Bulk Flow Analyst™ can directly access geometry from AutoCAD 2008 and newer and works interactively with AutoCAD asking the user for the selection of the next piece of information. No special preparation of the AutoCAD drawing is required unless the user's model has curved faces or faces with curved edges. If this is the case, the user must modify the drawing to build the curvy faces as a series of 3 or 4-sided planar faces.
The interactive nature of the AutoCAD Interactive interface allows the user to invoke it only when they need to. The user can collect all the component properties first, then all the geometry at the end, or collect the geometry as the components are defined. With the AutoCAD Interactive interface, the user has the ability to view, move, scale, add to the faces, and delete faces for a component when it makes sense. Bulk Flow Analyst™ displays text within the AutoCAD Command Line to prompt the user for information.
Engineers will likely have a design of their system in a CAD system prior to working with Bulk Flow Analyst™. If the user designed their system in AutoCAD or can export their model from their CAD system into a form that AutoCAD can import (3D DXF, DWG, SAT, or IGES), the user will be able to build their BFA model in AutoCAD.