![Cad crank](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Cad_crank.jpg)
Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of
computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a
design
A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb ''to design' ...
. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve communications through documentation, and to create a database for manufacturing. Designs made through CAD software are helpful in protecting products and inventions when used in
patent
A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an enabling disclosure of the invention."A ...
applications. CAD output is often in the form of electronic files for print, machining, or other manufacturing operations. The terms computer-aided drafting (CAD) and computer aided design and drafting (CADD) are also used.
Its use in designing electronic systems is known as ''
electronic design automation'' (''EDA''). In
mechanical design
Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, an ...
it is known as ''mechanical design automation'' (''MDA''), which includes the process of creating a
technical drawing
Technical drawing, drafting or drawing, is the act and discipline of composing drawings that visually communicate how something functions or is constructed.
Technical drawing is essential for communicating ideas in industry and engineering ...
with the use of
computer software
Software is a set of computer programs and associated documentation and data. This is in contrast to hardware, from which the system is built and which actually performs the work.
At the lowest programming level, executable code consists ...
.
CAD software for mechanical design uses either vector-based graphics to depict the objects of traditional drafting, or may also produce
raster graphics showing the overall appearance of designed objects. However, it involves more than just shapes. As in the manual
drafting of
technical
Technical may refer to:
* Technical (vehicle), an improvised fighting vehicle
* Technical analysis, a discipline for forecasting the future direction of prices through the study of past market data
* Technical drawing, showing how something is co ...
and
engineering drawings, the output of CAD must convey information, such as
material
Material is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical and chemical properties, or on their geolo ...
s,
process
A process is a series or set of activities that interact to produce a result; it may occur once-only or be recurrent or periodic.
Things called a process include:
Business and management
*Business process, activities that produce a specific se ...
es,
dimension
In physics and mathematics, the dimension of a mathematical space (or object) is informally defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify any point within it. Thus, a line has a dimension of one (1D) because only one coor ...
s, and
tolerances, according to application-specific conventions.
CAD may be used to design curves and figures in
two-dimensional
In mathematics, a plane is a Euclidean ( flat), two-dimensional surface that extends indefinitely. A plane is the two-dimensional analogue of a point (zero dimensions), a line (one dimension) and three-dimensional space. Planes can arise as ...
(2D) space; or curves, surfaces, and solids in
three-dimensional
Three-dimensional space (also: 3D space, 3-space or, rarely, tri-dimensional space) is a geometric setting in which three values (called ''parameters'') are required to determine the position of an element (i.e., point). This is the informa ...
(3D) space.
CAD is an important
industrial art
Industrial design is a process of design applied to physical products that are to be manufactured by mass production. It is the creative act of determining and defining a product's form and features, which takes place in advance of the manufactu ...
extensively used in many applications, including
automotive,
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befo ...
, and
aerospace
Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astr ...
industries, industrial and
architectural design (
building information modeling),
prosthetics
In medicine, a prosthesis (plural: prostheses; from grc, πρόσθεσις, prósthesis, addition, application, attachment), or a prosthetic implant, is an artificial device that replaces a missing body part, which may be lost through trau ...
, and many more. CAD is also widely used to produce
computer animation for
special effects in movies,
advertising
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...
and technical manuals, often called DCC
digital content creation. The modern ubiquity and power of computers means that even perfume bottles and shampoo dispensers are designed using techniques unheard of by engineers of the 1960s. Because of its enormous economic importance, CAD has been a major driving force for research in
computational geometry,
computer graphics
Computer graphics deals with generating images with the aid of computers. Today, computer graphics is a core technology in digital photography, film, video games, cell phone and computer displays, and many specialized applications. A great de ...
(both hardware and software), and
discrete differential geometry
Discrete differential geometry is the study of discrete counterparts of notions in differential geometry. Instead of smooth curves and surfaces, there are polygons, meshes, and simplicial complexes. It is used in the study of computer graphics, g ...
.
The design of
geometric model
__NOTOC__
Geometric modeling is a branch of applied mathematics and computational geometry that studies methods and algorithms for the mathematical description of shapes.
The shapes studied in geometric modeling are mostly two- or three-dimensio ...
s for object shapes, in particular, is occasionally called computer-aided geometric design (CAGD).
Overview
Computer-aided design is one of the many tools used by engineers and designers and is used in many ways depending on the profession of the user and the type of software in question.
