Getting Started in CAD – First in a Series of Articles
In the forums and in questions that have been sent directly to me, it seems that there is a growing interest in using CAD for model airplane design. Whether the intent is to make more complex designs possible, or to help visualize the final product, or to develop a kit for CAM production (laser cutting or CNC), CAD is a very versatile and useful tool.
Given the interest, I thought that I would write a few articles on the subject of getting started in CAD, with a focus on application to model airplane design.
In this article, I want to define what is typically meant by the term “CAD” and also give you some links to browse some of the more popular CAD packages.
What Is CAD?
CAD is an acronym for Computer Aided Design or Computer Aided Drafting. CAD refers loosely to a software tool or package of tools that aids in the design of parts by offering precise drawing and analysis capabilities.
There are two primary types of CAD, 2D and 3D. 3D CAD is further broken down into solid modeling and surface modeling tools. Solid modeling means that every part is treated as having mass and a finite volume. Because the parts are solid, they have the properties of a real object – they cannot pass through other ojbects, they have weight, inertial properties, etc.
Popular CAD Packages
Below is a short list of some of the great CAD packages that are available on the market today.
- Alibre (2D and 3D solid versions)
- AutoCAD LT (2D)
- AutoCAD (3D surface and basic solid)
- Catia (3D solid)
- Pro/Engineer (3D solid)
- Rhino 3D (3D surface and basic solid)
- TurboCAD (3D solid)
What’s Next?
In the next article I will start with 2D and describe some of the more useful features with regard to model airplane design.