The Importance of AutoCAD to a Mechanical Engineer
by Jeffrey
Joyner
Mechanical
engineering is a broad field that encompasses industry, business, medicine and
even law. Planning and designing mechanical objects is the primary focus of
mechanical engineers, whether they are producing engine and motor components or
complete devices like refrigerators and robots. Design programs like AutoCAD
help mechanical engineers do their jobs by helping them create preliminary
designs and spot flaws before production, saving time and resources.
What is AutoCAD?
CAD stands for "Computer Aided
Design." AutoCAD is a line of two-dimensional and three-dimensional design
software produced by the Autodesk company. It includes a powerful suite of
features to improve workflow and create true-to-life maps, diagrams, structures
and schematics. CAD software is equal part design and analysis. The design is
needed to produce models and prepare component production, and the analysis
helps calculate stress levels, the influence of forces and the influences of
finite elements in a design. According to a General Electric survey, 60 percent
of manufactured parts errors were related to incomplete, ambiguous or
impossible drafts -- problems easily corrected with the support of software
like AutoCAD.
Design Production and
Troubleshooting
At the earliest stages of a design
project, mechanical engineers can use AutoCAD to start sketching ideas and
analyzing them to determine the best solution for a given problem. The software
makes the process quick and easy; it eliminates the need to draw new blueprints
for each version of an idea and simplifies redesigns. The software additionally
helps interpret these designs, locating flaws, errors and inconsistencies the
mechanical engineer might miss. Alternatively, the mechanical engineer can use
AutoCAD to determine the source of a malfunction in an existing product by
putting in the specifications and allowing the software to find the problem,
allowing the engineer to be more efficient by going straight to the problem and
finding a fix.
Simulations and Scenarios
One of the most useful functions of
AutoCAD is its ability to provide a graphic simulation of how a constructed
machine will function. Once a design prototype is complete in the software,
AutoCAD can generate a simulated version of the prototype and show it in
action. This is a function impossible for the mechanical engineer to otherwise
reproduce without investing the time and resources in developing a real-life
prototype. With the help of this simulation, mechanical engineers can determine
if the machine will work as intended and make any necessary tweaks or fixes
before it goes into production.
Quality Assurance and
Control
Thanks to the analysis
components of AutoCAD, mechanical engineers can simulate a variety of
environments and stresses upon a prototype. This allows them to determine the
functionality of a part or machine in extreme environments or under high-stress
conditions difficult to test outside simulation. These simulations also provide
a demonstration of a prototype's expected performance over time, allowing
accurate estimates to be made on a machine's functional life span before
requiring maintenance or replacement. AutoCAD allows mechanical engineers to
produce useful specifications and give clients exactly what they need in an
efficient time frame.
Available at: https://work.chron.com/importance-autocad-mechanical-engineer-26569.html
[Acceso el 6 de octubre, 2019]
