These are very similar to photocopying services, clinical labs or even dry cleaners'... you give them something, they process it, and you get something back. Maybe not as fast as a photocopying bureau, but usually as fast as a dry cleaners' !
You usually give CAD bureau one of the following:
- Paper with your hand sketches on it
- A scan of a sketch (which you send them by email)
- A computer file formatted in one of the popular CAD platforms (AutoCAD, MicroStation, ArchiCAD, VectorWorks, Pro-Engineer, CATIA, SolidWorks, to name a few) along with special instructions in a text or separate CAD file
- Actual physical components (which you FedEx the bureau)
- Digitized photographs (jpg, png, bmp, tiff etc., again emailed to the bureau)
You usually get CAD files back from the bureau, most frequently by email.
Go to The Magnum Group, a leading Indian CAD bureau ---
What Does the Bureau Do with your Input?
It studies your instructions and creates CAD drawings accordingly.
When do I Use CAD Bureau Services and When Don't I?
You might find CAD bureau services beneficial for one reason: for lowering your CAD drafting costs.
There's this theory that using a bureau also frees up time for more essential activities like marketing or creative design. I beg to differ on at. Even if you outsource to a CAD service bureau, you're still going to need to manage the outsourcing activity. This is going to take managerial labor. You would use the same labor if you had in-house CAD drafters.
For whatever reason, if you've decided not to draft CAD yourself, you should hire a drafting supervisor in-house (part of full time) and outsource drafting to a CAD bureau.
The Magnum Group: one of India's most reputed CAD bureaus.
How Does Using CAD Bureau Services Lower My Costs?
You do not have to provide these physical facilities and save the corresponding expenditure:
- hardware (fast CPUs with large RAM and dual monitors)
- software (like the programs mentioned above)
- office space
- air-conditioning
- lighting
- security systems
- phones
- furniture
- car parking space
- cafeteria space
- restrooms
And then you save on these 'revenue' expenditures:
- disability insurance
- vacation pay
- health insurance
- retirement plan contributions
- cafeteria subsidies
- consumables like pens, pencils, paper, phone charges, electricity bills, office cleaning charges, janitorial services, secretarial overhead and administrative overhead
The Magnum Group charges only $12 per hour (for work supervised by qualified engineers and architects)
There's a further saving on the per hour costs: since you are paying on a per hour (or per sheet) basis, if you're going through a dull month and don't need any CAD drafting done, you don't pay anything.
If you had salaried people in your office, you have to pay them no matter what!
So go figure!!!
To your CAD drafting health,
The Magnum Group has created tens of thousands of CAD drawings for clients in five continents. Browse our CAD bureau services now!
