What is 3D CAD?

    In the old days, people used to communicate their designs through pencil and paper drawings. People would sit down at large tables they could set at various angles. This was so they wouldn't be stooped over a horizontal surface for hours and hours every day. Diagrams were drawn using rulers, triangles, compasses, templates, and other drawing tools. If the drafter made a mistake or needed to make changes, it would be a time-consuming process. Many hours were spent creating drawings, and many more hours were spent changing them. It was like this for a long, long time.

​

    Recently, since the advent of the information age, people started to produce their designs on computers. First, people drew lines and arcs connected together to produce the diagrams they used to draw on paper. It looked as if the drawing were on a flat surface. The upside was that even though you might be able to draw things faster, at least initially, using pencil and paper, you could make changes to your drawing far faster electronically. Eventually, people could create copies of grouped lines and arcs so they could make arrays, or 'drop' them into a drawing at will. This only took a fraction of a second, thus speeding up the drafting process considerably.

​

    As computers became faster and more powerful, people started to create three-dimensional parts and assemblies. This sped things up even more because now the computer could automatically generate front, side, and top views, along with cross-sections, cut-out sections, and many other things, all automatically, or with very little effort on the part of the drafter. This is a far cry from having to draw everything by hand!

​

    A 3-D model is a computerized representation of an object as it would appear in reality. So, 3-D CAD (Computer-Aided Design) is the production of three-dimensional objects and their associated two-dimensional drawings through the aid of a computer. This can be a challenging and rewarding endeavor for those who have the interest and talent.  3-D objects can be rather easy to produce, and they can also be rather tough! Just the same, Genius Prep 360 is here to help you on your way to mastery of 3-D CAD, a key to a number of well paying and satisfying  careers.