For most of human history, engineers have had to design their projects on 2D planes. But, as one can imagine, it’s impossible to illustrate real-world 3-dimensional objects on 2-dimensional flat pieces of paper.
The invention of 3D CAD fundamentally changed how mechanical engineers design projects and forever revolutionized the engineering field. Here’s what you need to know.
1- Architecture and Civil Engineering
If any field has benefited from 3D CAD the most, it’s civil engineering and architecture. Before the advent of 3D CAD, engineers could specify the different dimensions and parameters of objects. Still, to illustrate what those objects would look like, they need to build the object or a prototype. But building a prototype didn’t do engineers much good because a prototype did not take the fundamental forces into account.
This made carefully designing larger buildings exponentially more difficult than smaller buildings. And since everything had to be done on paper, enormous sheets of paper were used to enable architects and engineers to design in detail. Sometimes sheets were so large that engineers would have to lie on top of the sheets to create designs.
3D CAD changed the entire paradigm. Now buildings can be viewed from all angles in real-time while they are being designed. This makes it much easier and natural to design structures while considering physics. Engineers can vary different parameters easily and view the effects of those changes immediately while sitting in their chairs – an utterly dramatic revolution.
2- Accuracy and Ease
It can be quite difficult to represent a 3-dimensional object on paper accurately, and in some cases, it’s impossible. Hence it’s difficult for engineers to accurately describe what specific object they have in mind. This makes it hard to design complex objects and structures. The limitation of drawing on paper based on mathematical equations also makes objects’ representations quite inaccurate.
On 3D CAD, if an engineer wants to make a parabolic building, they can just write down the equation and watch the computer make the building for them.
3- Easy Visualization of Concept
If an object or a structure is designed on paper, only engineers can understand how that object would look and function. This made it challenging to show the concept to clients, and required prototypes to showcase the product. With 3D CAD designs, the concept is already in a visual form and can be easily shown to clients.
The revolution of 3D CAD has made designing and modeling engineering projects more natural and intuitive. It’s hard to imagine a field of engineering that 3D has not improved.
After learning how 3D CAD Designing was a game-changer for the mechanical engineering field, it’s time for you to hire an engineering design service for your product. At Connekt LLC, we offer various engineering design services in Auburn that use 3D CAD Designing in the designing process.
Reach out to us for standard 3D CAD Designing in engineering design processes.
