The Evolution of CAD
Via comments on an entry about Fujitsu’s 3D image recognition chip, I came upon this Cadalyst article on visualization which like the commenter, points out the advantages of integrating CAD and traditional design visualization tools
The ability to turn a design drawing into a visualization that mimics reality is an invaluable tool for troubleshooting a design, convincing a nervous client or helping to promote a design firm’s capabilities. This segment of the CAD software industry continues to grow and evolve, with rendered visualizations becoming more sophisticated.
While this trend is indeed a positive one, it is fundamentally constrained by an exclusively designer-centric perspective. This view understandably stems from the historical hardware constraints which made customer/end user access to the CAD data prohibitively expensive. However, as can be seen in the high end, proprietary CAD/PLM offerings of Dassault, this tradeoff is not an inherent requirement. In a rhythmeering environment integration is needed for manufacturing, maintenance, supply chain, marketing analysis - throughout the complete product lifecycle. In order to achieve this level of deep integration, the underlying information models for CAD have to become features of the operating system and eventually the hardware. Open source platforms like Croquet point the way.
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September 19th, 2007 at 11:52 pm
In keeping with the theme of your blog, this trend seems to be more about bringing the non-engineering public into ‘rhythm’ with the so-called big boys. The first shift in nearly every transition/transformation is a shift in vision. Thru rendering/visualization of a finished product, those who once only sketched ideas, even with a straightedge, can now see their creations in full fledge 3D, as a finished product, without expending any funds on production.
Similarly, in much the same way the machinima has shifted the costs/process/complexity of producing 3D animation & video from being exclusively in the province of major studios to something one can do on their home computer, 3D CAD rendering/visualization is doing the same for material products. Add to this the surging field of 3D printing which you have commented on in other entires, and the woodworking hobbyists of twenty years ago will soon be able to put out quality products of their own design, for not much more than a well equipped home woodworking shop would have cost in the early 70’s.
This is huge, in terms of what it means about putting the power in peoples hands to render their vision into products they can hold, touch & feel. Such a shift in capability, coupled with the prior shift in vision will quickly melt other arbitrary boundaries we have long accepted as inviolate. As both a long time CAD designer in engineering and a woodworking enthusiast, this bodes well for all. Like the old saying “A rising tide lifts all ships.”