Design Your Career with CAD

by Wendy Croix
Media Design Career

Did you ever wonder how they streamlined the Lamborghini? ICEM Surf, a form of CAD software, gave designers the ability to visualize the car long before they engineered it. Training in CAD could help you to visualize a new career.

Cool CAD Products

When you learn "computer-aided drafting", you can be part of a design team that thinks up diverse products. Minolta's Vectis camera designers used 3-D CAD models to create their product. CAD also played a crucial role in the development of the Land Rover Range Stormer Concept Car and the Triumph Triple Speed Motorcycle.

CAD Skills

If you love to figure out how things work and you're good at computers and drawing, you're a natural for CAD. The use of this computer software and specially devised hardware helps designers create drawings of projects like the Lamborghini. CAD allows designers to draw, test, evaluate, and compare designs before moving to working drawings or prototypes. CAD gives you the ability to build models in collaboration with designers on the other side of the world by dragging and dropping from Web sites.

CAD for Engineers

CAD adapted for the specific needs of engineers is called CAE, computer-aided engineering. Engineers have been using computers in design for more than a quarter century now, and they can use computers to efficiently plan, design, test, and document their products. Engineers use CAE to control robots or etch microchips. Large engineering projects may require specially designed CAE tools in which the firm has a proprietary interest, so you could have unique access to cutting edge design technology.

CAD Savvy

If you want to learn CAD, you've got lots of options. Trade schools, community colleges, and universities include CAD degrees and courses. You can even study CAD online. A degree in drafting gives you the flexibility to head in either an artistic or engineering direction. Whether you want to enter the fashion world, interior design, engineering, or another career to which design is essential, getting good with CAD will make you a ready hire.



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