The latest and greatest technological advances, specifically in CAD, leave one amazed at the amazing things that human beings can accomplish. Computers can now assist in every aspect of design, from skyscrapers to theme parks to Formula1 race cars and jumbo jets. However, the limitations of CAD in this demanding field are well-known to those who work in it, professionally or casually.
CAM vs. CAD
First, CAD can be used to design. It allows you to see the final product as a soft or virtual form. The CAM tool allows users to view the entire manufacturing process, and can see the final results before they actually start moving.
One thing to keep in mind is that this article will be about the limitations of CAD/CAM technology. This article does not distinguish between pros and cons of CAD/CAM technology. It is about its limitations as well as the discipline that it uses. Here are the latest developments in CAD/CAM software and practices.
Technology vs. Tool
While CAM and revit are useful tools, the best design tool is the designer’s skill. Although the computer can show you the final result if you choose a different texture, the decision of whether to have a wood or marble floor is up to you. The computer simulation can tell the designer how efficient each design is in designing a car. However, it is up to them to decide which design they prefer based on aesthetic appeal and not just efficacy criteria.
Feasibility reporting
The CAD/CAM system does not include Bill of Materials (BOMs), but other methods are available to assess the effectiveness of the design. These facilities, however, are not integrated and can’t answer all questions that designers or other related personnel may have. The feasibility reporting modules are best for estimating the functionality of templates. This is partly due to the large number of CAD elements as well as the inability to standardize and internationalize them.
Contextual Designing
Did you ever cover a screw hole with a cover that made it impossible to access? You did not realize it was possible to make a prototype or that the design had been completed. This is because CAD can only be used in a limited context. This context is essential when designing lighting and rendering plug ins. The CAD package won’t be able warn you about the ease of accessing parts and ease of maintenance when designing. This is different than the first because it’s not just about the designer’s skills. Software packages will not be able to meet the requirements of mindfulness, experience, and objectivity.
Virtual vs. Physical
The real and the ideal are always different. The theoretical or virtual are always higher than the practical, and CAD software packages do not differ. The CAD user must be able to draw and design according to the training he or she has in the discipline. The process and product will be better understood by a manual craftsman than the one who uses CAD. However, the CAD user will have an understanding of the components of the task at hand which will help him/her to use the technology.
Training Curve is fixed
As with all software packages and disciplines, CAD also has hobbyists. The software operation is only one aspect of the learning process. The design engineering part is the other. Due to the nature of the discipline the training curve for becoming a CADer and then a designer engineer is long, challenging, and dynamic. Multi-faceted (engineering and drafting, drawing. designing. modelling. etc.) It is a fixed skill, as such skills are prerequisites.
Collaboration Vs Integration
Software packages and modules allow multiple users to collaborate, sometimes at the expense or inconvenience of constrained anomalies. Third party packages often pose security risks even if they are fully compatible with your equipment/technology, after which the chances of backward compatibility will leave you starring at your archived projects with awe. Tools allow communication but multi-lateral, hierarchy-provisioned communication that can aid the management as well as the operational body is still a dream for today’s solutions and their user-base.
CAD in Colleges/Universities in 2020 and Onwards
The rapid growth of CAD over its relatively short lifespan has been remarkable with a wide range of applications. This attracted industry interest and eventually investment. The promise CAD holds in the future of industrial management, logistical control, and economic growth makes it a rich source of industrial and economic growth.
Because CAD is a discipline that brings together different skills and attitudes under one roof, this is a characteristic of the discipline. The industry demand for CAD led to the introduction of CAD in the academic sector. Today we will take a look at the academic opportunities for CAD-aficionados and enthusiasts.
School Criteria
For a discipline as recently-made-prominent as CAD, school criteria will literally boil down to two things.
Your institute should have strong affiliations or partnerships with Autodesk. This is for AutoCAD and any other products you might be interested in further studying. Your institute will be able offer you licenses for software packages, which will prove very useful.
Following this, you need to find out about recent developments in the industry where your institute has contributed, as this will enable you to develop personal/professional connections, as well as get further exposed to people related to your field of choice.
Programm Diversity
There are many options for getting formal education in CAD. Although every institution may offer a different program, there are some general guidelines you can follow. You can get CAD programs in many forms, with the most basic being diplomas and certifications (3-6 month), which will allow you to be hired as a drafter or technician.
These programs, which last from one to two years, come with an Associate’s Degree. Students with little or no knowledge of CAD will not be left behind as these programs are completely new. The 4 year undergraduate degree does not introduce or touch on simpler topics than students who want to go into a career-making program.
Post-College
It can be extremely helpful to meet with alumni. The job descriptions, salary packages, and future prospects of the school or training center are all important factors to consider. While people with different areas of study may have different projects and techniques, professional ethics and working habits will not differ from one workplace to the next.
It takes a lot time to standardize procedures, so professional practices and procedures would naturally adhere to this standard and be similar, if not identical. Future prospects will be affected in the same way. For example, CADers who are involved with architecture would find it easier and more straightforward to move to CAD that involves civil engineering than CADers who have been working on Disney Land’s new rides.
Conclusion
CAD is no longer a software program that can only be used by highly skilled individuals on supercomputers the size of banquet halls. It has evolved from a software package to a skill, and then to a discipline that brings in all elements. Eventually, many of the processes of the (pre/post-)production phase have been combined.