What is CAD and How Do Designers and Engineers Use It?

 Computer-aided design software is an essential component of planning and design in many fields and industries. Learning how to work with CAD software and how to interpret documents created with CAD software can be helpful when working in these areas. Understanding the value of CAD software and how you can apply it can help you determine whether learning to use it will benefit your career. In this article, we discuss what CAD is, why it's important, who can use it, and the industries where CAD is common.

 

What is CAD?

CAD stands for computer aided design and refers to the act of using computers to help create designs and plans. Software developers provide CAD software design tools to help professionals complete their work more efficiently and accurately. Often times, professionals use CAD software designed for their industry to make their work more accurate and efficient.

 

Why is CAD important?

Using computer-aided design is an essential component of most modern designers' processes. The benefits of CAD include:

 

Sufficiency

Working with CAD software to create your designs can help you complete them faster. Because computers can perform actions quickly, you can quickly create components without the need to carefully measure as if you were completing a plan by hand. CAD software can also provide access to functions such as copy and paste, resizing, and other digital tools that you cannot complete when planning manually on paper.

 

Precision

Precision and accuracy are important when creating a design. This allows your final products to create a design scheme that you or another person can use to create the designed product. Using a computer to create your design plans allows you to take advantage of highly accurate computers that ensure and eliminate the possibility of human error when drawing your elements.

 

Sharing

Creating your plans using CAD software can make it easier for you to share them with others. Because the software creates a digital file, you can share your work with others who have software that can read the file type you choose. This allows you to collaborate with others and instantly share changes with all parties, regardless of geographic location.

 

visualization

CAD software may come with additional options that can help visualize the final design of a product. An architectural CAD program may allow you to view a 3D representation of the room you are designing, for example. Visualizing how your designs look in a practical setting can help you decide if you like your current design or if there are areas for improvement.

 

automated production

The use of CAD software can play a large role in the manufacturing process for a company that uses automated manufacturing. A company can use production items that can interpret schematic documents created using CAD software. By entering CAD-generated designs on production machines, the company can automate its production to increase speed and cost-effectiveness.

 

Who can use CAD?

People in a wide variety of positions within an organization can use designs created with CAD software. Learning to create and interpret CAD documents can be beneficial for those working in these roles:

 

automated production

A designer will use CAD when creating their drafts, including initial plans and final designs. It's a useful tool to see layouts and try out different designs. For example, an interior designer might use CAD software when trying to find the best ways to maximize space in a room.

 

engineers

Engineering is another field where CAD software is a common tool for professionals. They develop their products and schematics using software assistance. In addition to using software to create their plans, an engineer oversees the implementation of their plans and makes adjustments to the software as needed.

 

trade experts

Many trades use diagrams and blueprints that help create CAD software. People who work as plumbers, electricians, and home craftsmen can work on projects with blueprints created in CAD software. Trade professionals may also have the skills to work with CAD software on their own and use it to design their own for a job before implementing it.

 

Workers

Workers working on projects such as building construction often refer to plans created using CAD software. Using computer-generated plans provides workers with specific and accurate information they can use to complete their work. This can help improve the overall quality of the projects they complete.

 

Common uses for CAD

The use of cad software is popular in many fields. Some of the most common areas for CAD professionals include:

 

Aviation: The aerospace industry includes the development of flying vehicles ranging from light aircraft such as gliders to heavy aircraft such as airplanes. CAD tools allow the creation of the complex plans needed to build functional aircraft.

Architecture: Modern architects commonly use computer software to create building plans. An architect can create plans for new structures or develop additions to existing structures; this may require the architect to first create a representation of the existing building layout in CAD software.

Automotive: Similar to aerospace designers, automotive engineers work to create complex machines to help people move more efficiently. CAD software provides the precision automotive designers need to create safe and executable designs.

Civil engineering: A civil engineer creates plans for the development and settlement of communities. Engineers can use CAD software for a variety of tasks, including the layout of buildings, the drawing of roads, the drawing of piping systems such as sewer and water flow, and other civil planning needs.

Electrical engineering: Electrical engineers plan and develop electrically powered pieces of technology. Electrical systems require accurate plans to keep the system working properly, which makes CAD tools useful for electrical engineers.

Manufacturing: The manufacturing industry relies on the right plans to create functional products. This applies to both automated production and plans created to be executed by employees.

Plumbing: When piping a building, the plumber can use CAD software to create piping plans. This can allow for accurate designs, and the CAD software may also include functions that assist the plumber to account for concerns such as water pressure and quality within the construction project.