The newest version of TurboCAD Deluxe combines robust performance, competitive pricing and ease of use to form a versatile piece of general-purpose CAD software. The application is part of the well-known family of design and graphics applications from industry leader IMSI/Design and earns the TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award in our CAD software reviews. While its interface isn’t the slickest we’ve seen, TurboCAD’s rich functionality and top-notch performance help minimize its aesthetic shortcomings.
TurboCAD provides several features designed to boost the usefulness and versatility of the application. You can customize the tool palette to display only the tools needed for your current project, allowing you to tailor the interface for your needs and make it easier to navigate. You can also create and name your own tool groups.
The CAD software also has a command history, text editing and a point marker tool. A point marker tool is convenient because it automatically numbers identical objects when placed in a design, such as windows or doors in building plans.
Although flexible, TurboCAD’s feature set falls just short of perfect with the absence of macros. Macros are defined as a single command that encompasses a set of instructions used to complete a particular task, essentially allowing you to perform a multiple-step task in a single command. While not essential, the inclusion of macros would definitely enhance the intuitiveness of the CAD software.
Like many comparable design applications, TurboCAD offers both 2D drafting and 3D modeling functionality. It can be used to create standard 2D drawings or more complex 3D creations, such as product or furniture designs. A standout feature of the CAD software is its library of templates. These can be used as a springboard for new projects so you don’t have to start from scratch. Similarly, there’s also an extensive collection of symbols that you can drag and drop directly into a design.
The software also offers innovative, rich tools for mechanical engineers and designers to build mechanical components, patent drawings and more. For instance, you can extrude – or pull – 3D models from simple 2D drafts and spin 3D objects on a revolving axis to provide 360 degree views. Specific mechanical tools offered include chain polyline, automatic meshes and boolean operations.
TurboCAD Deluxe is also ideal for creating house plans. It has a house wizard, which provides easy, preliminary room design through a series of step-by-step prompts. If you’d prefer to start from scratch, easy-to-use architectural tools make quick work of once tedious house design. You can link walls with a single click, use hatch patterns to help you identify various components of your design, and display dimensions as new components are added. A point marker tool automatically numbers identical objects in the design such as doors and windows.
A few of the more standard but nonetheless important features the CAD software provides include transparency options, photorealistic rendering and lighting effects. In fact, the software utilizes lightening technology by LightWorks, an industry-leading provider of rendering solutions. You’ll also find textures and snap tools, which automatically align lines and end points.
The only tool noticeably missing from TurboCAD Deluxe’s rich repertoire of design tools is animations. As the name clearly indicates, animations are moving presentations of a 3D object. Since the software already provides 360 degree views of an object, the absence of an animation tool is hardly detrimental.
TurboCAD enables seamless workflow to and from other design applications with extensive file compatibility. The software supports 28 industry-standard formats including WMF, PDF and DWG, the native file format for most CAD software applications. The software also allows you to import and export SKP and DXF files, file formats compatible with Google Sketchup and AutoCAD, respectively. To save a design as an image, you have the option of saving as a JPEG, BMP, PNG or GIF image file.
TurboCAD Deluxe isn’t immune to the sharp learning curve that exists with computer-aided design software, but the newest version is brimming with updates that make the application easier to navigate and more intuitive for all users. There are beginner, intermediate and advanced menu settings that can make the interface more accessible depending on your familiarity with CAD software. In the beginner mode, the design tools are supplemented with detailed explanations on how they work. As you become more familiar with the software, you can easily switch to intermediate and advanced modes. There’s also context-sensitive help, which provides instant, one-click access to help topics and information that are relevant to the feature or tool in use. This is useful because you don’t have to search through a knowledgebase to find the information you need at the moment.
One feature that significantly enhances the CAD software’s ease of use is the page setup wizard. At the outset of a new design, the wizard allows you to define viewpoints, measurement units, page size and more through a series of simple questions. This helps you create an optimal new drawing for your design.
While we appreciate the many usability improvements this latest version has, it seems that the manufacturer (once again) neglected to do anything about the software’s interface. Boring and outdated, the interface harks back to the early days of 2D CAD and lacks the contemporariness and polish many competitors boast. Its lack of aesthetic appeal doesn’t hinder usability, and while we suppose it may not make sense to fix what isn’t broken, an updated interface would make the software more visually appealing and interesting.
IMSI/Design provides excellent help and technical support for its CAD software. To learn more about the application and its features, you can search the built-in knowledgebase or the TurboCAD wiki on the website. Both prove to be excellent resources. For direct technical support, the company offers phone support and an online ticket system.
The website also hosts videos and interactive tutorials that visually demonstrate how to perform certain functions. However, every time we tried to access the videos, we received an error message. We think training videos can be highly useful resources (especially for visual learners) but if they don’t work, there might as well not be any. We emailed the company regarding the issue and have yet to hear back.
TurboCAD Deluxe constitutes excellent CAD software that appeals to a wide range of users, from inexperienced beginners to expert users. While the software isn’t without flaws, its shortcomings – including the absence of macros and a boring interface – are negligible at best and aren’t likely to make or break any potential user’s decision to use the software. And while we were disappointed we couldn’t get the training videos to work, the TurboCAD knowledgebase and wiki proved to be more than sufficient in our search for help. Minor drawbacks notwithstanding, the design application is worth the investment if you’re seeking powerful yet accessible CAD software.
