Computer-aided
design (CAD) is a process that allows computer users to design a
variety of products and geometric shapes on-screen, rather than building
them by hand. Using CAD software, one can create and modify an object
to determine how it will appear and function after it is built. CAD
drawings often include a computer-generated image of the design, as well
as its dimensions, processes, and materials. CAD drawings may be either
two dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D). When an object is drawn
in 3D using CAD, the process is often referred to as rendering or
modeling, while 2D design is often called “drafting.”
CAD
drawings are used in a large number number of industrial and
manufacturing applications. This technology is widely utilized in art
and graphic design, and gives these artists a greater level of design
flexibility than that of other mediums. CAD drawings are also used in
automotive and aerospace design, as well as in the development of
industrial products and equipment. Many special effects used in films
and television rely on computer animation generated with CAD software.
Finally, CAD drawings are a critical component of the construction and
engineering trades.
Before the invention of CAD, products and building
plans were drawn by hand. This was a laborious and time-intensive
process that required a high number of draftsmen, as well as frequent
revisions. With the introduction of CAD software, engineers and
designers were able to quickly and easily generate and modify drawings.
Design firms could hire fewer staff, and both design and product
development cycles were greatly reduced. CAD software also allowed
engineers and designers to generate their own drawings, rather than to
attempt to explain them to a draftsman, resulting in more accurate
design.
Though CAD drawings have been in use since
the 1960s, it wasn’t until the late 1980s and early 1990s that CAD
software became a cost-effective option for many industries. Early
versions of the software relied on 2D vector design, while modern CAD
drawings include 3D modeling capabilities. Today’s modeling software
allows designers to not only draw an object, but to rotate it on an
axis, and to see through the object’s walls from the inside. This
modeling capability is particularly useful in construction and
engineering, allowing designers to virtually “walk-through” a structure
and explore different angles.
Most CAD software is
designed only for Windows or Linux operating systems. Complex CAD
drawings may require advanced graphics cards and high levels of random
access memory (RAM), but simpler drawings can be done on almost any
basic computer. CAD software is operated using a traditional mouse,
though some professional designers may supplement this operation using a
digital pen or drawing tablet.
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