T. Mifsud is a CAD consultant providing services to architects, engineers, builders , construction managers, and facility managers. He provides a range of CAD services, including implementation, standards and best practices development, training, project support, CADDBIM management and 3D BIM modeling services. He has extensive experience with Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Navisworks and AutoCAD. He is based in Southern NH which allows him to provide daily on-site services for clients in all 6 New England states. He has extensive real world experience in AEC-FM and CADDBIM management.

Comments

All project are challenging in different ways but the two main challenges are: unrealistic schedules and trying to meet our clients’ expectations

I use AutoDesk Suite and Revit. Pros and cons are too much detail to go into.

Training is ongoing. I have a program for our staff called “sharpen the saw” days, i.e. for 4 days a year (scheduled as work permits for the individual) each person or group selects a specific topic, researches/studies and develops a presentation for the benefit of the entire staff.

We don’t outsource anything in our skill set but do outsource to IT and web content/development consultants

Interview with Mr. T. Mifsud

1. 1. What kinds of clients do you serve?

   We serve architects, construction managers, facilities manager for CAD, REVIT and BIM and our particular areas of expertise are training, implementing software, support services, library development, standards development.

2. What was the most interesting CAD project that you ever worked on? What made it interesting?
   What challenges did you face?

   I work with and support many clients on their projects so there isnt one stand-out that I could describe as the most interesting.

3. Of the software tools that you use, which is your favorite and why?

   REVIT Architecture is my favorite software and I teach classes in it It makes everything easier than 2D AutoCad.

4. What trends are you observing in the market for CAD services? How have these trends affected you, and how are you responding to them?

   Over the last 5 years the trend in New England has moved totally away from drafting in 2D AutoCad. We anticipated this trend, moved ahead of our clients and now work primarily in 3D BIM.

5. What do you like about working as an interim CAD draftsman or external CAD consultant working on a time-bound project?

   I like not being tied to one desk and the challenge of constantly changing projects.

6. Have you ever provided CAD consulting services remotely, either via phone, the Web or email?
   Do you use any screen sharing tools (like Webex, Skype, or GoToMeeting), and are they effective?
   What kinds of questions and problems could you tackle remotely?
   Are there any issues that you feel are better handled face-to-face?

   Ive been using remote software for 6-7 years. The one I prefer now is TeamViewer because it is good for remote support, training, teamwork whereas others we have tried are not as quick or flexible. Working remotely with clients is good for handling all types of questions. For comprehensive introductory training of 2 hours or more its preferred to have a face-to-face meeting.

S. Childs is an Independent Contractor with over 15 years of drafting experience. He has worked on residential projects, commercial projects, Structural Steel and Joist design. He has a 2-year degree in Mechanical Drafting and Design.

Mr. M. Tatum has extensive experience in the design and drafting of PCB fabrication and assembly drawings. He is an expert in Solid Modeling and PCB software, as well as AutoCad (10 to 2011, 2D & 3D), Revit Architecture and Google 3D Sketchup. He is a graduate of the University Of Northern Colorado, Front Range Community College Tech School and the Denver Institute of Technology Architectural Drafting & Design.

M. Fitzgerald is a consultant and trainer in the area of CAD, Drafting and Illustration. He specializes in the following activities:

1. Architectural & Mechanical Drafting, including plans/elevations/sections/details, sketches to working drawings, as built surveys of existing structures, or mechanical parts using AutoCAD Scan to PDF, JPG, or TIFF for mark-up, or true reverse engineering, (i.e., re-drawing existing plans to AutoCad-dwg files).
2. Architectural and Mechanical Renderings: traditional 2D, or 3D renderings of plans/elevations, or pen and ink illustrations.
3. Site Visits (New York, or New Jersey) for onsite measurements of existing conditions and digital photography of sites.
4. Providing AutoCad layouts, for “Retrofit jobs, new designs, and “As-Built drawings”.
5. Providing “Graphic Conversions” for use in dynamic linking software, required on customer sites and for sales presentations.
6. Assisting Design Engineers & Field Technicians by providing them with AutoCAD, drawings and “As-Builts”.
7. Graphic conversions of Acad drawings to Windows Metafile drawings and to Micrographic Designer drawings and conversion from Bentley MicroStation to Acad drawings.
8. Assisting Account Managers (Sale force) by providing them with full size printouts of project, & pre-bid drawings.
9. Providing training in architectural terms, drafting techniques, AutoCAD skills for architectural work, technical writing skills, & minor mathematics for use in the architectural /engineering fields.
10. Providing manual/hand drawings and CAD drafting (Personal Designer Cad software) working with concrete construction layout drawings.
11. Manual drafting (pencil layouts), working with mechanical drawings from engineering and field personnel.

