Intergration Of Cad And The Internet Essay, Research Paper

Integration of CAD and the Internet

After recently reading two articles about the future of CAD, it is very apparent that the Internet is going to play a major role in the design process. One article dealt with the future of CAD in general and what is expected to be seen in up coming years. The other article was a how Auto desk is already preparing for the future with their new release of AutoCAD 2000i. The titles of the articles are Design for the New Millennium, and AutoCAD 2000I connects to the Web, respectfully. Both articles are very informative and talk heavily about what an important part the web will be in the design process.

The article Design for the new Millennium, talked about what changes are expected to occur in the CAD industry in the future. The major topic of discussion was the design process. This process is the entire amount of time it takes to go from a conceptual idea to the actual market with a product. If this process time can be reduced, productivity can increase tremendously. Some believe that only the companies with high turnover rates will survive in the cut thought world of design. Many companies believe that the perfection of the design process will lead to ultimate success, they plan on doing this though the implementation of new software, hardware, and complete integration with the Internet. It is said, “that by 2005, designers will have shifted completely to Web-based documents and will manage projects via the project Web site, which makes changes immediately available to field personnel.” This connects everyone in the design process; they can log on and access the needed information all at once in one location. The second article AutoCAD 2000I connects to the Web, talked about how Autodesk is integrating the Internet into their new version of software. They have added a multitude of Internet tools that bring CAD and the Web ever so closer. These new tools allow real-time interaction among designers, consultants, clients, and e-commerce sites. Once again speeding up the design process. One of the tools is a web publisher, which automates the task of publishing drawings to the Web HTML. It makes the process of creating a web page easier and less time consuming. Some of the other tools allow “net meetings”, publication of drawings, and other various features. The intent of these new integrated features is to create a design web based community where everyone involved in the design process has access to the needed information.

Both articles talk about the importance that the Internet is going to play in the CAD industry. One talks about it in general while the other talks about how one company is already taking steps to fully integrate the Internet as a design tool. The implementation of the Internet is going to greatly reduce the time involved in the design process. Thus reaching the goal of a near perfect design process.

After reading both articles I must say that they were both informative and insightful. It was interesting to see how one article talked about the future of CAD and how the Internet is going to change the field completely. While the other article talked about what one company is currently doing to integrate the Internet into the design process and make it a design tool. I totally agree with what they had to say, the web is already changing how we live our lives and how we do things. It would be absurd to think that it wouldn’t change the CAD industry also. I believe in what is said in both articles and I excitedly wait to see how the Internet will actually change the CAD field in the up and coming years.