Berlin-based CAD software developer Gräbert has been developing DWG CAD tools since 1994, now spanning Windows, Mac, Linux and cloud. Martyn Day talked with company CTO Robert Gräbert and business development & marketing director Cédric Desbordes on the company’s efforts to better link 2D to BIM.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) was sold as a way of getting automated drawings by modelling a building in 3D. – What we actually got is more drawings. We now model a building to get drawings that need 2D editing, and if the model changes, we need to do the edits again.

In our conversations with AEC firms, there are growing calls to get rid of drawings completely and work only from 3D models. The bad news is that in manufacturing, which is a decade further ahead in the adoption of modelling virtual prototypes, they still produce and rely on 2D drawings. There is also the issue that the contractual framework for AEC is still drawing. What needs to happen first is smarter 2D drawing tools.

Read more by Martyn Day on www.aecmag.com