What is CAD?

CAD (What is it?)
Computer aided design gives the illustrator a new tool. It uses computer power to digitally store and resolve exact information about any form the designer defines. 2-D CAD allows users to easily make perfectly scaled plans and elevations that are simple to edit and plot, extract lists of objects or calculate the optimal use of materials. 3-D CAD exponentially extends the powers of the illustrator-designer allowing the creation of models that contain precise data about forms as they would exist in space. With suitable software and skill these 3-D models may be scaled, rotated, mirrored and sectioned without distortion. They then may be rendered with perspective, surface textures, reflections, shadows, within environments or simply as projected line drawings. The computer is able to keep all the necessary information organised while it performs the millions of calculations necessary to do CAD, thanks to the brilliant work of imaginative mathematicians and software de...