| CAD, decoded as Computer-aided design, is deployed for designing real and virtual objects. CAD is not only shapes. The output of CAD normally must also include symbols, such as processes, dimensions and tolerances according to application-specific conventions.
CAD may be used to design curves and figures in 2-dimensional (2D) space, or curves, surfaces and solids in three-dimensional (3D) space.
CAD is widely used in many applications, including automotive, ship-building and aerospace industries, industrial and architectural design, prosthetics etc. CAD is also widely used to produce computer animation for special effects in films, commercials and technical manuals. CAD is used for designing tools and apparatus as well as for drawing and designing all types of buildings, from residential types to the largest commercial and industrial structures, for example hospitals and factories. CAD is primarily deployed for detailed engineering of 3D models or 2D drawings of physical constituents, but it is also used throughout the engineering process.
Computer-aided design has become an exceptionally significant technology among computer-aided technologies, as it spares both time and money.
In the late 1980s when the Computer-Aided Design programmes became readily available, there started massive layoffs in drawing departments of some companies, particularly small and mid-size ones. A CAD operator could replace 3-5 drafters still using traditional methods. Furthermore, a great many engineers began their own drafting projects, thus the demand for traditional drafting departments disappeared. As a result of, a lot of drafters lost their jobs.
Being rather expensive, the new technologies were chiefly purchased by large corporations. Hence, small businesses were unable to contend against giant companies that widely used CAD. These days, prices are lower. Even high-end packages need less expensive platforms and some even support multiple platforms.
In addition, there have been designed diverse packages to convert CAD files to other formats. |
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