Computer-aided design, or CAD, is an up-and-coming technology helping many businesses succeed in today’s world. Auto CAD is a commercial software application for 2D and 3D computer-aided design and drafting, while CAGD stands for computer-aided geometric design, or the concept of designing geometric shapes for objects.
Where can you learn CAD?
You can join CAD training programs such as those offered by accredited training providers. Training is provided in the latest CAD, Auto CAD and CAGD software and related applications. Some of the skills a CAD user needs include drafting, creativity, an eye for detail and an understanding of design processes, all of which would be included in a course.
Employment Opportunities
Job opportunities for CAD technicians are available in engineering companies that specialize in mechanical, electrical and construction projects. Engineers design machines and work out processes in a huge variety of disciplines geological, mechanical, petroleum, nuclear and civil engineering.
A tool-and-die maker working for a manufacturer would use CAD to design machines. Using CAD, he can see the inner workings of the machine he is designing, as well as how it looks on the outside. The person designing a new clothes iron can see how the pieces fit together, such as the electrical components, the heating element, the handle, the outer shell and so on. Each of the components can be separated out of the drawing by using CAD, and each component can be accurately manufactured so that when the whole design is put together, everything fits perfectly. Complex engineering drawings with great detail can be created and the parts of the drawing can be stored for later use in other designs; for example, a cog in a wheel.
The Many Uses of CAD
Architects use CAD for designing anything from houses to office blocks. By using CAD when a house is being designed, the architect can view both the outside and the inside of the building, and they can assist the quantity surveyor to work out exact quantities of building materials needed for the job, and they can oversee the construction of the project and ensure that it is built to specification.
Many electrical design professionals spend a great deal of time using computer-aided drafting programs to generate designs. Job opportunities exist for electrical designers in manufacturing and industrial settings, where they create the equipment and accessories used in the electrical industry, such as transformers, generators, cables, wires, switches and signals. Electrical designers are also in demand in the construction industry, where they design electrical switchboards and circuits, and in the technology industry for designing computers, computer parts, and other electronic equipment. Furthermore, they may work for utility companies where they would be responsible for designing efficient and safe wiring systems, especially those for maintaining the public power grid. They may also work for companies that supply alternative sources of energy such as nuclear power, solar energy or coal.
Vehicle manufacturers also require CAD drafters to design neat and nifty looking vehicles that will appeal to the consumer. In any design, symmetry is an essential component if the product is to look pleasing and to work well. Think of it like this: in designing a new vehicle, both sides of the car need to be exactly symmetrical the length, height, thickness of the metal, the curves of the doors, the position of the doors and so on, all have to be identical on both sides, except that one side is a mirror image of the other. So, using CAD, the designer designs the one side of the vehicle, rotates the image and is immediately able to create an exactly symmetrical drawing of the other side of the vehicle, and the manufacturer is then able to follow the design and produce the vehicle. Not only can the manufacturer do it once, he can do it repeatedly using the same design many times.
