Computer aided design (CAD)

Digital design and manufacture

Digital design and manufacture uses computer hardware and dedicated software to design products and transfer design data directly to manufacturing equipment.

Simulation software is increasingly important as it allows manufacturers to plan, organise, predict, and optimise production processes before physical manufacture begins.

CAD is the use of computers to create 2D drawings and 3D computer models, stored in digital file formats that allow direct transfer to CAM equipment.

Advantages

Faster design development due to editing, modification, and reuse of files

Higher accuracy and consistency than hand drawing due to computer calculations

Enables collaborative working across multiple locations via networked systems

Produces highly accurate files suitable for CNC machining and 3D printing

Disadvantages

High setup costs for hardware, software, and staff training

Requires ongoing updates and technical support

Less effective for quick, informal idea sketching

Capabilities of 2D and 3D CAD software

Photo-realistic rendering for presentation and client communication

Models can be rotated, sectioned, and viewed from any angle

Enables faster idea development compared with physical modelling

Existing artwork can be digitised and developed further

Editing tools (copy, mirror, rotate, scale) speed up iteration

CAD/CAM file formats

DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) stores 2D vector data and is commonly used to transfer profiles for processes such as laser cutting, CNC routing and plotting.

STL (Standard Tessellation Language) represents the surface of a 3D model as triangular facets. Smaller triangles give a more detailed surface but increase file size. STL files are commonly passed to slicing software before 3D printing.

Standard file formats improve compatibility between CAD software and manufacturing systems, allowing digital designs to move more easily from design to manufacture.

Cloud-based CAD

Cloud-based CAD allows design files to be accessed and shared online. It can support real-time collaboration, version control, cloud rendering and simulation, allowing teams in different locations to work on the same project.

Advantages: easier collaboration, accessibility and reduced reliance on powerful local hardware. Limitations: internet dependency and data-security concerns.