For many people, LEGO is an unforgettable part of childhood. You may have spent hours building models, coming up with new creations, and playing with pirates, spaceships, and other popular Lego toys. The product was unique in that it helped children learn all about structure and form, but also allowed them the freedom to use their imaginations for their own creations.
For those who design and build the large-scale models Lego uses at its theme parks and marketing events, however, LEGO isn’t just child’s play. These professionals create work of stunning breadth and complexity, using thousands of the same LEGO pieces we played with as children. And like most areas of modern design, CAD professionals are usually involved, helping to ensure the structural viability of the work.
Read on to find out more about the role CAD plays in LEGO design, and how it can also provide a fun and interesting way for students to practice their CAD skills.
How Professionals With CAD Certification Help Design Lego Art
For most of their models, LEGO designers use their own LEGO Digital Designer (LDD) software, which performs many similar functions as the software that’s commonly used in architectural CAD programs. This allows them to envision the model they want and evaluate what LEGO pieces are needed for the job.
Once the basic concept has been created, a designer will then test it for structural feasibility, sometimes using industry standard programs like AutoCAD. For example, Autodesk recently exhibited an 8.5 foot LEGO dinosaur which was built using a combination of its software and LEGOs. The designers used AutoCAD in order to create a 3D prototype of the sculpture, as well as realistic construction schematics for production.
From Manufacturing to Display: How Lego is Used
Once the designs are finalized, they are manufactured at one of LEGO’s factories, which are located in various locations around the world including Denmark, Mexico, and the Czech Republic. These models can be incredibly elaborate. For instance, the Dinosaur exhibited by Autodesk was comprised of 62,500 individual LEGO pieces.
LEGO art is used by the company at its six Legoland theme parks and eight Discovery Centres around the world, as well as special marketing events and retail displays. The sculptures sometimes include famous landmarks, such as the Lego Montmartre at Legoland Windsor, while others depict historical events, like the Barack Obama inauguration model at Legoland California.
Legoland theme parks feature hundreds of complex models
Lego Art is a Great Way for AutoCAD College Students to Practice
Working on LEGO designs can actually be a fun, relaxing way to hone your CAD skills in your downtime. LEGO Digital Designer software is free to download, and students enrolled in AutoCAD college will find that it shares many similarities with the programs they use in their courses.
Working with LEGO design software can help your CAD skills
LEGO even used to run a service which allowed LDD users to order custom-built versions of its models, although unfortunately this has been discontinued. Users can still generate building instructions for their designs using LDD, and order the bricks they need using LEGO’s Pick a Brick service.
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