| CAD, the shortetning for Computer-aided design, is used for designing real and virtual objects. CAD ordinarily involves more than just shapes. The output of CAD often must also consist of symbols, for example materials, processes, dimensions and tolerances according to conventions of an application.
CAD can be deployed to design curves and figures in 2-dimensional (2D) space, and curves, surfaces and solids in three-dimensional (3D) space.
CAD is widely deployed in automobile, ship-building and aerospace industries, industrial and architectural design, prosthetics and others. CAD is also extensively deployed to make computer animation for special effects in films, commercials and technical manuals. CAD is deployed for designing tools and apparatus and for drawing and designing all types of architectural structures, from residential types to large commercial and industrial structures, for example hospitals and factories. Computer-aided design is chiefly deployed for detailed engineering of 3D models or 2D drawings of physical components, but it is also used throughout the engineering process.
Computer-aided design has grown into an extremely important technology among computer-aided technologies, since it spares both time and money.
In the late 1980s when the CAD programs became readily available, there began massive downsizing in drawing departments of small and mid-size firms. A CAD operator could supplant 3-5 drafters still using traditional techniques. Moreover, a number of engineers started their own drafting projects, thus the demand for traditional drawing departments disappeared. Consequently, a large number of drafters were laid off.
Being rather expensive, the new technologies were primarily purchased by large businesses. Thus, small firms were unable to compete against giant companies that widely deployed CAD. At present, hardware and software costs are reasonably priced. Even high-end software packages require less expensive platforms and some even support multiple platforms. |
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