AGTEK's PDF utility allows you to import and process both types of PDF data, but vector data is far more useful because AGTEK will automatically sort the vector PDF data into different layers which can then be processed using the same data-transfer and 2D-3D conversion tools that AGTEK offeres for importing and processing layered CAD files. A CAD generated PDF will contain vector data but a scanned PDF will contain raster data. In that case, Terramodel (or some other design system)-not AGTEK-would be a much more practical fit for your needs.Īs Dozerman56 indicated, there is a qualitative difference between a PDF file exported from a CAD system and a PDF file generated from a scanned paper plan. On the other hand, if you are actually doing grading design work you will need direct and constant access to a full-featured set of drafting and design functions. To model grading for road work with AGTEK, Earthwork 3D or SiteModel 3D alone will be insufficient and you would want to add AGTEK's Highway 3D module (which includes horizontal and vertical COGO drafting tools and other functions specific to road work modeling and analysis).
If you need grading models for site work (commercial, residential, industrial, institutional projects), my opinion is that it is far easier to create, verify, edit and analyze 3D surfaces using AGTEK's Earthwork 3D or SiteModel 3D programs – so long as you don't need direct and constant access to a full range of drafting functions (which should be the case if you're starting your AGTEK site grading model from imported CAD data, digitized paper plans, or PDF files). The resulting AGTEK 3D models are routinely used for quantity takeoff and jobsite grade control applications. Regardless of the data-entry method used, AGTEK also provides a range of functions for modeling differential soils ("strata"), the removal/replacement of topsoil, subgrade effects of design structural sections, and remedial grading (over-excavating unsuitable soils), which may be of more practical interest to a grading contractor rather than to a site designer. It's been a while since I've had any hands-on experience with Terramodel, but I do remember it as being pretty complicated and having a steep learning curve – that's not a criticism of Terramodel it's just a consequence of the fact that Terramodel is a full-blown 3D grading design system (long before Terramodel was acquired by Trimble, the product was originally developed for, and intended to be sold to, design firms), so it has a lot more under the hood when compared to AGTEK.ĪGTEK is simpler and easier to use because it was never intended to be a grading design system – its narrowly-focused specialty is to create a 3D grading model from an existing site design (preferably based on imported CAD data, but AGTEK also provides robust data-entry functions for digitizing from scaled paper plans and, more recently, for importing PDF/TIF/JPG data when CAD files are unavailable). Terramodel Dozerman56 (Civil/Environmental) 9 Apr 09 20:06 If you could list the good and the bad that would be helpful RE: Agtek vs. What I'm looking for is for anyone with experience on either of these systems to give me a kind of understanding of the systems so see if investing in Agtek is worth the price tag for the 3 modules (earthworks, highways and materical or is upgrading terramodel from v10.50 to v10.60 the better way to go (~10k). Are there any downsides to this importation of files this way as it is a new thing to market and I've never heard of it before. The Agtek guy was telling us at the demo about a new PDF reader they have with thier program which would be a big thing to have to not have to spend hours digitizing drawigns whereas Terramodel doesnt. I've sat down to have the Agtek guy come and do a demo and it looks very promising as the learning of the program can be set up very quickly via the net whereas terramodel training (from what I've found) runs around $2,000 for 3-4 days, and hard to setup.
I've had little experience with Terramodel and there is little information to be found on the web about either.įrom what experinece I've had with Terramodel it is a program that you can not sit down by yourself and learn and requires A LOT of help from people who do know the program, but being a very busy company that is, not always the case. The company I work for uses Terramodel for estimating and are trying to determine whether or not to upgrade/purchase more keys or invest in a new program, Agtek.įrom reading what has been previously posted about Agtek, I'm still a little confused about the possible pro's and con's of the systems.