M. Spencer is currently an independent CAD entrepreneur and consultant. She is also a Business Professional specialist in the Plant Engineering department at a fortune 500 company. She holds a BA from the University of Louisville, and also a Drafting with AutoCAD Career Diploma from Penn Foster College. She has had experience from structural design, mechanical, HVAC, electrical schematics/one-lines, to evacuation plans, and 3D modeling.

J. Warren is a Mechanical Engineer with 10 years of experience in Product Design in the Aerospace, Automotive and Medical field. Mr. Warren specializes in Product Design, Project Management, and CAD. Mr. Warren has experience with Solidworks and Pro Engineer in both the modeling and drafting of components. He is well versed in GD&T and drawing standards such as ASME Y14.100 AND ASME Y14.5.

D. Stockton is provides 2D drafting services to clients in the fields of architecture, civil engineering, and environmental engineering. He also provides BIM services utilizing Autodesk Revit Architecture as well as vectorization with Autodesk Raster Design. He started using AutoCAD in 1991 as a leader in the effort to bring CAD into the engineering department of his employer at the time. He works with a variety of clients, primarily using Autodesk software.

S. Kashem specializes in drafting construction documents using Autocad, 3dmax, Adobe Illustrator. He has a bachelors degree in architecture technology.

E. Galicki is an expert in the field of parametric solid modeling, mechanical design/drafting, and engineering support services. He has helped to implement a wide range of ideas, including devices for clients in the electrical, optical, medical, automotive and aeronautic sectors.

CAD Expert Samples

T. Ganstrom currently divides his time between Design Engineering Consultant in the Mechanical and Consumer Product arena, as well as Solidworks Application Engineer teaching 3D CAD skills to other Engineering Professionals. Mr. Ganstrom started his career as a Manufacturing and Quality Control engineer in industries as diverse as Semiconductor and large Equipment manufacturing. He received his Mechanical Engineering Degree from Idaho State University and has earned the titles of Certified Solidworks Professional, and Certified Advanced Surfacing Specialist from Solidworks Corp. He is also a member of the American Association of Mechanical Engineers, (ASME). Areas of Expertise: Product Design, Drafting, Solidworks, 3D CAD, FEA design optimization and simulation, Product Data Management, Industrial Design, Mechanical Design, CAD administration, CAD training.

J. Brouwer has over 40 years of engineering experience as a contract engineer with a wide variety of defense and aerospace companies. Since being introduced to CAD in 1982 he has accumulated over 54,000 design hours on 3-D CAD, 10,000 on ComputerVision’s CADDS 4X and the remainder on IRONCAD, ZW3D and variety of other PC based CAD programs.

He also provides the following services:

1. Engineering Services, including Engineering Design, 3-D modeling, drafting, CNC programming and complete integrated system management.
2. Plastic Product Design: Providing fully 3-D wireframe, surfaced, solid models and detail drawings if required.
3. Mechanical Design: 3-D design of mechanical assemblies.

Interview with Mr. J. Brouwer

1. What kinds of clients do you serve?

   I support companies that do not have an engineering department. I provide mechanical and plastic product design.

2. What was the most interesting CAD project that you ever worked on? What made it interesting?
   What challenges did you face?

   It was a project for Boeing. They were making models for testing. We did the F-22 and Osprey — who gets to work on project like this? It was a few years ago and we had to make 3D prints. Just making sure the solid/surface models were complete. The work was done in Ironcad and a Hybrid CAD system.

3. Of the software tools that you use, which is your favorite and why?

   IronCAD is my tool of choice because of its ease of use and great flexibility, but I also use a hybrid CAD system when a project has to be broken down to wireframes and surfaces. I have used most of the Pro/E paradigm systems: Pro/E, SW, Inventor and Solid Edge, but never have really got proficient with the Pro/E paradigm.

4. What trends are you observing in the market for CAD services? How have these trends affected
   you, and how are you responding to them?

   Much of my work is reverse engineering requiring working from scanned data. It requires a Hybrid CAD systems to work with this data. I also get called in when the project is a mess and they need it cleaned up and get the parts made.

5. What do you like about working as an interim CAD draftsman or external CAD consultant working on a time-bound project?

   The freedom it offers.

6. Have you ever provided CAD consulting services remotely, either via phone, the Web or email?
   Do you use any screen sharing tools (like Webex, Skype, or GoToMeeting), and are they effective?
   What kinds of questions and problems could you tackle remotely?
   Are there any issues that you feel are better handled face-to-face?

   I started telecommuting years ago when we used phone handset modems. Using CADKEY, I would sent the files back and forth. I use all of the programs you have mentioned. Most of the problems can be handled remotely. Face to face is always important at every milestone, even though I have done projects where I have never met face to face.

A. Boonstra uses Unigraphics NX on a daily basis (for both CAD and CAM). He has extensive experience in the use of HyperXtrude from Altair HyperWorks simulation software, and in how to write custom applications for the Unigraphics NX CAD/CAM package using the Open/API and C/C++. He is an expert in 3D modeling and 2D drafting.