Who Uses AutoCAD and Why is it Important?
CAD stands for Computer-Aided Drafting and AutoCAD is the most popular brand of software utilized for CAD. Most people who have heard of AutoCAD usually think about drafters or architects drawing up blueprints for buildings on the computer. However, it has infinitely more uses than just drawing up blueprints. AutoCAD can be used to design anything and everything in detail and to scale.
Who Uses AutoCAD?
Architects and Drafters use AutoCAD to design blueprints for building, bridges, and roads. The house or apartment you are currently living in was most likely designed using CAD software. It gives the designer a tool to draw things to scale. This means that someone can take these drawings and follow the measurements included in them to create tangible items that fit together precisely. These plans were previously drawn by hand and then copied. Having this capability on the computer makes this process infinitely easier and faster.
Engineers, especially Mechanical Engineers, use it extensively to design everything from simple tools to things as complicated as the space shuttle. CAD drawings can also be adapted and fed into 3D printers and CNC machines to manufacture design prototypes, custom tools, and parts for larger devices. Smaller pieces can be precisely fabricated from CAD drawings that fit together to make larger machines. AutoCAD is software that helps engineers transfer designs from their minds to the real world.
AutoCAD Is Here to Stay
Some believe that AutoCAD is outdated because it is best used for 2D drawings and has been around for over 20 years. Newer 3D modeling software, such as Revit and Fusion, is now available for very intricate designs. However, AutoCAD is still the preferred choice of most designers, because of its low cost and user-friendly UI. Many designers use AutoCAD to first create a two-dimensional drawing and then feed that into a more sophisticated piece of three-dimensional modeling software. AutoCAD is still very much a viable solution for the drafting needs of many projects.
Despite what some may believe, AutoCAD isn’t going anywhere. It’s in fact under new development and progressing with the times quite nicely. The hard client that installs directly to your PC isn’t going anywhere, but there are now additions that run online in the cloud and also even mobile applications that let you view and edit drawings right on your mobile devices. AutoCAD has been around since 1982 and is itself older than most current Revit and Fusion users. AutoCAD is used by architects, engineers, interior designers, real estate developers, artists, and the list goes on and on. Over the years AutoCAD has built a substantial army of users and with over 20 different pieces of software being offered in its suite.
Popular Uses for AutoCAD in Competitive Industries
Learning how to use AutoCAD proves to be an essential skill for individuals establishing themselves in a relevant sector or career, with the software used extensively across diverse industries, solving long-standing problems.
AutoCAD for Engineering Applications
Designers use AutoCAD to produce images and modeling for highly complex components and objects, such as vehicle motors, electronic devices, and large-scale construction developments, including bridges, elevators, and highways. AutoCAD models allow design teams to assess how their concepts would perform and spot potential flaws which can be addressed quickly before work begins.
Architectural Uses of AutoCAD
In a similar way, architects and consultants develop floor plans, 3D designs, and outlines through AutoCAD to visualize what a completed development would look like. They can also create renders to show infrastructure and calculate load-bearing weights and capacities to accurately assess the correct structural support systems necessary for a concept to work.
Drafting Applications
Drafting professionals work with designs, often developed initially by engineers or architects, and transform them into digital blueprints, which can be used during the development or testing phase related to machines, tooling, components, and many other outputs. Where designs need adjustment, AutoCAD users can edit, replicate, or adapt the drafts as necessary, with minimal time required.
AutoCAD in Commercial Design
Experienced AutoCAD experts build 2D and 3D models in the software program, generating visualizations with templates extracted from the resource library or creating unique objects to reflect design ideas. This application relates to numerous sectors, such as interior design, product development, fashion, appliance design, and even developing ideas for furniture and toys.
Certified AutoCAD users are, therefore, well-positioned to apply for roles or to work as verified professionals across multiple industries. AutoCAD is a transferable skill that is in high demand across applications such as building digital prototypes, testing safety standards on theoretical buildings, and deciding how to make a product as cost-effective as possible.
AutoCAD Classes and Certifications
AutoCAD has been one of the most powerful, user-friendly drafting software solutions for over 20 years. If you want to learn how to unleash the true power of AutoCAD, consider quality training from ONLC. We offer classes from introductory levels all the way to the most advanced. AutoCAD and ACP certification courses are also available.
