A Guide To Computer Aided Design
Computer Aided Design
Computer Aided Design is the process of using software to automatically design a three-dimensional object, including its shape, visual appearance and physical properties. CAD is mainly employed in technical fields as well as architecture, engineering and construction projects. It also has broader applications like medical imaging and video game creation. Computer
Aided Design started out by using manual calculations and drawings to create an exact image of an objects' dimensions on paper or other flat surface like a graphite drawing board or computer screen. The discipline evolved into the use of 3D-modeling software that fills in these missing aspects by "drilling" through the computer screen, completing a three-dimensional model with all its surfaces and interiors.
In more complex cases, such models sometimes need to be built in real life. For example, a metal frame for cutting and shaping a part needs to be modeled precisely; then the metal frame is actually used to create the shape using hand tools or CNC equipment.
Computer aided design is a practical means of preparing designs and
delivery documents according to requirements. CAD allows a company or an industry to do conceptual design, detailed design, and pre-press preparation on one platform. CAD greatly reduces the production time by enabling designers and engineers to prepare accurate drawings of every single detail in less time than traditional methods.
Computer aided design has not been as successful in the construction industry as it is in other fields.
Disease control, industrial automation, and women's rights are some of the more noteworthy uses of CAD. Within industry, a variety of processes have emerged which variously combine 2D and 3D computer applications with different types of sensors.
Both civil engineering and mechanical engineering rely on CAD for documentation, analysis and design.
CAD software is commonly used for creating building plans. For example, a house's floor plan may be created by drafting or other means but usually the plans are only drawn once with the format laid out in CAD software so that they can be duplicated in large quantities.
Mechanical engineering firms use CAD software to draft and design mechanical devices. Examples include home devices such as air conditioners, household appliances, car engines, industrial machines and HVAC systems. The use of CAD software in mechanical engineering greatly increased after the introduction of computer-aided manufacturing (CAM). CAM is the use of CNC machinery for metal cutting for mass production.
CAD models are extensively used in modern ship building. The ship modeling process begins with 3D ship design using commercial packages or drafting tools within a computer aided design (CAD) system. This 3D model is used as input to the construction process including all aspects of construction sequence, detail definition and material laying-up schedules. The construction drawings generated by the CAD program are then used to generate the 2D shipyard plans and ultimately the 2D marine engineering plans.
Computers play a vital role in many other disciplines as well. Medical imaging, for example, is almost always done using CAD/CAM/CAE software. As a result, computers are increasingly playing a role in medicine as well: for example, for management, decision making and patient care planning. The same computer system can also be used to create complex 3D models that simulate all electrical signals that pass through an organ to simulate surgery or monitor immune response to an infection or virus.
Computer assisted design is also considered to be an efficient way to produce mechanical components. There are many advantages of using CAD systems in this field, including the ability of translating engineering drawings from 2D to 3D. Therefore, CAD can use expanded two-dimensional drawings, whose dimensions are much larger than those typically used in drafting. Other advantages include calculations, automation (either manually or by computer), and more precise shapes.
Two-dimensional drawing software has been used since the 1950s and three-dimensional drawing used since then as well. Computer aided design is a more recent development that derives from the merging of two of these fields into one dynamic discipline. Therefore, computer aided design software can be classified into two-dimensional (plan and profile), three-dimensional (solid modeling) and rendering.
Solid modeling is a complex technology that can produce plastic components, such as 3D parts, assemblies. Computer aided design is the process of turning 2D drawings into 3D objects by using CAD software. Solid modeling is another way of designing products that are manufactured with metal and plastic. There are also instances where the use of this technique in 2D drawings will result in a 3D model that is functioning as an assembly that can then be completed by other processes, such as machining or casting.
The following are typical practices in the field of computer aided design:
With the help of CAD programs, the designing can be done with the help of computers that sometimes even take care of error detection and correction. Along with this comes several advantages and disadvantages. Some of these advantages include:
Though CAD is widely used across various industries, it is not without its drawbacks. Some of these disadvantages include:
Computer-aided design has played a significant role in improving ergonomics for both workstations and workplaces. In an office environment for example, new designs are often evaluated using computer-aided ergonomic analysis software to assess human factors issues such as comfort and usability.
For the CAD/CAM software industry, the growth over the last few years has been much faster than any other software segment in the computer industry. This can be attributed to factors such as:
Although CAD software is used in many industries and applications, one of its most common uses is in industrial design. CAD allows a designer to create and alter a product on the screen before it is produced or built. In this way, changes or improvements can be made to a product before it is actually manufactured. The design can also be used by marketing departments to produce images or illustrations of products without having an actual prototype that could then be photographed for catalogs and advertisements.
CAD software is also useful for small companies that manufacture products from their homes. CAD programs can be used to design tools and equipment for such companies, which can sometimes produce a cheaper product than its competitors due to the fact that it does not have to be sent out for prototyping. For example, many use CAD software to make custom tooling or fixtures that are used in order to minimise the number of hours required to make products by hand.
Unlike early versions of drafting programs, which could only draw three dimensional shapes and were limited in what they could represent, today's version of CAD are capable of modelling almost anything using polygonal geometry.
Conclusion:
Despite the fact that CAD is widely used, with proper training and guidance from experienced personnel in design, it can really help in designing structures that are earth friendly.
A computer-aided engineer (or "CAE engineer") is an engineer who uses computers for calculations and design analysis—especially for solving and analyzing problems related to other engineering disciplines. CAE engineers may work on physical systems such as power plants or industrial equipment, or they may work on models of systems made using computer-aided simulation.