Chief Architect - X² Now Available
Powerful and Easy

Chief Architect is the industry leader for residential architectural home design software. We have focused the past decade on making this program easy to use for the building professional. Chief Architect will help you be more productive, and we guarantee it. In today’s environment you need to be both competitive and productive with your design work and your clients expect professional designs. Establish more business, be more productive, and ensure more satisfied customers using Chief Architect on your next design project!

• Create detailed Floor plans, Elevation views and Cross-sections
• Visualize and design with 3D models and virtual tours
• Choose from over 18,000 Library items including CAD Details and name brand manufacturers
• Use automated building tools, like Automatic Framing and Roof Generation
• Create complete cost estimates with the built-in Material Lists
• Generate complete Landscapes and Site Planning designs
• Use powerful CAD tools to create custom details
• Produce detailed, professional Blueprints and Plan Sets
• With our Getting Started Guide and step-by-step on-line Video Tutorials you can design your first house in 30 minutes
• 90 Day Money Back Guarantee

Chief Architect was designed from the ground up for residential architectural design. With our Getting Started Guide, you can design your first house in 30 minutes out of the box, guaranteed. Chief Architect enables you to communicate and illustrate a 3D model of your project.

Chief Architect - Summary Feature List

Full Construction Documents

Plan Sets and Blueprints

• Layout, Printing & Plotting
• Multiple Layers and Layer Sets
• Electrical, HVAC and Plumbing
• 30 Floor Capability
• Plot and Perimeter Plans
• Terrain Modeling, Landscaping Tools and Site Planning Tools
• ICC - Residential Code Checklist
• Time Tracker™

Doll House™ View

3D Design and Modeling Tools

• Automatic 3D Views with 3D Editing
• Photo-Realistic 3D Rendering
• Glass House™ View
• Material Painter™ - Point-and-Click Colors and Materials
• 3D Model Maker™
• Virtual Walk-Throughs

Automatic Dormers

Powerful Building Tools

• Cost Estimating with Materials List
• Automatic and Manual Roofs: Curved, Hip, Gable and More
• Advanced Roof Tools: Auto Dormer™ and Auto Roof Returns™
• Material Schedules: Windows, Doors, Cabinets and More
• One-Click Auto Dimensioning™
• House Wizard™
• Automatic Building Tools: Framing, Stairs, Details, Electrical and More

Visual CAD Snaps™

Powerful CAD Tools

• Visual CAD Snaps™
• Endpoint, Midpoint, Center, Quadrant, On Object
• Tangents (Endpoints, Midpoints, Quadrants)
• Perpendicular (Endpoints, Midpoints, Quadrants)
• Orthogonal (Endpoints, Midpoints, Quadrants)
• Points/Markers
• Intersection
• Over 1,000 Built-in CAD Details
• "CAD-to-Walls" Import
• One-Click Cross Sections & Elevations
• AutoCAD^® Compatible

Kitchen & Bath Design

Cabinets and Library Items

• Parametric Cabinets -Over a 1,000 Styles or Choose from the Built-in Cabinet Library
• Curved Cabinets and Cabinet Hardware
• Over 18,000 Library items
• Symbol Wizard Import DXF/DWG/OBJ
• Extensive Manufacturer Libraries
• Over 1,200 Landscaping Plants
• Plant Encyclopedia™, Plant Chooser™, Hardiness Zone Maps

Read more in the Feature List.

>> Mechanical CAD

SolidWorks

Use Mechanical CAD programs to create designs and parts in for use for mechanical machine assemblies or to be used with CAM programs (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) to be used in conjunction with CNC (computer-numerically-controlled machine tools) for rapid, flexible and consistent parts. SolidWorks includes an FEA (finite element analysis) component named SolidWorks Simulation that allows testing and analysis of the designed part and solves for linear stress, strain, displacement, thermal, design optimization, nonlinear, and much more. SolidWorks Motion is the standard virtual prototyping package for engineers and designers interested in understanding the performance of their SolidWorks models.

SolidWorks Motion enables engineers to size motors/actuators, determine power consumption, layout linkages, develop cams, understand gear drives, size springs/dampers, and determine how contacting parts behave.

We offer flexible curriculum packages for teaching middle school and high school students for introductory CAD programs focusing on 2D and 3D models.

• Easy-to-learn interface allows for a short learning curve! Students learn more in less time!
• The interface allows instructors to spend more time teaching important mechanical design concepts, and less time teaching CAD software operations!
• The Advanced Drafting Module (ADM) provides a wealth of powerful 2D drafting capabilities and functions! Network licenses also available upon request!
• Includes all three of the basic 3D design techniques including wireframe, solids and surface modeling!
• Friendly user interface helps students build important 3D visualization skills with features such as multiple viewport display options and dynamic rotation of shaded 3D models on display!
• Includes the industry’s most comprehensive range of data translators including DWG, DXF™, IGES, STEP, ACIS-SAT, Parasolid /X_T, and STL!
• The SolidWorks Education Edition Software:
  Includes SolidWorks® software, the standard in 3D mechanical design software, plus a full selection of design communication, productivity enhancement, and analysis tools.
• Curriculum and Courseware:
  • Six courseware components are included with SolidWorks Education Edition Curriculum. The CO2 Car Design Project is Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) supported curriculum. The Courseware is found on the SolidWorks website and will be kept up-to-date at all times.
    
  • SolidWorks Teacher Guide
  • Simulation Teacher Guide
  • Hands-on Quick Start Lesson Book
  • Student Workbook
  • Mountain Board Design Project
  • CO2 Car Design Project
  • SolidWorks Hands on Test Drive
  • Teacher Blog
  • Trebuchet Design Project

SolidWorks has integrated a NEW "Add-in" called Sustainablility Xpress

• Carbon Footprint
  
• Energy Consumed
• Air Acidification
• Water Eutophication

Understand and improve the environmental impact of your designs with SolidWorks SustainabilityXpress. Through a process known as lifecycle assessment (LCA), SustainabilityXpress looks at everything that happens in the production, use, and final disposal of the product—including all transportation involved.

Sustainable engineering is the integration of social, environmental, and economic conditions into a product or process. SustainabilityXpress teaches students to become more environmentally conscious through design. They will also learn how material selection and the manufacturing process affect the environment.

The link below will provide you with all the information you will need to download and begin using SustainabilityXpress, as well as helpful tutorials.

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/education/7080_ENU_HTML.htm

>> The CAD Academy

The CAD Academy features industry leading 3D engineering, architectural and related design software titles, certification programs and learning resources. The CAD Academy was created to prepare students for the jobs opportunities of the new design economy. Today's student must be able to compete in a global market. 3D software out performs legacy 2D CAD programs by more than 300 percent. Are your student’s prepared?

K-12 Program Overview

Post Secondary Program Overview

Introducing Design for Engineering Academy, "If SolidWorks is your tool. This completes your solution!"

Design for Engineering Academy enables instructors to effectively teach design engineering and manufacturing applications. Teaching manufacturing concepts and the production of design concepts has never been this easy. Interactive training tutorials prepare students for industry certification in SolidWorks and CAM. Certification will advance students toward continuing education and career opportunities in the fields of engineering, design and machine operation.

Learn More