CAD design - the term is widespread across many industries today. Practically any industry one can name depends on CAD design in one or more ways. Having design data and well-established concept documentation (CAD drawings) accessible to all invested persons working on a design is crucial for success. However, there are some core concepts that CAD design alone will not teach a CAD user. To that end, every CAD operator should have at least one introductory board drafting class.
I will start by clarifying that my perspective on this subject is biased because I have been in the design industry in some functionality for forty years. I do not expect all who read this article to agree with me. If you are still reading this, thank you for doing so. I welcome discussions from others and readers' opinions on this topic. This article does not intend to critique any CAD operator, their experience, or documentation. All of us start the same, learning step by step.
My experience with board drafting included many skills I do not see CAD designers getting today. I believe these core skills, relating to the practical use of layout space and document content, should be considered part of basic design training. Cad software skills can always be learned. The student's mindset needs to be conditioned to look beyond what is on the tube (or paper) and see how their work fits into a bigger picture.
CAD design software has significantly improved since I started on AutoCAD version 1.4. Embedded processes now automate many manual tasks that I (as all OG CAD operators) was required to do. This is, however, a double-edged sword when it comes to current CAD design.
CAD design software has advanced to its current state by taking on many manual tasks, often handled differently by each CAD designer, and generically developing protocols based on best practices garnered from said user input. This has made the software a valuable tool, creating a theoretically productive and efficient environment for CAD design in general. This environment has enabled CAD designers to work more fluidly through their initial years in the field.
This working environment can also have its downside if real-world manufacturing and design realities are not considered. New and experienced designers will use the same software to complete their tasks. However, each user's application methods can differ, leading to mixed results.
Many experienced CAD designers began working on a drafting table with Vellum and pencil work. This aspect of document creation has taught a unique set of skills and developed a different mindset than CAD software can ever teach – let me explain.
I know – CAD is so far advanced that some may say board drafting is not even a relevant topic today. However, considering spatial relationships and related issues is still appropriate.
Many aspects of CAD design can be left to software and user-defined protocols and settings. For example, layer settings and dimension styles can (and should) be set in a template file. Often, however, there are unintended results if a CAD user is not looking at or beyond the overall layout of a drawing. The purpose of a drawing must be consistent with the information it contains. In this example, a fabrication drawing for an enclosure needs all the necessary details to be built yet not be cluttered.
In the example below, the fabrication drawing includes sufficient detail but is clear and easily understood.
Sufficient space is also open to add any required views or details in the future. Having manually drawn similar layouts (many) years ago, I planned for future additions to be added easily. As an OG CAD designer, I automatically set up my layouts with this in mind. However, a newer designer without board experience could easily miss this concept.
Planning for future updates now will save you from rework in the future.
In the example drawing below, an assembly drawing was done to document a control enclosure panel with little forethought given to the clarity of the drawing. It is cluttered and disorganized.
A few things stand out here. The detailed view and the terminal breakout could easily be scaled down quite a bit. My first question when looking at this is where the dimensions for the panel components are and why the overall dimensions are so large.
Having spent less than 3 minutes using AutoCAD core functions and looking at the drawing from a functional perspective (based on practical use of space), I redid the layout as shown below. Board work in my past instilled this strong sense of practical use of space.
The resulting layout is better organized and has open space for additional notes or detailed views.
Advancements in CAD software have made users faster and more efficient learners. I see most new engineers, while expected to become CAD designers as part of their job, graduate without even a single CAD class, let alone board exposure. This trend is troubling as one who started with CAD and worked (or volunteered) to take on Controls Engineering. The better rounded an individual is skill-wise, the better they will do in the industry.
Please feel free to add reader comments and thoughts (positive and negative). I am interested in hearing what others have to say on the topic. I am particularly interested in what younger CAD users say about this.
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