Gstarcademy's knowledge base is produced and maintained by an editorial team rather than by named individual authors. Articles are bylined “Gstarcademy Editorial Team” and cover the CAD/BIM domains below.
Each article is drafted from primary vendor documentation, expanded with AI assistance for scale, and reviewed by a team member for accuracy before publication. We describe this workflow openly on the Editorial Process page. The areas below reflect the topics we cover — not claims about specific individuals or their credentials.
Building information modeling, coordination, and structural workflows
Covers BIM authoring and coordination topics: clash detection workflows, level-of-development conventions, IFC interoperability, worksharing, and analytical-model export. Content is written with reference to vendor documentation and published standards (buildingSMART IFC, ISO 19650).
Topics: Revit, Navisworks, Tekla Structures, STAAD.Pro, IFC/COBie, ISO 19650
Parametric modeling, simulation, and design-for-manufacture
Covers mechanical CAD, simulation, and manufacturing topics: parametric modeling, configurations and design tables, sheet metal, weldments, model-based definition, and tolerance concepts, referenced against vendor documentation and standards such as ASME Y14.5.
Topics: SOLIDWORKS, CATIA, Siemens NX, Inventor, Fusion 360, GD&T (ASME Y14.5), FEA/CFD
Road, corridor, site grading, and utility design
Covers civil infrastructure and site design topics: alignments and profiles, corridor and intersection modeling, grading, pipe and pressure networks, and machine-control data preparation. Content references vendor documentation and common design standards (e.g. AASHTO) and interchange formats such as LandXML.
Topics: Civil 3D, OpenRoads Designer, MicroStation, LandXML, AASHTO standards
DWG drafting, automation, and cross-platform compatibility
Covers 2D drafting workflows, LISP/VBA automation, dynamic blocks, plot styles, and DWG-compatibility topics across the major DWG-based platforms, with emphasis on practical productivity and template management.
Topics: AutoCAD, GstarCAD, BricsCAD, ZWCAD, DraftSight, AutoLISP/VBA, Plot Styles (CTB/STB)
Rendering engines, materials, and real-time visualization
Covers rendering and visualization topics: physically based materials, lighting, and the rendering engines and real-time tools commonly paired with CAD and BIM models for presentation and review.
Topics: Arnold, Cycles, 3ds Max, SketchUp, Blender, real-time viewers
Our editorial team maintains full editorial independence. Content decisions—including software coverage, comparative assessments, and workflow recommendations—are based solely on technical merit and user needs, not vendor relationships or advertising considerations.
Our review process is detailed in the Editorial Process page. For corrections or technical disputes, please use our contact form.