Emil Baciu about CADWORK, design software created especially for wooden constructions

Emil Baciu, CADWORK representative in Romania, is one of the enthusiasts in the field of wood construction. You meet him at all the events he attends talking passionately about wood and its role in construction. He's disappointed that things are moving too slowly in this field and wants to help create a nucleus for change. As a graduate of the Faculty of Constructions and Installations in Iași, he knows first-hand how little wood construction is studied in Romania and that's why, where accepted, he gives free courses for students interested in studying a design program dedicated to wood construction.

Emil's passion, but also the fact that Vlad Liteanu (Litarh) always mentions, as a plus, the use of the CADWORK program in the design and execution of each house, made us want to know more about the software and what advantages the beneficiaries of the houses have as a result of its use by design and construction firms.

What brought CADWORK to the timber market?

CADWORK is a 3D-CAD/CAM BIM design software. It has been designed specifically for all areas of timber construction, but can be extended to other areas such as concrete, metal, glass and other constructions. It can also be used in other sectors where wood is used, such as furniture manufacturing, wood industrialization and others.

Its appearance on the timber market was necessary because of the lack of a program that offered a comprehensive, complete and flexible global modeling solution covering every stage of a timber house project, from planning to production. CADWORK has the freedom and ability to design what anyone wants with a single module. Its accuracy, efficiency and flexibility set it apart from other similar programs on the market.

All types of timber constructions can be designed in CADWORK - structures with log or log walls (block house/log home), with CLT (cross laminated timber) walls, frame structures, mixed structures with timber framing, laminated, lattice, ribbed, cutared, SIP prefabricated panel wall structures, etc.

Software with multiple benefits for design offices and construction firms

One of the main advantages of this program is that the construction modeling is performed in 3D with the possibility of using full optimization and automation modules. After realizing the 3D model, the design engineer has the possibility to automatically obtain the material extracts and construction drawings, making the design much faster and more efficient. CADWORK also features interoperability between all the components of a BIM project, allowing the import of structural information, the exchange of data with other CAD programs and its submission to CNCs and computer-controlled assembly lines.

As far as the builder is concerned, the software improves his work through a much tighter control of the materials used for the project and optimizes the wood-cutting process, leading to reduced waste. It is a very efficient means of transmitting the details of execution to the factory, whether the work is carried out by hand or by CNC machines, and offers the ability to provide a range of details for the assembly phase.

Design offices and construction firms using CADWORK benefit from technical support and training courses.

The benefits of using CADWORK software also reach the home user

In the preliminary phase of the project, the beneficiary obtains an estimate in much less time. CADWORK offers the possibility to export the 3D model to a BIMteam visualizer. This allows the project to be conveniently processed, shared or presented. The beneficiary can thus be included in the progress of the project and see all stages in real time. 3D projects can be opened in the browser via a generated sharing link, regardless of device (PC, Mac, Smartphone, tablet) or location, and all without any prior installation or registration that may be time-consuming or discouraging for the user.

The integrated functions of the project viewer allow the generation of sections, the measurement of various elements, the retrieval of sets of properties such as name, group, subgroup, production number, etc. This creates a direct link between the beneficiary and the designer or constructor, and the transfer of data and information is much faster.

Why future construction engineers need to be familiar with such design programs right from university

Studying the program while still at university creates a link between the training of future engineers and the business environment. College students can gain intermediate to advanced skills in using the program, practice skills gained in internships or summer internships, and even stay on to work in the private sector. All this is offered under the umbrella of CADWORK design software. By assimilating all the updates there will be no difference between implementation in education and in production.

What I want, what all of us involved want, is the most complex and up-to-date training of young students so that they have opportunities and employers have highly trained specialists. This is the reason why CADWORK Romania is running a program through which students from the faculties that have joined the program can attend free CADWORK courses. Such courses are already planned with the Faculty of Constructions and Installations Iași, the Faculty of Architecture ,,G.M. Cantacuzino'' Iasi, Faculty of Furniture Design and Wood Engineering Brasov, Faculty of Integrated Weapament Systems, Engineering and Mechatronics Bucharest and Faculty of Engineering in Foreign Languages Bucharest. However, we are open to extend our training program to any faculty in this field and beyond, which is willing to join our program.

How Emil Baciu sees the Romanian timber construction market and what are his plans for the future

The Romanian timber construction market is constantly growing. This is due to concerns about energy efficiency and the use of environmentally friendly materials so that the impact of construction on the environment is positive.

I always have in my mind, like a vision, the words Professor Emeritus JULIUS K. NATTERER, one of the most important personalities in the field of timber construction: "Only timber construction and the use of wood in construction can save the world's forests" and "Well designed, it's already half-way calculated". I believe that the approaching moment of fulfillment depends on the education and seriousness of the human factor involved. The software has tools for making the amount of wood used more efficient, with an impact right up to the felling and harvesting of the raw part.

As a future project, I would dare to mention the master's degree in "Wood Technology for Construction" at the Faculty of Furniture Design and Wood Engineering in Brasov, which will include our design program.

In conclusion, I would like to see as many users of the program as possible to generate a real improvement in the quality of the environment that surrounds us and in which we live.