Timber Engineering Reference – CAD Software

CAD and CAM software specifically for the design of wood buildings. Since many are available in international versions, there is no distinction by locality. The differentiation is rather made by capability (which leads to some appearing in more than one place).

An overview of general (mostly architectural) 2D/3D CAD software can be found on my Intro to CAD for Construction and Architecture course website.


Software

Timber framing (heavy timber, post and beam etc.):

  • Abbund by S&S – 3D Roof design, Timber framing (multiple layers), Traditional timber framing, Log homes, ConCAD (3d solid modeler), Joinery machine interface. (G,E,F,Pl,R)
  • bocad – 3D CAD for wood structures: framing, roofs, log homes, solariums; also steel construction. (G)
  • cadwork – Broad featured 3D CAD/CAM program: Roofs, timberframes, heavy timber, log homes, panelization, CAD/CAM, parametric variant module, glulam lamination design, BOMs. (G,E,F,I,Pl,R,Es,Cz)
  • Dietrich’s – Integrated timber 3D CAD/CAM program: Roofs, timberframes, heavy timber, log homes, panelization, CAD/CAM, structural design (German code and Eurocode), BOMs  (G,E,F,I,Pl,R,Es,Cz)
  • "D-CAD-L" – Dietrich’s D-CAD-L, a 2D CAD software, can be downloaded for free from this site. (E)
  • "planCAD-L" – Dietrich’s planCAD-L, a full-featured 2D CAD program, can be downloaded for free here. (G)
  • FrameWright Pro – Encina’s timber-frame design tool for ArchiCad (E)
  • hsbCAD – CAD/CAM add-on for AutoCAD Architecture: 3D timberframe design, loghomes, panels, elements, glulam layup, rendering, material lists, CAM export (G,E,I)
  • Kessel EDV-Systeme – Software for stairs, roofs, calculation (G)
  • Nussreiner – Nussreiner Holzbau Programme – Abbund CAD, MegaCAD 2D and 3D (design, material lists, CAM export) (G,E)
  • Proholz – CAD software for timber structures (design, material lists, CAM export) (G)
  • SEMA – Structural timber CAD/CAM: 3D design, roofs, walls, prefab modules, stairs, visualization, material lists, CAM export (G,E,F,I,Pl,R,Es,Cz)
  • TF Rubies – SketchUp Plugin for timber framing (E)
  • TimberCad – An AutoCAD addon from the TFG can now be downloaded for free. (E)
  • WETO – CAD/CAM, stairs, log homes, structural design (German code). (G)
  • Zimmerer-Software – Timber CAD software (design, material lists, CAM export) (G)
  • Zirbel by Bachinger Software – CAD for roofs, frames, log homes, CAM. (G)

Light framing:

  • Abbund by S&S – 3D Roof design, Timber framing (multiple layers), Traditional timber framing, Log homes, ConCAD (3d solid modeler), Joinery machine interface. (G,E,F,Pl,R)
  • bocad – 3D CAD for wood structures, framing, roofs, log homes, solariums; also steel construction. (G)
  • BuildersCAD – Residential light-frame construction planning with materials take-off. (E)
  • Cadsoft – Residential planning and framing layout software. (E)
  • cadwork – Broad featured 3D CAD/CAM program: Roofs, timberframes, heavy timber, log homes, panelization, CAD/CAM, parametric variant module, glulam lamination design, BOMs. (G,E,F,I,Pl,R,Es,Cz)
  • Chief Architect – Residential CAD package with framing module. Also has a consumer version. (E)
  • Dietrich’s – Integrated timber 3D CAD/CAM program: Roofs, timberframes, heavy timber, log homes, panelization, CAD/CAM, structural design (German code and Eurocode), BOMs  (G,E,F,I,Pl,R,Es,Cz)
  • hsbCAD – CAD/CAM add-on for AutoCAD Architecture: 3D timberframe design, loghomes, panels, elements, glulam layup, rendering, material lists, CAM export (G,E,I)
  • IntelliFramer – Residential planning, framing and panelization, materials take-off. (E)
  • SEMA – Structural timber CAD/CAM: 3D design, roofs, walls, prefab modules, stairs, visualization, material lists, CAM export (G,E,F,I,Pl,R,Es,Cz)
  • SketchUp Plugins – These are mainly free plugins that are useful for basic light-framing design:
  • SoftPlan – Residential planning and framing layout software. (E)
  • Vertex BD – Residential planning, has panelization module. (by ARGOS) (E,Fi)
  • Zirbel by Bachinger Software – CAD for roofs, frames, log homes, CAM. (G)

Panelization and prefabrication:

  • bocad – 3D CAD for wood structures, framing, roofs, log homes, solariums; also steel construction. (G)
  • cadwork – Broad featured 3D CAD/CAM program: Roofs, timberframes, heavy timber, log homes, panelization, CAD/CAM, parametric variant module, glulam lamination design, BOMs. (G,E,F,I,Pl,R,Es,Cz)
  • Dietrich’s – Integrated timber 3D CAD/CAM program: Roofs, timberframes, heavy timber, log homes, panelization, CAD/CAM, structural design (German code and Eurocode), BOMs  (G,E,F,I,Pl,R,Es,Cz)
  • hsbCAD – CAD/CAM add-on for AutoCAD Architecture: 3D timberframe design, loghomes, panels, elements, glulam layup, rendering, material lists, CAM export (G,E,I)
  • IntelliFramer – Residential planning, framing and panelization, materials take-off. (E)
  • SEMA – Structural timber CAD/CAM: 3D design, roofs, walls, prefab modules, stairs, visualization, material lists, CAM export (G,E,F,I,Pl,R,Es,Cz)
  • Vertex BD – Residential planning, has panelization module. (by ARGOS) (E,Fi)

Log homes:

  • Abbund by S&S – 3D Roof design, Timber framing (multiple layers), Traditional timber framing, Log homes, ConCAD (3d solid modeler), Joinery machine interface. (G,E,F,Pl,R)
  • bocad – 3D CAD for wood structures, framing, roofs, log homes, solariums; also steel construction. (G)
  • cadwork – Broad featured 3D CAD/CAM program: Roofs, timberframes, heavy timber, log homes, panelization, CAD/CAM, parametric variant module, glulam lamination design, BOMs. (G,E,F,I,Pl,R,Es,Cz)
  • Dietrich’s – Integrated timber 3D CAD/CAM program: Roofs, timberframes, heavy timber, log homes, panelization, CAD/CAM, structural design (German code and Eurocode), BOMs  (G,E,F,I,Pl,R,Es,Cz)
  • hsbCAD – CAD/CAM add-on for AutoCAD Architecture: 3D timberframe design, loghomes, panels, elements, glulam layup, rendering, material lists, CAM export (G,E,I)
  • WETO – CAD/CAM, stairs, log homes, structural design (German code). (G)
  • Zirbel by Bachinger Software – CAD for roofs, frames, log homes, CAM. (G)

CAD Details

You can find links to typical CAD details for wood construction on the Wood Properties / Construction Methods page.

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