More and more carpenters, kitchen and bathroom
fitters, shop and interior designers, landscape gardeners and builders
of decking and wood barns and are realising the need and benefits of
coming off the drawing board and using a CAD system as their main
design tool. The long term benefits are substantial in terms of time
and cost and learning how to plan in some CAD packages is fairly easy
for anyone in these businesses, especially those used to reading plans.
Some
CAD programmes are exclusively 2D, but more and more these days clients
want the ability to be able to view designs in 3D to get a clear idea
of the finished look of the building and this is now possible with
software costing about the same as a drawing board. It is also possible
to photograph an existing interior, building or plot of land, import
the picture into your computer, (this operation takes two minutes), and
superimpose your revised design to present to the client. This level of
technology, while easily learnt, gives any designer / builder an edge
over competitors, especially if the opposition are still relying on 2D
drawings.
The first steps in putting the design together are no
different on a computer than it is at the drawing board. There are a
few lessons to be learnt, but for many packages this can take only a
day and there is often on line or telephone help when stuck. The three
big advantages to coming off the drawing board are firstly that
mistakes and changes are easily corrected. Secondly, components used on
a regular basis can be stored and simply dropped in, no need to re-draw
each time. Thirdly, drawings can be electronically sent to clients,
manufactures or possibly local authorities via the planning portal, for
planning permission and comment.
Most designs, in all areas of
construction, will need to be changed at some point to a greater or
lesser degree. It may be the client changing their mind or the local
authorities laying down restrictions. In the past this may have meant
starting again with a new drawing but with a CAD drawing this is
achieved painlessly by simply updating your drawing. Because it's easy
to edit it is also easy to present the client with variations on a
basic design without having to draw each one individually. Different
colour combinations or wood finishes can be displayed with two clicks
of the mouse and after a while being able to 'walk through' your
proposed design will impress and win the contract.
It is
important that the CAD system is able to read all the main file
formats, as many as possible. As long as this is the case, swapping
files with other companies and other designers is not a problem. It
will also make reading Sketch Up files and building upon them possible.
Being able to save as PDF will allow you to send designs to those
without their own CAD package for approval or comment.
Once the
fundamental skills are learnt designs will take a fraction of the time
they used to, or if you have been paying an architect or CAD
professional, will save you thousands of pounds in costs.
The
more you use CAD the more you learn and the more possibilities start to
open up. Large material libraries are available to be imposed on a
surface with a click of the mouse. Bricks can be laid as Stretcher,
Common, Flemish, English, Stack and Rowlock. Wood grains can be opened
up, changed direction or colour and there are metals marbles, stones,
textiles, wood flooring etc, etc. Both indoor and garden furniture can
be downloaded free and inserted into your design to give a more
realistic look. Lighting can be changed to create shadows to add a bit
of drama to the finished visualisation and - it becomes fun.
Paul Tracey is the Product Manager at Avanquest UK Ltd, for TurboCAD Pro. You can visit his blog at http://www.paulthecad.co.uk for video demonstrations of the 3D CAD Software in action.
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