In the past, CAD management was fairly straight-forward—every division of a company was using a single CAD system, and managing it meant ensuring that standards were followed. Today, CAD programming has evolved from 2D systems to 3D systems of many varieties. Because of the wide range of CAD systems available, companies will often use several different ones within their many departments. Restructuring the software and programming of an entire company can become quite costly, so it’s not surprising that many businesses are coping with the use of multiple systems.
Professionals with CAD training recognize the challenges that arise with managing multiple CAD systems and understand the importance of developing a working knowledge of several different products. In the design industry, files often need to be shared between departments—usually using different CAD systems—and important information is likely to get lost in transmission if not successfully converted. If you’re a recent graduate of a CAD college about to enter the workforce, familiarity with multiple CAD systems and their uses just might give you that extra competitive edge.
AutoDesk Inventor
This is a 3D CAD software developed by a U.S.-based company called Autodesk. AutoDesk Inventor allows the user to create 3D mechanical models that simulate physical objects. It is mostly used for digital prototyping which helps the user design and evaluates a product before it’s built. Prototyping integrates 2D drawings and 3D data into a digital model which serves as a visual representation of the final product – eliminating the need for physical prototypes. AutoDesk Inventor offers many tools and features that are beneficial to designers, including integrated data management, design automation, automatic drawing updates and much more. This software is used to help bridge the gap between design, engineering, and manufacturing by developing prototype simulations to identify errors before production, speed up the creation process, and eliminate extra company costs due to product faults.
CATIA
CATIA is a 3-dimensional multi-platform commercial software suite that was developed by the French company Dassault Systemes and marketed by IBM. While other CAD systems are a bit easier to use and understand than CATIA, they do not function as well when working in a large collaborative environment. CATIA supports the multiple stages of production and product development including:
- Conceptualization
- Design
- Manufacturing
- Analysis
This software is widely used throughout the automotive and aerospace sectors of the engineering industry. CATIA ‘s capabilities include industrial design, electrical and fluid systems design, mechanical engineering and systems engineering. This software is great for professionals in the industry who are at an advanced level of design; whereas students who are enrolled in CAD design courses would probably opt for a program better suited for beginners.
Avoiding Confusion
Now that you know a little more about two of the more popular CAD systems, and how they differ from one other, you’ll have a better understanding of how to leverage that knowledge in a multi-system work environment. Some steps to consider when trying to translate or convert documents in a multiple CAD system environments include:
- Having a basic understanding of each system you are using
- Maintaining a copy of the original format as a frame of reference when importing to a different system
- Understanding the editing process between the two systems to avoid discrepancies
- Managing the overall design so that the entire team can easily collaborate within a master document or model whether different systems are being used or not
Have you ever had to use multiple CAD systems? What steps did you take to streamline the sharing process?