CAD is one part of the whole digital product development (DPD) activity within the
product lifecycle management
In industry, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is the process of managing the entire lifecycle of a product from its inception through the engineering, design and manufacture, as well as the service and disposal of manufactured products. PL ...
(PLM) processes, and as such is used together with other tools, which are either integrated modules or stand-alone products, such as:
*
Computer-aided engineering
Computer-aided engineering (CAE) is the broad usage of computer software to aid in engineering analysis tasks. It includes , , , durability and optimization. It is included with computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) ...
(CAE) and
finite element analysis (FEA, FEM)
*
Computer-aided manufacturing
Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) also known as computer-aided modeling or computer-aided machining is the use of software to control machine tools in the manufacturing of work pieces. This is not the only definition for CAM, but it is the most ...
(CAM) including instructions to
computer numerical control (CNC) machines
*
Photorealistic rendering
__NOTOC__
Within the field of computer graphics, unbiased rendering refers to any rendering technique that does not introduce systematic error, or bias, into the radiance approximation. The term refers to statistical bias, not the broader mean ...
and motion simulation.
*Document management and
revision control
In software engineering, version control (also known as revision control, source control, or source code management) is a class of systems responsible for managing changes to computer programs, documents, large web sites, or other collections o ...
using
product data management Product data management (PDM) should not be confused with product information management (PIM). PDM is the name of a business function within product lifecycle management (PLM) that is denotes the management and publication of product data. In soft ...
(PDM)
CAD is also used for the accurate creation of photo simulations that are often required in the preparation of environmental impact reports, in which computer-aided designs of intended buildings are superimposed into photographs of existing environments to represent what that locale will be like, where the proposed facilities are allowed to be built. Potential blockage of view corridors and shadow studies are also frequently analyzed through the use of CAD.
Using four properties which are history, features,
parameterization
In mathematics, and more specifically in geometry, parametrization (or parameterization; also parameterisation, parametrisation) is the process of finding parametric equations of a curve, a surface, or, more generally, a manifold or a variety, d ...
, and high-level constraints are helpful in everyday engineering. The construction history can be used to look back into the model's personal features and work on the single area rather than the whole model. Parameters and constraints can be used to determine the size, shape, and other properties of the different modeling elements. The features in the CAD system can be used for the variety of tools for measurement such as tensile strength, yield strength, electrical, or electromagnetic properties. Also its stress, strain,
timing, or how the element gets affected in certain temperatures, etc.
Types
![CAD Modeling](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/CAD_Modeling.gif)
There are several different types of CAD, each requiring the operator to think differently about how to use them and design their virtual components in a different manner for each.
2D CAD
There are many producers of the lower-end 2D systems, including a number of free and open-source programs. These provide an approach to the drawing process without all the fuss over scale and placement on the drawing sheet that accompanied hand drafting since these can be adjusted as required during the creation of the final draft.
3D CAD
''3D
wireframe'' is basically an extension of 2D drafting (not often used today) into a
three-dimensional space
Three-dimensional space (also: 3D space, 3-space or, rarely, tri-dimensional space) is a geometric setting in which three values (called ''parameters'') are required to determine the position of an element (i.e., point). This is the informa ...
. Each line has to be manually inserted into the drawing. The final product has no mass properties associated with it and cannot have features directly add to it, such as holes. The operator approaches these in a similar fashion to the 2D systems, although many 3D systems allow using the wireframe model to make the final engineering drawing views.
''3D "dumb" solids'' are created in a way analogous to manipulations of real-world objects (not often used today). Basic three-dimensional geometric forms (prisms, cylinders, spheres, rectangle) have solid volumes added or subtracted from them as if assembling or cutting real-world objects. Two-dimensional projected views can easily be generated from the models. Basic 3D solids don't usually include tools to easily allow the motion of the components, set their limits to their motion, or identify interference between components.
There are two types of ''3D
solid modeling
Solid modeling (or solid modelling) is a consistent set of principles for mathematical and computer modeling of three-dimensional shapes '' (solids)''. Solid modeling is distinguished from related areas of geometric modeling and computer graphi ...
''
* ''
Parametric modeling
Procedural modeling is an umbrella term for a number of techniques in computer graphics to create 3D models and textures from sets of rules. L-Systems, fractals, and generative modeling are procedural modeling techniques since they apply algorit ...
