Computer-Aided Design (CAD), What Is It and Why is It Important

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By PeterLogan

The early 60s saw the birth of CAD. Ivan Sutherland and Patrick Hanratty were involved in its development. Hanratty, who worked for General Electric, developed a program called DAC. It was the first system to use interactive graphics and a numerical programming system.

Scope of CAD

CAD is used by architects, engineers, and construction managers. It allows users to create designs in either 2D and 3D, so they can visualize the construction.

Purchasing and procurement portal for CAD software licenses allows for the modification, optimization, and development of the design process. Engineers can create more precise representations and easily modify them to improve their design quality. Software also considers how different materials interact. This is particularly important as subcontractors add more detail to drawings.

Drawings/plans can now be stored in the cloud. Contractors have access to CAD-based drawings/plans on the jobsite. All members of a team can easily review plan modifications, including contractors and subcontractors. It is possible for all parties to see the potential impact of the modifications on construction and adjust as necessary. Communication is improved by having ready access to the plans.

The ultimate goal is to maximize productivity by making the most of every information. CAD allows designers to include plumbing and electricity in their designs, allowing them to design more complete projects. This means that there are fewer changes to the design and less surprises during construction.

With their many features, CAD and its spinoffs have become a standard in the construction industry. Its technological impact in the industry has been a game changer. Construction has become a job that is a technology job.

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CAD in Practice

Eric Cylwik, a senior virtual engineer at Sundt Construction is one of America’s largest general contractors.

Cylwik is a virtual construction specialist and has specialized in 3D modeling for construction purposes throughout his career. He supports Sundt Construction’s employees by helping them to identify how technology can improve their work. He ensures that the technology works correctly.

The Best CAD Software

CAD Civil 3D can be used to plan, design, and manage civil engineering projects. These projects can be broken down into three main categories: land development, water and transportation projects. They can include road development, river development and port construction. It is used to create 3D (3D) models for land, water, or transport features, while keeping dynamic relationships with source data, such as grading objects and contours, breaklines, contours and corridors.

CAD Plant 3D offers 3D design tools for engineers and plant designers. This program simplifies the modeling of plant components including piping and support structure. It offers many tools that can be used to address common plant and process design issues, including standardization and customization of specific parts. The software helps to address common challenges in engineering and design, which can improve accuracy and increase engineering productivity.