Solum Surveying Enhances Efficiency and Flexibility with BricsCAD and KTF Pointcloud
BACKGROUND
Solum Surveying, a well-established and respected survey company operating across the UK, specializes in topographical surveys, measured building surveys, 3D laser scanning, UAV surveys, and underground utility surveys. Facing challenges with expensive and inflexible CAD solutions, Solum Surveying sought a more adaptable and cost-effective alternative. They chose BricsCAD, supported by KTF Software, to revolutionize their workflows and enhance operational efficiency.
- High Costs and Limited Flexibility: Previous CAD solutions were costly and required expensive add-ons for essential features, leading to operational inefficiencies.
- Licensing and Remote Work Limitations: The perpetual licensing model of earlier software made it challenging to scale the team or allow surveyors to work remotely, issues that were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Limited Innovation: The previous software showed limited advancements over time, leaving the company frustrated with high costs and low returns on investment.
Topographical Survey Operations Manager, Steve Drew told us, “We felt like we were paying a premium for software that wasn’t evolving or offering the advancements we needed for our business.”.
Recognizing the need for a more tailored and affordable solution, Solum Surveying adopted BricsCAD with the assistance of KTF Software.
- Implementation Process: The team started by trialing BricsCAD Pro licenses to assess the software’s capabilities. Employees were provided licenses tailored to their needs—Pro for advanced users and Lite for lighter workloads. Perpetual licenses were implemented company-wide, enabling greater flexibility and scalability.
- Overcoming Obstacles: The primary challenge during implementation was ensuring surveyors updated their software versions and license codes consistently. To address this, the company developed a robust license database, enabling seamless updates and maximizing subscription value.
Steve added, “We soon realised that BricsCAD was a very powerful CAD software with plenty of options to suit”.
BricsCAD delivered significant improvements in efficiency, cost savings, and workflow flexibility:
- Simplified Licensing: Standalone perpetual licenses allowed surveyors to work remotely on their own devices without compromising productivity.
- Enhanced Remote Work: Surveyors could now use BricsCAD on laptops and desktops, enabling them to process data remotely, saving travel time and costs.
- Cost Savings: The affordable pricing model made BricsCAD a more scalable and budget-friendly option, supporting team growth.
- Increased Efficiency: Remote access and tailored licensing improved overall workflow, particularly during remote operations like those necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Solum Surveying utilized the KTF Pointcloud Tool, which is a BricsCAD plug-in, free to KTF Software customers, to load and process laser scan point cloud data. This tool proved invaluable for specific projects like Measured Building Surveys.
Steve commented, “Theres always someone very knowledgeable available at the end of the phone or email at KTF Software to assist with any queries we’ve experienced.
Other notable examples of support include:
- Point Cloud Import Issue: A setting defaulting to ignore geotags was quickly resolved with guidance from Dan at KTF Software.
- Recovery File Setup: The team received assistance in configuring regular save intervals and centralized file paths, ensuring critical data was not lost.
The company also found the BricsCAD YouTube channel to be an excellent resource for tutorials and troubleshooting.
- Recommendation: Solum Surveying highly recommends BricsCAD for its affordability, flexibility, and powerful features. Steve told me, “I believe BricsCAD is an industry-leading powerful software at an affordable price with flexible packages. It’s the perfect partnership to meet the demands of a busy Geospatial surveying company that strives to produce industry-leading innovative survey deliverables.”
- Expansion Plans: As the company’s Geospatial department continues to grow, they plan to expand their BricsCAD license portfolio to support their scaling team.
BricsCAD and KTF Pointcloud has transformed the way Solum Surveying operates, delivering powerful CAD capabilities at an affordable price. With flexible licensing, efficient workflows, and exceptional support from KTF Software, the company is well-positioned to continue producing industry-leading survey deliverables.
Like Solum Surveying, you can take advantage of a powerful CAD tool with an easy learning curve that can help you create detailed and accurate plans that are compatible with your customers.
Don’t let outdated software and workflows slow you down. Upgrade to BricsCAD and try out KTF Pointcloud to take your work to the next level.
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“I would recommend this program to any designer…Absolutely 5 stars”
Thank you for bringing BricsCAD to my attention.
Ben Bentley
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Overall, an excellent design tool written by a very end-user focused company who provide excellent support and development for their product
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It has allowed a person with no surveying or technical drawing abilities to down load survey data and manipulate it on a drawing platform.
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Anthony Brookes Surveys
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BricsCAD is more than powerful enough to deliver our needs in a CAD package. It is easy to use and user-friendly
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KTF’s expertise in BricsCAD software can be taken for granted but what is far more important is the speed and empathy they bring to bear when things go wrong
Backwoodsman
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Whilst the cost saving is a great advantage, having this software has enabled us to maintain our high standard of as-built drawings
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KTF Software have supplied and supported our company with BricsCAD software over the past couple of years. BricsCAD is user friendly, and KTF Software have been very supportive and helpful
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Azure Outdoor Living
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