'' allows the operator to use what is referred to as "design intent". The objects and features are created modifiable. Any future modifications can be made by changing on how the original part was created. If a feature was intended to be located from the center of the part, the operator should locate it from the center of the model. The feature could be located using any geometric object already available in the part, but this random placement would defeat the design intent. If the operator designs the part as it functions the parametric modeler is able to make changes to the part while maintaining geometric and functional relationships.
* ''
Direct or explicit modeling'' provide the ability to edit geometry without a history tree With direct modeling, once a sketch is used to create geometry the sketch is incorporated into the new geometry and the designer just modifies the geometry without needing the original sketch. As with parametric modeling,
direct modeling
Direct may refer to:
Mathematics
* Directed set, in order theory
* Direct limit of (pre), sheaves
* Direct sum of modules, a construction in abstract algebra which combines several vector spaces
Computing
* Direct access (disambiguation), a ...
has the ability to include the relationships between selected geometry (e.g., tangency, concentricity).
FreeForm CAD
The top-end systems offer the capabilities to incorporate more organic, aesthetic and ergonomic features into the designs.
Freeform surface modeling
Freeform surface modelling is a technique for engineering freeform surfaces with a CAD or CAID system.
The technology has encompassed two main fields. Either creating aesthetic surfaces (class A surfaces) that also perform a function; for exam ...
is often combined with solids to allow the designer to create products that fit the human form and visual requirements as well as they interface with the machine.
Technology
![cad mouse 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Cad_mouse_1.svg)
Originally software for CAD systems was developed with computer languages such as
Fortran,
ALGOL
ALGOL (; short for "Algorithmic Language") is a family of imperative computer programming languages originally developed in 1958. ALGOL heavily influenced many other languages and was the standard method for algorithm description used by the ...
but with the advancement of
object-oriented programming
Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm based on the concept of "objects", which can contain data and code. The data is in the form of fields (often known as attributes or ''properties''), and the code is in the form of ...
methods this has radically changed. Typical modern
parametric feature-based modeler and
freeform surface
Freeform surface modelling is a technique for engineering freeform surfaces with a CAD or CAID system.
The technology has encompassed two main fields. Either creating aesthetic surfaces (class A surfaces) that also perform a function; for examp ...
systems are built around a number of key
C modules with their own
API
An application programming interface (API) is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how ...
s. A CAD system can be seen as built up from the interaction of a
graphical user interface
The GUI ( "UI" by itself is still usually pronounced . or ), graphical user interface, is a form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and audio indicator such as primary notation, inst ...
(GUI) with
NURBS
Non-uniform rational basis spline (NURBS) is a mathematical model using B-spline, basis splines (B-splines) that is commonly used in computer graphics for representing curves and Surface (mathematics), surfaces. It offers great flexibility and pr ...
geometry or
boundary representation
In solid modeling and computer-aided design, boundary representation (often abbreviated B-rep or BREP) is a method for representing a 3D shape by defining the limits of its volume. A solid is represented as a collection of connected surface ...
(B-rep) data via a
geometric modeling kernel
A geometric modeling kernel is a solid modeling software component used in computer-aided design (CAD) packages. Available modelling kernels include:
* ACIS is developed and licensed by Spatial Corporation of Dassault Systèmes.
*SMLib is develop ...
. A geometry constraint engine may also be employed to manage the associative relationships between geometry, such as wireframe geometry in a sketch or components in an assembly.
Unexpected capabilities of these associative relationships have led to a new form of
prototyping
A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and software programming. A prototype is generally used to ...
called
digital prototyping
Digital Prototyping gives conceptual design, engineering, manufacturing, and sales and marketing departments the ability to virtually explore a complete product before it's built. Industrial designers, manufacturers, and engineers use Digital Prot ...
. In contrast to physical prototypes, which entail manufacturing time in the design. That said, CAD models can be generated by a computer after the physical prototype has been scanned using an
industrial CT scanning
Industrial computed tomography (CT) scanning is any computer-aided tomographic process, usually X-ray computed tomography, that uses irradiation to produce three-dimensional internal and external representations of a scanned object. Industrial CT ...
machine. Depending on the nature of the business, digital or physical prototypes can be initially chosen according to specific needs.
Today, CAD systems exist for all the major platforms (
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for ser ...
,
Linux
Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, w ...
