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Computer-aided design (CAD)



Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of a wide range of computer-based tools that assist engineers, architects and other design professionals in their design activities. It is the main geometry authoring tool within the Product Lifecycle Management process and involves both software and sometimes special-purpose hardware. Current packages range from 2D vector based drafting systems to 3D solid and surface modellers.

CAD is sometimes translated as "computer-assisted", "computer-aided drafting", or a similar phrase. Related acronyms are CADD, which stands for "computer-aided design and drafting", CAID for Computer-aided Industrial Design and CAAD, for "computer-aided architectural design". All these terms are essentially synonymous, but there are some subtle differences in meaning and application.


Introduction

CAD is used to design, develop and optimize products, which can be goods used by end consumers or intermediate goods used in other products. CAD is also extensively used in the design of tools and machinery used in the manufacture of components. CAD is also used in the drafting and design of all types of buildings, from small residential types (houses) to the largest commercial and industrial structures (hospitals and factories).

CAD is mainly used for detailed engineering of 3D models and/or 2D drawings of physical components, but it is also used throughout the engineering process from conceptual design and layout of products, through strength and dynamic analysis of assemblies to definition of manufacturing methods of components.

CAD has become an especially important technology with benefits, such as lower product development costs and a greatly shortened design cycle, because CAD enables designers to lay out and develop their work on screen, print it out and save it for future editing, saving a lot of time on their drawings.

Software providers today

This is an ever changing industry with many well known products and companies being taken over and merged with others. There are many CAD software products currently on the market. More than half of the market is however covered by the four main PLM corporations Autodesk, Dassault Systemes, PTC, and UGS Corp., but there are many other CAD packages with smaller user bases or covering niche user areas. See also list of free and open-source CAD software.

Packages can be classified into three types:
2D drafting systems (e.g. AutoCAD, Microstation,CADopia); mid-range 3D solid feature modellers (e.g. Inventor, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, Alibre Design, VariCAD); and high-end 3D hybrid systems (e.g. Pro/ENGINEER, CATIA, NX (Unigraphics)).

However these classifications cannot be applied too strictly as many 2D systems have 3D modules, the mid-range systems are increasing their surface functionality, and the high-end systems have developed their user interface in the direction of interactive Windows systems.

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