12.15.06
Computer Aided Design (CAD) Revisited
In Facilities Management (FM), Computer Aided Design or CAD can really be a big help. Most of us think in a visual form. We visualize thing when we remembered something and more often ideas come in a visualize form. CAD meet those visualize requirement with speedy revisions and accurate geometry, making the process of designing very easy. CAD was first used to design and manufacture aircrafts and now it has been developed to suit the needs of any kind of designers in any field of design and have user-friendly interfaces.
There are many types of CAD Software: Software developers have benefited immensely by developing various CAD software. Various CAD software offer two-dimensional (2D) designs, as well as those offer three-dimensional (3D) designs. CAD has made it possible for two people in other part of the world to design and create new products using CAD software as well as the Internet. Artists, mechanical, electronics and civil engineers, architects and interior decorators use CAD software to aid in their designing process.
Designers have two kinds of CAD software to choose, either use the existing 2D CAD software or go for more advanced 3D CAD software. Some applications are inherently 2D based. AutoCAD, Cadkey, CADDS 5, Medusa, and CATIA v4 are examples of 2D CAD software.
Pro/Engineer, Unigraphics NX, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, Autodesk Inventor, CoCreate Solid Designer and VX CAD are some of the popular 3D CAD software.
3D views are not very clear and are hard to visualize in 2D based CAD software. Hence, designers some times used a physical scaled down model of the product to make corrections and changes if necessary. This is not the case in 3D CAD software where a clear view of the product can aid and speed up the design process. Making changes and corrections using 3D CAD software is easy as the design is automatically corrected, where as in 2D software the drawing may have to be recreated in different dimensions after changing or making corrections. 3D CAD software make it easier to identify mistakes, inaccuracy in dimensions, interferences etc. This saves time, energy and money. Most 3D CAD software designed products are reliable, fit and well designed. The time taken to design and finalize designs is significantly reduced when companies use 3D CAD software. Some software such as SolidWorks collaboration edition, 3D TeamWorks is designed to help multiple people in different locations to work on one design using secure connections. Only a web browser and an internet connection is needed in making it possible to review designs and finalize them all in real time.
It is essential and equally for companies to analyze if they really need to upgrade to 3D CAD software, as they can be a costly and could become a time-consuming process. While companies choose to upgrade to 3D CAD software, it is also important to train personnel or to find and hire a new qualified and experienced personnel as it may take time to train existing personnel. However, it has to be acknowledged that designing industry has been helped immensely by using CAD software.
Melanie Perry said,
December 15, 2006 at 10:41 am
No doubt that CAD has helped make Facility Manager lives easier. I still have some mylar prints with plenty of eraser smudges where corrections had been made over the years.
I do say though that I feel some other software should have been included in your list of popular 3D tools being as this is a Facility Management blog… 3D is not just for manufacturing anymore… Revit Building can export information directly to the tool, FM Desktop, for FAR quicker and more efficient space/lease management/reporting. And, Building Information Models are far more efficient to update with details (schedules and sections updating themselves as you make changes to a floor, etc.
Very exciting time to be in our field as software developers are FINALLY getting the point that the construction manager isn’t the end user, WE ARE!