Definition:
The letters CAD stand for computer-aided design. Architects, drafters, engineers, and artists use CAD software to create plans and construction drawings.
Before the age of computers, drawings and blueprints were drafted by hand. CAD is more efficient because the software records lines as vectors based on mathematical equations. Portions of a drawing can be twisted, stretched, or moved. The picture as a whole will automatically adjust.
CAD Software will let the designer:
- Switch between two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) views.
- Zoom in and out for close-up and distant views.
- Rotate images to view them from different perspectives.
- Change the scale of images: When one value changes, related values are automatically adjusted.
- Manipulate the shape of images: Changing one portion of an image automatically changes the entire picture.
Also Known As:
CAD is also known as CADD, which stands for Computer-Aided Design & Drafting
Examples:
Popular CAD programs used by architects and engineers include:
Simplified versions of CAD tools can be found in home design software tailored for non-professionals.BIM (Building Information Modeling):
Many professionals are moving from CAD programs to Building Information Modeling (BIM) computer programs. This change in software use demonstrates a philosophical change from paper-based, proprietary ways of doing businees (the CAD approach) to collaborative, information-based operations (the BIM approach). Construction law attorney Thomas L. Rosenberg has addressed many of the issues and risks associated with this business change (see the PDF document "Building Information Modeling").Examples of BIM Products:
- Revit® (autodesk)
- Structural Modeler (Bentley Systems)
- BIMx (Graphisoft)
- Vectorworks Architect (Nemetschek Vectorworks)
BIM Standards in the United States:
See Frequently Asked Questions About the National BIM Standard—United States™ (buildingSMART alliance™, National Institute of Building Sciences)
