Engineers and draftsmen use computer-aided design software to create illustrations or 3D models. While most engineers should be proficient with CAD, the amount of time they spend using it may depend on their specific role and level of experience.
For example, in some environments, designers may be responsible for creating the initial design in a CAD program, while analysis and release engineers will review and analyze it to make sure there are no errors.
Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAM) is commonly defined as the use of software to automate manufacturing processes. CAM software is able to translate CAD designs into instructions for machines, increasing the efficiency of producing parts and optimizing the amount of materials used.
Computer-aided engineering refers to the use of software to simulate the effects of different conditions on the design of a product or structure using simulated loads and constraints. CAE tools are often used to analyze and optimize the designs created within CAD software. Major categories of CAE tools include finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and multi-disciplinary design optimization (MDO). These tools are used to perform design iterations using virtual prototypes (sometimes called “digital twins”) prior to building physical prototypes. This saves companies significant time and money in product development while often yielding higher quality designs that meet multi-disciplinary and multi-functional requirements.
