Computer Aided Drafting in Engineering

Computer Aided Drafting is a system that uses computer software to create, change, observe or make a design the best it can be. This is commonly used by Engineers, Electrical Drafters, Aeronautical Drafters, Mechanical Drafters, Civil Drafters, Architectural Drafters, Process Drafters, and Electronics Drafters.

Engineers use computer aided drafting to manufacture products, construct buildings, or get the schematics for a design. It allows them to visualize their design through computer drafting. Computer Aided Drafting has been around for more than a decade. Ways of drafting improved with the invention of drafting machines, but engineering drawings changed very little till after WWII. In the 1970’s research focused more on 3D rather than 2D. NURBS created by Ken Versprille was the first big development in 3D. While many people have innovated computer aided drafting, Patrick Hanratty is credited as the “Father of CAD. ” He developed PRONTO which was the first commercial CNC system. Before all the inventions and new discoveries of drafting people would have to draw out their drafts. This would take a lot of time compared to how much we can get done now in such little time. We are also able to accomplish and be much more exact with computer aided drafting.

The median pay for someone who works with computer aided drafting is $52, 720 annually, with pay ranging with how advanced you are in your field. Jobs that deal with computer aided drafting often require an Associate's Degree and sometimes up to a Bachelor’s. Classes often required for a career with CAD are: Engineering drawing, technical drafting, composition, dimensioning, and manufacturing design. Drafting careers have an outlook of dropping 3% for upcoming years. In the future computer aided softwares are looking at making their softwares focus on making it easier to learn and use computer aided drafting software.

CAD developers are looking into making computer aided drafting deal with automation. Gian Paolo Bassi shows this in the article “CAD Predictions for 2018” when he states “Automation of design is a fundamental trend affecting how engineers and designers work, ” said Bassi. In his view, there are three levels of automation affecting product design: assistive automation, augmentative automation and autonomous automation. ” Gian Paolo Bassi, Jon Hirschtick, and Kevin Wrenn all part of the computer aided drafting business say that automation of their software would pust CAD further than it is right now and will be achievable this year or in the coming years.

Computer aided drafting has come a long way from drafters having to draw their drafts on paper. Computer aided softwares have made jobs with drafting a lot easier and has revolutionized drafting. CAD has made it possible to have more careers dealing with drafting and improve the jobs of those who work with drafting.