,
UNIX
Unix (; trademarked as UNIX) is a family of multitasking, multiuser computer operating systems that derive from the original AT&T Unix, whose development started in 1969 at the Bell Labs research center by Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, an ...
and
Mac OS X
macOS (; previously OS X and originally Mac OS X) is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac computers. Within the market of desktop and la ...
); some packages support multiple platforms.
Currently, no special hardware is required for most CAD software. However, some CAD systems can do graphically and computationally intensive tasks, so a modern
graphics card, high speed (and possibly multiple)
CPUs and large amounts of
RAM
Ram, ram, or RAM may refer to:
Animals
* A male sheep
* Ram cichlid, a freshwater tropical fish
People
* Ram (given name)
* Ram (surname)
* Ram (director) (Ramsubramaniam), an Indian Tamil film director
* RAM (musician) (born 1974), Dutch
* ...
may be recommended.
The human-machine interface is generally via a
computer mouse
A computer mouse (plural mice, sometimes mouses) is a hand-held pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows a smooth ...
but can also be via a pen and digitizing
graphics tablet
A graphics tablet (also known as a digitizer, digital graphic tablet, pen tablet, drawing tablet, external drawing pad or digital art board) is a computer input device that enables a user to hand-draw images, animations and graphics, with a spec ...
. Manipulation of the view of the model on the screen is also sometimes done with the use of a
Spacemouse/SpaceBall. Some systems also support stereoscopic glasses for
viewing the 3D model. Technologies which in the past were limited to larger installations or specialist applications have become available to a wide group of users. These include the
CAVE
A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...
or
HMDs and interactive
devices like motion-sensing
technology
Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and Reproducibility, reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in me ...
Software
Starting around the mid-1960s, with the IBM Drafting System, computer-aided design systems began to provide more capability than just an ability to reproduce manual drafting with electronic drafting, the cost-benefit for companies to switch to CAD became apparent. The benefits of CAD systems over manual drafting are the capabilities one often takes for granted from computer systems today; automated generation of
bills of materials, auto layout in
integrated circuits
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit (also referred to as an IC, a chip, or a microchip) is a set of electronic circuits on one small flat piece (or "chip") of semiconductor material, usually silicon. Large numbers of tiny ...
, interference checking, and many others. Eventually, CAD provided the designer with the ability to perform engineering calculations.
During this transition, calculations were still performed either by hand or by those individuals who could run computer programs. CAD was a revolutionary change in the engineering industry, where draftsmen, designers, and engineering roles begin to merge. It did not eliminate departments as much as it merged departments and empowered draftsmen, designers, and engineers. CAD is an example of the pervasive effect computers were beginning to have on the industry.
Current computer-aided design software packages range from 2D
vector
Vector most often refers to:
*Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction
*Vector (epidemiology), an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism
Vector may also refer to:
Mathematic ...
-based drafting systems to 3D
solid
Solid is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being liquid, gas, and plasma). The molecules in a solid are closely packed together and contain the least amount of kinetic energy. A solid is characterized by structural ...
and
surface modelers. Modern CAD packages can also frequently allow rotations in three dimensions, allowing viewing of a designed object from any desired angle, even from the inside looking out.
Some CAD software is capable of dynamic mathematical modeling.
CAD technology is used in the design of tools and machinery and in the drafting and design of all types of buildings, from small residential types (houses) to the largest commercial and industrial structures (hospitals and factories).
CAD is mainly used for detailed engineering of 3D models or 2D drawings of physical components, but it is also used throughout the engineering process from conceptual design and layout of products, through strength and dynamic analysis of assemblies to definition of manufacturing methods of components. It can also be used to design objects such as jewelry, furniture, appliances, etc. Furthermore, many CAD applications now offer advanced rendering and animation capabilities so engineers can better visualize their product designs.
4D BIM 4D or 4-D may refer to:
* 4-dimensional spacetime: three-dimensional space of length, width, and height, plus time
* Four-dimensional space
Computers and photography
* 4D (software), a complete programming environment including database and web ...
is a type of virtual construction engineering simulation incorporating time or schedule-related information for project management.
CAD has become an especially important technology within the scope of
computer-aided technologies
Computer-aided technologies (CAx) is the use of computer technology to aid in the design, analysis, and manufacture of products.
Advanced CAx tools merge many different aspects of the product lifecycle management (PLM), including design, finite ...
