each year, or a perpetual licence you buy once and keep. Here’s what BricsCAD costs from NORI CAD.
BricsCAD Lite
2D drafting and documentation
Subscription
Every new release included, automatically.
Support included for as long as you subscribe.
£305per year
Perpetual Licence
Yours to keep, on the version you buy.
Maintenance included for the first year.
£684one-off
BricsCAD Pro
2D drafting plus 3D modelling
Subscription
Every new release included, automatically.
Support included for as long as you subscribe.
£635per year
Perpetual Licence
Yours to keep, on the version you buy.
Maintenance included for the first year.
£1,428one-off
Why Buy BricsCAD from NORI CAD?
We are an official UK BricsCAD reseller with more than 20 years of experience in the CAD industry.
Help Choosing the Right Edition
We’ll look at the drawings you produce and recommend the right edition before buying.
A Dedicated Account Manager
One contact who stays with you from your first call onwards.
Fast UK Technical Support
95% of support requests responded to within an hour during working hours.
Training for New Users
A two-day BricsCAD Essentials course to get your team drawing with confidence.
2D CAD Design Software FAQs
Discover the answers to the most asked questions covering 2D CAD.
It depends on your drawings. Look for software that opens and saves DWG without conversion, has precise drafting and annotation tools, runs on the operating systems your team uses, and offers the licence type you want. BricsCAD Lite does all of these for professional 2D work.
Yes. There are free and open-source 2D CAD programs. If you work with DWG files professionally, you can try BricsCAD free for 30 days, with every feature available, before you decide.
Yes. Plans, elevations, sections, details, schematics and site layouts are produced as 2D drawings across architecture, engineering, construction and manufacturing, including on projects that also use 3D models.
Many 2D CAD programs can open DWG files, but some convert them first. BricsCAD is built on DWG, so DWG drawings open and save without conversion.
Yes. BricsCAD runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, so a mixed office can use one CAD package across all three.
Yes. The free trial lasts 30 days and is fully functional. It runs as BricsCAD Ultimate, so every feature is available, and you can switch it to the Lite licence level to test exactly what Lite does.
A subscription is paid each year and includes every new release, with support for as long as you subscribe. A perpetual licence is a one-off purchase you keep, on the version you buy, with maintenance included for the first year. Renew maintenance each year to stay current.
Yes. Call us on 01254 300909 and we’ll look at the drawings you produce and recommend the right edition and licence type.