Drafting software such as AutoCAD has made it easier than ever to create high-quality engineering drawings. However, you might be curious to know how it worked before these solutions came along. Here we’ll go over how people drafted engineering drawings using old-school solutions and paper. This puts into perspective how far we’ve come along in this industry as we make the transition to a paperless future.
Going Back to the Drawing Board
Years before the introduction of AutoCAD and other platforms, drawings were drafted using large sheets of paper and drawing boards. In addition to these materials, various supplies helped create drawings. These include erasers, set squares, pencils of various grades, and T-squares, among other items. There was arguably an admirable amount of artistry and crafting that went into engineering drawings in those days. But the process was more time-consuming, costlier, and generally less efficient.
Drafting and design have a long history starting, as far as we can see, around 2,000 B.C. The first evidence of drafting came from this period in the form of a drawn aerial view of a castle in Babylon. Since then, drafting has developed into an art that’s relied on the work of well-trained and inherently talented designers. As a result, many skilled designers have contributed to archaic structures that remain modern marvels to this day.
In the early days of drafting and until recent decades, engineering entailed working with paper to manually draw floorplans and designs using basic drawing tools. Things began to evolve in 1963 when Ivan Sutherland developed Sketchpad. This was essentially the first computer-aided design (CAD) program that gave users the ability to place x-y plots on drafts. The program wasn’t widely used and didn’t truly change the way designs were produced at the time. However, it was a sign of things to come in the years ahead. It was the launching point for a wave of automation and innovation that would eventually alter the industry forever.
The Introduction of CAD
Engineers with firms and institutions such as Citroen, GM, Ford, Boeing, and MIT led the way for the development of CAD as a means of automating the drafting process. Specifically, these engineers made certain financial and intellectual contributions throughout the ’60s as CAD looked to be a game-changer for the aerospace and automotive industries. On the other hand, the limitations of CAD programs at this time still required plenty of manual processes.
Over the next several decades, the drafting industry would continue to evolve as CAD programs became more intuitive, accessible, as well as capable. First came the inception of Autodesk. This was the hardware that would facilitate the use and future development of CAD programs. Once the 1980s came along, the industry would see an even more dramatic change with the development of AutoCAD.
How AutoCAD Revolutionized Engineering Drawings
With the introduction of AutoCAD in 1982 came the establishment of the company behind it, Autodesk, not to be confused with the aforementioned hardware. John Walker founded Autodesk when he and 15 fellow co-founders decided to put together and launch five separate applications for desktop automation, in the hopes that one would thrive. The product that garnered the most success of the five was AutoCAD. It appeared at the COMDEX trade show located in Las Vegas. AutoCAD also became the very first CAD program to run on a PC. Since 1986, AutoCAD has been the most commonly implemented CAD program across the globe.
In the following years, AutoCAD began to see exponential growth, with a whopping 31 versions released since the initial launch in 1982. These upgraded versions included additional features and programs that made the program useful for a variety of applications beyond engineering. One of the advantages of AutoCAD that enabled these developments is the software’s support of automation and customization APIs. These APIs led to the development of various products, including AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Architecture, and AutoCAD Civil 3D. Additionally, the developers have expanded into apps for both cloud-based computing systems and mobile devices. This lead to the creation of A360 Viewer, AutoCAD 360, and Fusion 360, among other programs. When used in conjunction with various documentation platforms, it’s easier than ever to draft, collaborate on, and share designs online.
AutoCAD Today
Today, AutoCAD is useful for mechanical engineers, but it’s also invaluable for many others across a variety of industries. The construction industry primarily uses AutoCAD. Autodesks’ Building Design Suite assists construction engineers through the use of CAD tools and Building Information Modeling (BIM). One notable design project with which AutoCAD helped considerably was the Shanghai Tower. This structure came with many complex elements that required fully capable design tools, which is where AutoCAD came into play. AutoCAD’s BIM enabled the design team to develop in-depth 3D visualizations for the tower to help inform its construction. Additionally, designers could effectively analyze the design to inform their decisions around additional design steps. This includes decisions regarding ways to make the structure more eco-friendly.
What the Future Holds for Engineering Drawings
AutoCAD has made it far easier for engineers and others to draft drawings, share them, and keep track of their many revisions. Many professionals continue to rely on AutoCAD. And a growing number of them are also finding more ways to go completely paperless with their drawings. Gone are the days when manual processes and paperwork were necessary. These materials and steps now merely hinder rather than help draft and manage engineering drawings. Instead, you can create top-quality engineering drawings that deserve to be displayed, and without the need for paper at all.
Through the use of programs like AutoCAD and documentation management systems, you can go without paper drawings entirely as you develop a completely paperless environment. Eliminating paper comes with many benefits. It includes saved storage and workspace, reduced costs associated with paper products, as well as increased productivity, along with other advantages.
If you want to make it easier to manage your drawings and integrate paperless systems into your operations, the Drawing Specialists can help with an innovative drawing management solution. To find out more about what we can do for you, contact us today.