, with benefits such as lower product development costs and a greatly shortened
design cycle
A decision cycle is a sequence of steps used by an entity on a repeated basis to reach and implement decisions and to learn from the results. The "decision cycle" phrase has a history of use to broadly categorize various methods of making decision ...
. CAD enables designers to layout and develop work on screen, print it out and save it for future editing, saving time on their drawings.
License management software
In the beginning of 2000, some CAD system software vendors might have shipped their distributions with a dedicated license manager software that might control how often or how many users can utilize CAD system. It could run either on a local machine (by loading from a local storage device) or a local
network fileserver and was usually tied to a specific IP address in latter case.
List of software packages
CAD software enables engineers and architects to design, inspect and manage engineering projects within an integrated
graphical user interface
The GUI ( "UI" by itself is still usually pronounced . or ), graphical user interface, is a form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and audio indicator such as primary notation, inst ...
(GUI) on a
personal computer
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
system. Most applications support
solid modeling
Solid modeling (or solid modelling) is a consistent set of principles for mathematical and computer modeling of three-dimensional shapes '' (solids)''. Solid modeling is distinguished from related areas of geometric modeling and computer graphi ...
with
boundary representation
In solid modeling and computer-aided design, boundary representation (often abbreviated B-rep or BREP) is a method for representing a 3D shape by defining the limits of its volume. A solid is represented as a collection of connected surface ...
(B-Rep) and
NURBS
Non-uniform rational basis spline (NURBS) is a mathematical model using B-spline, basis splines (B-splines) that is commonly used in computer graphics for representing curves and Surface (mathematics), surfaces. It offers great flexibility and pr ...
geometry, and enable the same to be published in a variety of formats. A
geometric modeling kernel
A geometric modeling kernel is a solid modeling software component used in computer-aided design (CAD) packages. Available modelling kernels include:
* ACIS is developed and licensed by Spatial Corporation of Dassault Systèmes.
*SMLib is develop ...
is a software component that provides solid modeling and surface modeling features to CAD applications.
Based on market statistics,
commercial software
Commercial software, or seldom payware, is a computer software that is produced for sale or that serves commercial purposes. Commercial software can be proprietary software or free and open-source software.
Background and challenge
While sof ...
from Autodesk, Dassault Systems, Siemens PLM Software, and PTC dominate the CAD industry.
The following is a list of major CAD applications, grouped by usage statistics.
[List of mechanical CAD softwares](_blank)
BeyondMech
Commercial software
*
AC3D
AC3D is a 3D design program which has been available since 1994. The software is used by designers for modeling 3D graphics for games and simulations - most notably it is used by the scenery creators at Laminar Research on the X-Plane (simulator ...
*
Alibre Design
Alibre Design is a 3D parametric computer aided design (3D CAD) software suite developed by Alibre for Microsoft Windows. Available in fifteen languages. Alibre is a brand of Alibre, LLC, a company based in Texas.
About
Founded in 1997, Alibre ...
*
ArchiCAD (
Graphisoft
Graphisoft SE is a Hungarian design software company headquartered in Budapest, Hungary. As a subsidiary of Nemetschek, Graphisoft develops Building Information Modeling software products for architects, interior designers and planners. Graphis ...
)
*
AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software application. Developed and marketed by Autodesk, AutoCAD was first released in December 1982 as a desktop app running on microcomputers with internal graphics controllers. ...
(
Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that makes software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquartere ...
)
*
Autodesk Inventor
Autodesk Inventor is a computer-aided design application for 3D mechanical design, simulation, visualization, and documentation developed by Autodesk.
Features
Inventor allows 2D and 3D data integration in a single environment, creating a virt ...
*
AxSTREAM
*
BricsCAD
BricsCAD is a software application for computer-aided design (CAD), developed by Bricsys nv. The company was founded in 2002 by Erik de Keyser, a longtime CAD entrepreneur. In 2011 Bricsys acquired the intellectual property rights from LedasRalph ...
*
CATIA
CATIA (, an acronym of computer-aided three-dimensional interactive application) is a multi-platform software suite for computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-aided engineering (CAE), 3D modeling and Product ...
(Dassault Systèmes)
*
Cobalt
Cobalt is a chemical element with the symbol Co and atomic number 27. As with nickel, cobalt is found in the Earth's crust only in a chemically combined form, save for small deposits found in alloys of natural meteoric iron. The free element, p ...
