One of the things that has intrigued me about the evolution of CAD software, has been the development of specialized software over the years. When I first got into the CAD field, there were already a fair amount of CAD packages out there, but most were just as the acronym implied, computer-aided drafting programs – tools for creating general drawings. Don’t get me wrong, the advent of utilizing a computer to create technical drawings, as opposed to using drafting boards, pencils, T-squares, templates and angles was a very welcome change. Those CAD programs were used for all types of projects: manufacturing, architectural, civil, structural, MEP and more. While you can still use most of today’s CAD software for all those types of projects as well, time has yielded very specialized CAD packages with tools designed to handle design and drawings for specific industries.
Overhead Line Electrification (OLE) is one of those specific industries. OLE is the process of utilizing an overhead line or wire to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleys, trains and other light rail vehicles. Zebraware Ltd, a software vendor based in the United Kingdom, has recently announced the release of their newest software product – Linear Draft. Linear Draft is a 3D BIM OLE design package that is compatible with popular computer-aided design packages such as the latest releases of Bentley Systems Microstation and Autodesk’s AutoCAD.
Zebraware’s press release states that…