Not much more than 40 years ago, engineering and construction firms had dedicated in-house departments that did all of their design and drafting work. For firms that were not large enough to enjoy in-house drafters, the work was routinely contracted out. Blueprints were created by hand using pencils and geometric drafting tools; the older generation of architects and engineers will fondly remember their T squares. For those who were not professionals in this era, it is still easy to imagine the immense amount of time, manpower, and money that went into creating drawings and blueprints, even for relatively simple works.

All of that changed with the introduction of computer aided design. CAD drawings had the distinct advantage of being able to expedite and even automate many aspects of drafting that otherwise took entire departments days to complete. A single person using the software package could create these drawings by themselves in many cases. While drafting departments slowly disappeared from the construction industry, a growing CAD library and technological advances ultimately benefited construction firms.

Thanks to the digital age, CAD drawings and even extensive works can be communicated between professionals around the world. Construction drafts became quick and flexible, enabling the industry to advance with the changing times. A feasibility study, experimental plans, or a change order could be conducted on a time scale that meets today's business and industrial needs.

Let us take a moment to explore the uses and potential of CAD drawings and the benefit of a CAD library for the construction industry as a whole.

Computer Aided Design Features That Drive Industry

Computer aided design now contains many more features beyond mere digital drafting. Today's software is capable of generating a three-dimensional rendering of a structure or building of any size or shape. This virtual model can be manipulated and viewed along any angle rather than having a series of drawings drafted from different perspectives. Virtual structures can be used to conduct feasibility studies and any other number of useful calculations to determine the risks of a given draft. Finally, all of the properties and dimensions on these drawings are easily modified to allow for experimentation, revision, and optimization. The full list of the features is awe-inspiring.

The library holds all of this information digitally. A worldwide file standard allows CAD drawings to be living documents that can be used as a basis for communication for sales, marketing, and the advancement of the industry as a whole. Drafts and plans are not stored away in a filing cabinet; instead, it can be freely used in future work.

Computer Aided Design's Many Uses

Computer drafting software can be effectively used in many roles at any end of the design and manufacturing process. Virtual drafting allows for an open environment for ideas to play out without the need for creating a series of prototypes or expending any tangible resources. CAD drawings are used in modeling nearly any industrial product, building, structure, or system that could be conceivably used in the construction industry. However, computer aided design's usability goes much further.

CAD drawings assembled into a library are an excellent tool for product lifecycle management, to name one particular application. The library houses an easily maintained record for document management and revision control. Any change in the planning phase or a work change order can be readily tracked along with the impact that change may have on the entire project. As the project moves from the design phase to prototyping and eventual construction, computer aided design drawings document all of the vital specifications in detail. All of these elements are stored within a CAD library to allow easy reissuing of old design elements.

Anatomy Of Computer Aided Design Users

Another way of understanding how computer aided design is used and how it has advanced the industry is to look at how many different people can utilize CAD drawings in their job functions. Architects use drafting tools to construct buildings, civil engineers use it to design bridges, and mechanical engineers can design industrial equipment. Engineers in all professions utilize this tool in the process of creating conceptual designs and corresponding scheduling and process control in the manufacturing step of industrial products. City planners and artists can use this virtual space to layout design elements and evaluate the aesthetic and utility of a particular layout.

Ultimately, these drawings and access to extensive resources in a comprehensive CAD library have been essential in advancing the construction industry.