*
CorelCAD
CorelCAD is a computer-aided design (CAD) application for 2D and 3D design. It works on macOS and Windows operating systems. There is also a mobile app of CorelCAD for Android and iOS devices, but it needs a license in order to be accessible.
...
*
Fusion 360
Fusion 360 is a commercial computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-aided engineering (CAE) and printed circuit board (PCB) design software application, developed by Autodesk. It is available for Windows and mac ...
(Autodesk)
*
IntelliCAD
IntelliCAD is a CAD editor and development platform with an Application Programming Interface API published by the IntelliCAD Technology Consortium ("ITC") through shared development. IntelliCAD emulates the basic interface and functions of AutoCA ...
*
IRONCAD
*
KeyCreator
KeyCreator is a commercial software application for 2D and 3D computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting available since 2004.
History
KeyCreator is a non-parametric, non-history based, "direct" 2D/3D solid modeling CAD program. Originally know ...
(Kubotek)
*
Landscape Express
Landscape Express is a CAD software Application software, application for 2-d, 2D and Three-dimensional space, 3D design and drafting. It is used primarily by landscape designers. The software is developed, sold and supported by the United Kingd ...
*
MEDUSA
In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...
*
MicroStation
MicroStation is a CAD software platform for two- and three-dimensional design and drafting, developed and sold by Bentley Systems and used in the architectural and engineering industries. It generates 2D/3D vector graphics objects and elements and ...
(
Bentley Systems
Bentley Systems, Incorporated is an American-based software development company that develops, manufactures, licenses, sells and supports computer software and services for the design, construction, and operation of infrastructure. The company' ...
)
*
Modelur
Modelur is a 3D computer graphics, 3D parametric urban design software, implemented as a SketchUp plugin.
In contrast to common Computer-aided design, CAD applications, where the user designs buildings with usual dimensions such as width, depth, ...
(AgiliCity)
*
Onshape
Onshape is a computer-aided design (CAD) software system, delivered over the Internet via a software as a service (SAAS) model. It makes extensive use of cloud computing, with compute-intensive processing and rendering performed on Internet-bas ...
*
Promine
Promine Inc. is a company which produces a self-titled software used for mining engineering and geological work. Promine functions as an extension of AutoDesk's AutoCAD software, providing additional functionality specifically oriented for work ...
*
PTC Creo
Creo is a family of Computer-aided design (CAD) apps supporting product design for discrete manufacturers and is developed by PTC. The suite consists of apps, each delivering a distinct set of capabilities for a user role within product developm ...
(successor to
Pro/ENGINEER
Creo Parametric, formerly known, together with Creo Elements/Pro, as Pro/Engineer and Wildfire, is a solid modeling or CAD, CAM, CAE, and associative 3D modeling application, running on Microsoft Windows.
Creo Parametric should not to be confu ...
)
*
PunchCAD
*
Remo 3D
Remo 3D is a 3D computer graphics software specialized in creating 3D models for realtime visualization. As opposed to many other 3D modeling products that are primarily intended for rendering. Remo 3D focuses on supporting realtime features like ...
* Revit (Autodesk)
*
Rhinoceros 3D
Rhinoceros (typically abbreviated Rhino or Rhino3D) is a commercial 3D computer graphics and computer-aided design (CAD) application software that was developed by Robert McNeel & Associates, an American, privately held, and employee-owned com ...
*
Siemens NX
NX, formerly known as "unigraphics", is an advanced high-end CAD/CAM/ CAE, which has been owned since 2007 by Siemens Digital Industries Software. In 2000, Unigraphics purchased SDRC I-DEAS and began an effort to integrate aspects of both softwa ...
*
SketchUp
*
Solid Edge
Solid Edge is a 3D CAD, parametric feature and synchronous technology solid modeling software. It runs on Microsoft Windows and provides solid modeling, assembly modelling and 2D orthographic view functionality for mechanical designers. Throu ...
(Siemens)
*
SolidWorks
SolidWorks is a solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) application published by Dassault Systèmes.
According to the publisher, over two million engineers and designers at more than 165,000 companies w ...
(Dassault Systèmes)
*
SpaceClaim
SpaceClaim is a solid modeling CAD (computer-aided design) software that runs on Microsoft Windows and developed by SpaceClaim Corporation. The company is headquartered in Concord, Massachusetts.
SpaceClaim Corporation was founded in 2005 to ...
