MTE305: COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN
LECTURE 1
1.0 Introduction
Computer aided design is a set of methods and tools applied in a computer system, which
helps a product designer in the following ways:
i. To create a geometrical representation of objects they are designing
ii. For dimensioning and tolerance
iii. Configuration management (design adjustments)
iv. Archiving
v. Exchanging parts and assembly information between teams or organizations
vi. Feeding subsequent design steps such as:
Analysis (CAE)
Manufacturing (CAM)
1.1 Essential Elements of a Computer Aided Design System
There are three basic elements of the CAD system as shown in figure 1.0. They are:
Input devices
The main system
Output devices
Mouse
Computer Hard disk
Keyboard
CAD software Network
CAD keyboard
Database Pinter
Templates
Plotter
Space ball
Input Devices Main System Output Devices
Human Designer
Figure 1.0: Three basic elements of the CAD system
1.2 Benefits of CAD
Some of the benefits of using computer aided design in drafting are as follows:-
(a) Increased productivity: the time expended in the development of an engineering drawing is
reduced because of the following:
i. Insertion of standard parts from the database
ii. Automation of repeated tasks
(b) Flexible to changeability: When there is need for adjustment to drawing, the whole drawing
does not need to be redrawn from the scratch. This is achieved by undo command: previous
design iterations are retained.
(c) For Effective Communication: it serves as an effective means of communication to man
and machine. This is achieved through the following:
i. Communication with the designer and other team members
ii. Communication with other application (CAM, CAE/FEM)
iii. For marketing. Realistic product rendering
iv. Accurate and high quality drawings
(d) For Limited Analysis: analysis some physical quantities such as mass properties and
collision between parts can be made. Some of the analyses are:
i. Mass properties (mass, inertia)
ii. Collision between parts and clearances
1.3 CAD Process
The algorithm of computer aided design is shown in the flowchart in figure 1.1:
Figure 1.1: CAD process
1.4 Computer Aided Design Software
Quite a number of computer aided design softwares exist. Some of the commercially available
ones are:
AutoCAD
SolidWorks
Pro Engineer
CATIA
Unigraphics, etc.