CADENAS Blog: CAD Catalog vs. CAD Library – What’s the difference?

2012-10-17

It's a question I hear almost EVERY day, "what's the difference between a CAD catalog and a CAD library" or "I already have a CAD library, why do I need a CAD catalog?"

Well, it's as simple as this: Why is an iPad better than a huge bookshelf?

A bookshelf is this huge piece of furniture, full of old, dusty books. You know there is information in there but you only have an idea where to find it. Not to mention the data is old and out of date because once the book is printed, that's it. This is the CAD library.

In contrast, the iPad is a tiny piece of equipment which allows you to store 1000 times more books than the bookshelf. Not only is it convenient and compact, but you can search by a variety of criteria and the dynamic information ensures you always have the most current edition; anytime and on-demand. This is the CAD Catalog.

Below I have created a checklist of features to help you compare your CAD library to a CADENAS CAD Catalog.

Features	CAD Library	CAD Catalog
Library Size	Limited by storage capacity	Unlimited – Models generated on-demand
Configurable CAD Models?	No – all models are pre-designed	Yes
Models available in 150+ formats?	No – models only available in select formats	Yes
Downloadable lead reports with email address?	No	Yes
Files dynamically updated?	No – all files are built once and stored in system	Yes – file data can be dynamically updated
Geometric Search Capability?	No	Yes – files can be searched by size, shape
Website integration	Yes – Static	Yes – Models can be dynamically generated from website
Output to dynamic PDF Data Sheet	No	Yes
Output models to "Photo realistic" images	No	Yes

As you can clearly see there is little comparison between a CAD library – a large folder storing hundreds of pre-designed files and a CADENAS CAD Catalog, which offers thousands of configurable parts to be created on-the-fly. If you are looking to improve productivity, design accuracy and organizational flexibility, the choice is simple. Contact us today to see how we can streamline your solution.

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