*
T-FLEX CAD
T-FLEX CAD (T-FLEX) – is a Russian-made parametric computer-aided design (CAD) software application for 2D design, drafting, and 3D solid modeling based on commercial Parasolid geometric kernel. It's primarily developed and distributed b ...
*
TranslateCAD
{{Infobox Software
, name = TranslateCAD
, logo =
, screenshot =
, caption =
, developer = TranslationToSpanish.com
, released = 2008
, latest relea ...
*
TurboCAD
*
Vectorworks
Vectorworks, Inc. is a U.S.-based software development company that focuses on CAD and BIM software for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), landscape, and entertainment industries. Vectorworks is owned by the Nemetschek Grou ...
(
Nemetschek
Nemetschek Group is a vendor of software for architects, engineers and the construction industry. The company develops and distributes software for planning, designing, building and managing buildings and real estate, as well as for media and ent ...
)
Open-source software
*
BRL-CAD
BRL-CAD is a constructive solid geometry (CSG) solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD) system. It includes an interactive geometry editor, ray tracing support for graphics rendering and geometric analysis, computer network distributed frame ...
*
FreeCAD
FreeCAD is a general-purpose parametric 3D computer-aided design (CAD) modeler and a building information modeling (BIM) software application with finite element method (FEM) support. It is intended for mechanical engineering product design bu ...
*
LibreCAD
LibreCAD is a computer-aided design (CAD) application for 2D design. It is free and open-source, and available for Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems.
Most of the interface and handle concepts are analogous to AutoCAD, making it easier ...
*
LeoCAD
LeoCAD is a free and open-source 3D CAD program for creating virtual Lego models by using parts from LDraw library. It was developed by Leonardo Zide in 1997.
See also
* Lego Digital Designer
References
Bibliography
* T. Santos, A ...
*
OpenSCAD
OpenSCAD is a free software application for creating solid 3D computer-aided design (CAD) objects. It is a script-only based modeller that uses its own description language; parts can be previewed, but cannot be interactively modified by mouse i ...
*
QCAD
QCAD is a computer-aided design (CAD) software application for 2D design and drafting. It is available for Linux, Apple macOS, Unix and Microsoft Windows. The QCAD GUI is based on the Qt framework.
QCAD is partly released under the GNU Gene ...
*
Salome (software)
SALOME is a multi-platform open source ( LGPL-2.1-or-later) scientific computing environment, allowing the realization of industrial studies of physics simulations.
This platform, developed by a partnership between EDF and CEA, sets up an envir ...
*
SolveSpace
SolveSpace is a free and open-source 2D/ 3D constraint-based parametric computer-aided design (CAD) software that supports basic 2D and 3D constructive solid geometry modeling.
It is a constraint-based parametric modeler with simple mechanic ...
*
CAD Sketcher
Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve c ...
Freeware
*
BricsCAD Shape
*
Tinkercad
Tinkercad is a free-of-charge, online 3D modeling program that runs in a web browser. Since it became available in 2011 it has become a popular platform for creating models for 3D printing as well as an entry-level introduction to constructive s ...
(successor to
Autodesk 123D
Autodesk 123D was a suite of hobbyist CAD and 3D modelling tools created by Autodesk. It is similar in scope to Trimble SketchUp and is based on Autodesk Inventor. As well as the more basic drawing and modelling capabilities it also has asse ...
)
CAD kernels
*
ACIS by Spatial
*
C3D Toolkit
C3D Toolkit is a geometric modeling kernel, geometric modeling kit originally developed by ASCON , ASCON Group, now by C3D Labs, using C++ and written in Microsoft Visual Studio, Visual Studio. C3D Toolkit responsible for constructing and editin ...
by C3D Labs
*
Open CASCADE
Open Cascade is an Information Technology Company of Capgemini,. Open Cascade provides services in the domain of scientific and technical computing and simulation tools.
Open Cascade is primarily known to public for its Open Source platforms the ...
Open Source
*
Parasolid
Parasolid is a geometric modeling kernel originally developed by Shape Data Limited, now owned and developed by Siemens Digital Industries Software. It can be licensed by other companies for use in their 3D computer graphics software products. ...
by Siemens
*
ShapeManager
Autodesk ShapeManager is a 3D geometric modeling kernel used by Autodesk Inventor and other Autodesk products that is developed inside the company. It was originally forked from ACIS 7.0 in November 2001, and the first version became available ...
by Autodesk
See also
*
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics, or “3D graphics,” sometimes called CGI, 3D-CGI or three-dimensional computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data (often Cartesian) that is stored in the computer for t ...
