When it comes to design software solutions your first thought should be CAD. You will find that this software is used in many different industries from electronics to aerospace and automobile. CAD as a package has been around for decades however hits has improved greatly over the years with advanced tools, views and simulations now all part of the updated packages. In respect to what that means for the user – simplicity and ease! With all the recent changes in this field, it is making it a lot easier for designers to integrate but also design with an element of error proofing in mind.
Where To Try CAD Out
You do not have to go out and pay lots of money for CAD. In fact, you can get free CAD software online from reputable providers such as Altium who allow you to run a trial. These are usually supported with extensive online help and even some virtual courses for people that are wanting to learn more.
Why This Software Is So Good
The recent CAD software that has been launched has many additional features that some may not expect to even see on a design software package. Here are some of the top features to look out for:
Integration – If you have designed items in older versions of CAD or even a completely different design software, trying to integrate all of this together can prove to be very difficult. This is a specific challenge if you have a complex supply chain where the components have all been designed in different software packages by different companies. Clearly, you want to try and avoid this but if you have no control over the other companies then it is likely there would be potential problems here. The latest versions of CAD are a lot more useful in this respect and allow integration of a lot of other software packages to minimise the frustration from the designers.
Simulations – After you have designed a product wouldn’t it be great if you could run an advanced simulation to ensure that it is effective? Some earlier versions of CAD have this tool however it is not as advanced as the recent versions that work specifically well on assembled components. Running a simulation can be very effective in terms of being pro-active. Imagine you did not do a simulation and you went ahead and mass-produced an item that later was found to be unreliable, ineffective or even worse it could have a safety issue. This clearly would be costly for your business – not only from a cost perspective but also from a reputational point of view. Running a simulation on your product clearly would help minimise any issues in this respect.
Views – Designers typically like to design an item in 2D, however, the latest versions of CAD have the option to complete either 2D or 3D. This can have many benefits and allow you to then see the finished piece as a full assembly and for you to view at any angle.