CAD: Computer Aided Design and How it Can Help Your Project
For any mechanical project, the initial design process is integral to any success, so it’s always important to use the best possible design tools and techniques from the beginning.
Here at Conditioned Environment, we employ computer-aided design (CAD) to ensure that every project is as meticulously planned as can be, before we get to work on installation.
In this article, we’re taking a closer look at CAD, including what it is, how it is used and the range of benefits it brings to any project.
What is computer aided design?
Computer-aided design uses specialist software to draw, plan and design a range of products, while also working as a record of the final product’s design history. The tools used in CAD are incredibly versatile and in-depth, allowing project managers and designers to create, document, review and improve every aspect of a project’s design with complete control.
Through CAD, you can plan a project in fine detail, creating objects in 2D and 3D while being constantly able to change dimensions and edit diagrams as necessary.
How is CAD used?
CAD can be used in a number of ways to help make planning and designing specific objects for specific spaces easy and intuitive. CAD has benefits from an engineering perspective and an architectural standpoint, allowing you to see how a certain object should fit into a space, as well as letting you curate design in advance, and also tweak dimensions as you go.
You can create 2D drawings and diagrams with CAD, which will be useful throughout the project, providing an overview of an object’s construction, along with how and where it will fit into the current space. You can annotate these diagrams with detailed annotations of dimensions, elevation and instructions, and this can be vital if you wanted to provide a step-by-step guide for the construction or installation of a particular object.
3D diagrams can also be created using CAD, and these allow you to manipulate the drawing itself. This means you can take a look at your proposed project from all angles before finalising a decision. These are especially useful if you need to visualise a certain space to see how your project will fit, or if you want to create a 3D model of the project itself.
A CAD 3D model provides a detailed visual representation of your project. You can create models of any aspect of the design, from pipes and ductwork to the entire body – or even 3D models of full interior spaces.
Benefits of CAD
CAD allows you to plan, observe and develop every aspect of your project. From figuring out how to connect individual parts together, to calculating dimensions, simulating performance and testing different approaches, computer-aided design accommodates for a completely custom design for any project.
In the HVAC, air conditioning and ventilation industries, CAD is immensely useful. The design and planning stage informs the entirety of the project, so making sure that you have a reliable, versatile and clear way of developing your plans as the situation changes will provide the best chance for success.
Problem-solving is a part of every mechanical project, and CAD is a responsive way of experimenting, hypothesising and reacting to issues or problems that might occur during the project. Through CAD, you can create different plans which each take several potential complications into account, and use those to figure out the best way forward. By creating diagrams, you can also use CAD as an effective learning tool, by creating clear instructions for installers or workers who may require specific information for certain parts, or a certain project.
The CAD process means any commercial or domestic property can enjoy a custom, bespoke-made HVAC/air conditioning or ventilation system which is designed from the start with the client’s specific requirements in mind. It is one of the most reliable, accurate and outright useful techniques available to the industry, and here at Conditioned Environment, we are proud to use computer-aided design to ensure the highest possible quality for our projects.
Conditioned Environment are a leading provider of professional mechanical services throughout the London area. Our experienced team of engineers use computer–aided design to ensure that you can enjoy the most suitable HVAC system for your business, and we always work closely with you to keep you informed and involved throughout the project. To find out more about our mechanical services and how we use computer-aided design, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.