*
3D printing
3D printing or additive manufacturing is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model. It can be done in a variety of processes in which material is deposited, joined or solidified under computer co ...
*
Additive Manufacturing File Format
*
Algorithmic art
Algorithmic art or algorithm art is art, mostly visual art, in which the design is generated by an algorithm. Algorithmic artists are sometimes called ''algorists''.
Overview
Algorithmic art, also known as computer-generated art, is a subset o ...
*
CAD standards
are a set of guidelines for the way Computer-aided drafting (CAD), or (CADD) Computer Aided Design and Drawing, drawings should appear, to improve productivity and interchange of CAD documents between different offices and CAD programs, especiall ...
*
Coarse space (numerical analysis)
*
Comparison of 3D computer graphics software
3D computer graphics software refers to programs used to create 3D computer-generated imagery.
General information Current software
This table compares elements of notable software that is currently available, based on the raw software wit ...
*
Comparison of CAD, CAM, and CAE file viewers
This is an overview of notable viewers for files, that are produced by Computer aided design (CAD), Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and Computer-aided engineering (CAE) applications.
Comparison of notable CAD/CAM/CAE file viewers
See ...
*
Comparison of computer-aided design software
The table below provides an overview of notable computer-aided design (CAD) software. It does not judge power, ease of use, or other user-experience aspects. The table does not include software that is still in development (beta software). For al ...
*
Comparison of EDA software
This page is a comparison of electronic design automation (EDA) software which is used today to design the near totality of electronic devices. Modern electronic devices are too complex to be designed without the help of a computer. Electronic dev ...
(Electronic Design Automation)
*
Computer-aided industrial design
Computer Aided Industrial Design (CAID) is a subset of computer-aided design (CAD) software that can assist in creating the look-and-feel or industrial design aspects of a product in development.
CAID programs tend to provide designers with impr ...
*
Digital architecture
Digital architecture has been used to refer to other aspects of architecture that feature digital technologies. The emergent field is not clearly delineated to this point, and the terminology is also used to apply to digital skins that can be strea ...
*
Electronic design automation
*
Engineering optimization Engineering optimization
is the subject which uses optimization techniques to achieve design goals in engineering. It is sometimes referred to as design optimization.
Topics
* structural design (including pressure vessel design and welded beam ...
*
Finite element method
The finite element method (FEM) is a popular method for numerically solving differential equations arising in engineering and mathematical modeling. Typical problem areas of interest include the traditional fields of structural analysis, heat ...
*
ISO 128
ISO 128 is an international standard (ISO), about the general principles of presentation in technical drawings, specifically the graphical representation of objects on technical drawings.
*
ISO 10303
ISO 10303 is an ISO standard for the computer-interpretable representation and exchange of product manufacturing information. It is an ASCII-based format. Its official title is: ''Automation systems and integration — Product data represe ...
(STEP)
*
Model-based definition
Model-based definition (MBD), sometimes called digital product definition (DPD), is the practice of using 3D models (such as solid models, 3D PMI and associated metadata) within 3D CAD software to define (provide specifications for) individual ...
*
Molecular design software Molecular design software is notable software for molecular modeling, that provides special support for developing molecular models ''de novo''.
In contrast to the usual molecular modeling programs, such as for molecular dynamics and quantum chemi ...
*
Open-source hardware
*
Rapid prototyping
*
Responsive computer-aided design
Responsive computer-aided design (also simplified to responsive design) is an approach to computer-aided design (CAD) that utilizes real-world sensors and data to modify a three-dimensional (3D) computer model. The concept is related to cyber-phys ...
*
Space mapping
The space mapping methodology for modeling and design optimization of engineering systems was first discovered by John Bandler in 1993. It uses relevant existing knowledge to speed up model generation and design optimization of a system. The kno ...
*
Surrogate model
*
System integration
*
Virtual prototyping Virtual prototyping is a method in the process of product development. It involves using computer-aided design (CAD), computer-automated design (CAutoD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) software to validate a design before committing to making ...
*
Virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video games), e ...
References
External links
MIT 1982 CAD lab*
*
*
*
{{Authority control
Design engineering
CAD
Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve co ...