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What is CAD in woodworking?

Woodworking With CAD Index. Introduction. Drawing with a Computer. CAD is an acronym for Computer Aided Drafting or Computer Aided Design.

benchmark.20m.com - Woodworking with CAD - Introduction - BenchMark

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Introduction Drawing with a Computer

CAD is an acronym for Computer Aided Drafting or Computer Aided Design. The first definition is more applicable in this article but when even simple CAD programs are used to the fullest extent, the "design" aspect becomes the dominant factor in the process. CAD software is tool available to woodworkers that can be used in the normal coarse of building projects, jigs, and planning many activities that take place in the shop. Drawing with a computer is similar to drawing with a pencil except there are many more options available to the user for drawing precise vectors. Types of Software There are basically two types of software that can be used to draw images with a computer. The first is a painting program that will produce what is known as a "raster" type file format; an example of this type of software would be Windows Paintbrush. In these programs, when a line is drawn it is actually a series of pixels (squares) from one end to the other. For many reasons, paint software is not suitable for drawing and designing even simple objects. Paint software is analogous to a Digital Paintbrush. The other type of drawing software is one that produces a "vector" type file format. In these programs, when a line is drawn it is really a database object with several parameters assigned to it. In its most simple form, when the view is zoomed in, the line maintains its high resolution with no loss of detail. This is a very important distinction for printing, scaling, and editing purposes. Zoom in on a Vector image Zoom in on a Raster image The view above is an example of the high resolution that is maintained at high zoom levels. This level represents about 4 inches in the real world, the zoom could be down to 4 thousandths of an inch and it would still maintain this high resolution. At this zoom level in a paint program (about 3 inches) one can begin to see the "jaggies" the pixels form when looked at too closely. This image was done at 300dpi which would be considered a good resolution for most paint images. Even if it were at 2400dpi it would still not be sufficient for the kind of numerical manipulation needed for drawings. To somewhat confuse the issue, not all vector software is considered true CAD software. Illustration software uses a vector file format and may include functions for gradient fill colors, color separation controls, smart connecting symbols, and the ability to integrate raster images into the drawing. There are several downsides to this illustration software. Aside from the having only rudimentary vector editing tools it is "paper centric", the drawing is in relation to a virtual piece of paper and there are limits to the drawing size, drawing space, precision of drawn elements, and the zoom levels. In order to fit a design onto the paper centric file, it must involve some up-front scaling selected by the operator, this can become very cumbersome. Although one can at least use illustration software to produce measured drawings it is not truly suited for this type of work. Illustration software is analogous to a Digital Crayon. True CAD software is totally different from illustration software, it uses a vector file format but it is FAR more precise and contains many more tools and features that allow drawn objects to be modified in virtually any relevant way imaginable. CAD software worthy of the name does not use a "paper-centric" drawing interface either. With CAD software objects are drawn in true scale; if a cabinet is 76" high, it is drawn 76" high. There is still a place for scaling in CAD but it is done at the users command, not required in order to draw everything. When drawing with a CAD program, pre-drawn objects or externally referenced drawings can be easily used within a new drawing. This can reduce the amount of new content in a drawing and saves considerable time. There are varying levels of sophistication among CAD software programs, even the cheap ones sold today would have sufficient capabilities to be used to create very precise drawings. CAD software is analogous to an Extremely Sharp Digital Pencil. For the rest of this article the type of CAD software referred to will be the low-end / inexpensive type operated in simple 2D just like one would use a traditional drafting board. CAD Can / Cant Although CAD software is a powerful tool, there are a few things that it cannot do. It will not draw objects for you, it will not determine joinery details, it will not automatically note interference's between parts, and it will not prevent you from drawing objects incorrectly. The main problem with CAD software is that it has such a steep learning curve. The main benefit of CAD software is that if used correctly, it produces drawings almost as a byproduct of the design process. Also, due to its ability to modify existing designs it is often quite easy to modify them into new designs, compare different variations of a design, and update changes to designs that are "in-process". Unfortunately, all of this is predicated upon the ability of the user to operate the software in a very time efficient manner. Fortunately, even the low end CAD software is capable enough to be used in woodworking. There are differences between the various CAD software programs but a description of them is outside the scope of this chapter. Woodworking and CAD

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Once a user gets past the learning curve, CAD can be a powerful woodworking tool; among other things, it can be used for:

benchmark.20m.com - Woodworking with CAD - Introduction - BenchMark

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