Although you will be able to see all the topics in the side menu of the Academy interface (on the left side of the window, as highlighted below), here we will explain the main topics that comprise the individual lessons.

0003.01 - Course topics are listed in the side menu.

Below, you can see the complete list of modules that this course contains:

• 00 - Welcome
• 01 - Getting Started with ARES Kudo
• 02 - ARES AI Assist
• 03 - Work with PDF, DGN, and Image Files
• 04 - Smart Design with Blocks
• 05 - Workflows with Blocks and External References
• 06 - Advanced Blocks

00 - Welcome

This module aims to quickly explain the most important things to know before starting the course. If you want to learn how to download and install the programs, or how to activate a license or trial license, please see:

“Read Me First,” the user guide that specifically addresses those topics.

In this module you will learn about:

• The objectives of this course.
• Recommendations for students, and descriptions of each course module.
• Which elements will appear in the graphical interface of the course.
• How Graebert Academy certificates can benefit your career, and how to earn them.
• What steps you need to follow to get a Graebert account.
• The list of things that you should take into account before tackling the course: “Do you have everything you need to get started?”

01 - Getting Started with ARES Kudo

When starting a new drawing in ARES Kudo, you can select from two default templates.

However, throughout this course, we’ll notice the need to customize essential settings such as units, text styles, and dimension styles to meet specific requirements. Additionally, users often need to load or recreate certain elements with every new drawing.

If your projects follow similar patterns, you likely reuse the same layer names, colors, line weights, and other settings. Instead of recreating these repeatedly, why not create a personalized template—or even multiple templates—tailored to your typical work?

In this module you will learn how to:

• Create a custom template.
• Load text and dimension styles.
• Create a list of pre-configured base layers.
• Add blocks to the drawing.
• Load commonly used linetypes and hatch patterns.
• Configure paper space sheets for consistent sheets.
  

02 - ARES AI Assist

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries, including CAD. At Graebert, we see AI as a tool to empower all CAD users, not just experts.

With this vision, we developed ARES AI Assist ("A3"), an advanced AI assistant powered by OpenAI technology. A3 serves as a personal guide within the ARES ecosystem, revolutionizing how users interact with CAD software.

We’ve trained A3 to address common challenges faced by professionals, making it an expert in ARES tools and technologies.

In this module you will learn how to:

• What can artificial intelligence do for CAD users?
• Graebert's vision: using AI to empower all users, not just experts.
• What is ARES AI Assist (A3) and how it integrates into the ARES ecosystem.
• It helps users learn to use the software by locating features and explaining how to use them.
• It offers multilingual support and is trained to answer technical questions specifically related to CAD.

03 - Work with PDF, DGN, and Image Files

Working with external references is essential in collaborative drawings, as it allows different project components to be managed by various users without compromising the integrity of the main file. External references provide centralized, real-time access to design elements, reducing errors and simplifying updates to shared components.

ARES Kudo enhances this process by enabling cloud-based workflows, allowing real-time collaboration regardless of team members' locations. This increases efficiency and flexibility, as projects can be accessed from different devices like ARES Commander and ARES Touch, ensuring seamless editing anywhere. Automatic cloud synchronization ensures all collaborators work with the latest project version, improving communication and reducing confusion.

These collaboration features make ARES Kudo a powerful and modern tool, especially for teams handling complex projects. Beyond DWG files, ARES Kudo supports integrating other formats like DGN, broadening collaboration possibilities without sacrificing quality or flexibility. It also offers the ability to convert PDFs into editable DWG files, enabling direct cloud-based modifications or use as external references.

Moreover, ARES Kudo allows users to insert images and PDFs directly without converting them into DWG files, making it easy to incorporate supplementary documentation like plans, details, photos, or specifications. This capability to manage diverse file types and information sources efficiently in the cloud further enhances dynamic and accessible collaborative workflows.

In this module you will learn how to:

• Using external references in DWG format.
• Converting PDF and DGN to an editable DWG drawing in the cloud.
• Inserting images or PDFs as external files.
• Using external references as an efficient workflow strategy.
• Synchronizing external references.

04 - Smart Design with Blocks

This course assumes you already have CAD experience, so we don’t cover basic creation and editing tools in detail. Instead, we demonstrate that ARES Kudo's functionality is similar to other CAD programs, making it easy to apply familiar commands like Line, Polyline, Offset, and Trim with minimal adjustments.

While repeating basic commands could create increasingly complex drawings, this module focuses on an adaptive workflow. By leveraging blocks, object styles, and external references, you can design more efficiently and standardize elements, a critical advantage in collaborative business environments.

In this module you will learn how to:

• Create and organize blocks as essential tools in your project.
• Adopt an adaptive workflow approach through the use of blocks.
• Leverage content from other drawings to facilitate the setup of your current project.

05 - Workflows with Blocks and External References

Collaborative work involves organizing a project so multiple people can contribute efficiently. For example, in a hotel design, a DWG file containing module A (two symmetrical rooms) can be shared with editors, though only one person edits at a time while others view it as view-only.

Simultaneous editing of the same drawing would cause chaos, but collaboration allows one person to take over after another finishes. In complex projects like a hotel, multiple areas can be addressed simultaneously by different team members.

Module A could also be inserted as an external reference in the hotel’s general floor plan, enabling others to track its progress within the overall context. Teams working on modules B, C, and D can consult, copy elements from, or adapt module A to create their versions, which are then integrated into the main plan for broader access.

This module explores how to collaborate effectively in such environments.

In this module you will learn how to:

• Establish a shared file structure for collaboration, with external references to be used across multiple drawings.
• Create a master drawing that will integrate various external references.
• Develop independent drawings containing blocks that will serve as external references.
• Learn to recognize when using blocks or external references is most advantageous in collaborative workflows.
• Utilize content from other drawings to streamline the setup and development of your current project.
• Adopt a flexible, adaptive workflow by incorporating blocks and external references.
• Access and manage blocks efficiently using the Trinity Block Library.

06 - Advanced Blocks

Blocks are a well-known entity in CAD drawings, since they allow entities to be grouped under a name, which makes it easier to locate, copy, and even facilitate a subsequent update of the data and entities included in the block.

Here we will learn how to take advantage of these useful entities, beyond the applications more familiar to CAD users. We will see how to share blocks through the Trinity Block Library, among other options.