Engineering Design Graphics: Sketching, Modeling, and Visualization, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 7

COMPUTER-AIDED PRODUCT DESIGN SOFTWARE

INTRODUCTION

Computer-Aided Design

Computer-aided design (CAD) is a technology concerned with the use of computer-based tools employed by engineers, architects, and other design professionals in their design activities. CAD is used in the design of such artifacts as commercial products, tools, machinery, buildings, and facilities. Current applications include 2D drafting, NURBS surface modeling, solid modeling (both parametric and direct), and building information modeling (BIM). Although 2D drawing remains popular, CAD capabilities have developed well beyond the ability to generate drawings. Today's model-based, object-oriented CAD programs provide designers, engineers, and architects with the ability to digitally capture a product's or building's definition, and to integrate this definition into the knowledge base of the entire enterprise.

Categories of CAD Systems

In this section 2D CAD, surface modeling, solid modeling, and parametric modeling are briefly discussed. Direct modeling, another type of solid modeling, is briefly described in Chapter 11. Later in this chapter parametric solid modeling and NURBS surface modeling are discussed in greater detail. This chapter concludes with a few words about building information modeling.

COMPUTER-AIDED DRAWING

In 1982 Autodesk launched AutoCAD®, the first commercially successful 2D vector-based ...