Top Architectural CAD Software from buzai232's blog

Top Architectural CAD Software

It was a solution to fix a problem. For years, architects would create their building plans using pen and paper. Then, they would build 3D models to illustrate their plans to clients. However, using pen and paper made it extremely difficult to catch errors in their plans. It also did not allow them to easily communicate their plans to construction managers and engineers. Enter computer-aided design or CAD.To get more news about architecture cad, you can visit shine news official website.

In many ways, CAD is the perfect solution because it allows architects to turn their hand drawings into 2D and 3D designs and quickly fix problems that emerge. However, with this solution, a new problem arose. Even if many architects start with pen and paper and later scan their drawings into CAD systems, they still need CAD software to design and communicate their plans to clients, engineers, and construction managers. But now there are so many systems on the market it is difficult to know which CAD solution for architects will work best for your needs and budget.

This is why we have compiled a list of 17 architectural CAD software solutions. We list solutions that range from free architectural CAD software to the most expensive architectural CAD software systems, along with the pros and cons of each. This is all so you can find the best architectural CAD software solution for your needs and budget.

What is CAD software?
Before we get into architectural CAD solutions, it is important to review CAD software basics. Now, if you are a seasoned architect, this is probably old news for you. However, if you are just getting started, it may be helpful to understand the genesis of CAD.

As mentioned above, CAD stands for computer-aided design. The foundation for CAD was laid by Dr. Patrick Hanratty in 1957. Hanratty created PRONTO, or Program for Numerical Tooling Operations. The purpose of PRONTO was to produce digital instructions needed to operate a machine tool. Though PRONTO was never widely used, nearly 70% of all CAD/CAM software on the market today use Hanratty’s original code.

Another big player in the development of CAD was Ivan E. Sutherland. Ivan E. Sutherland wrote a thesis at MIT in 1963 titled “Sketchpad: A Man-Machine Graphical Communications System.” This thesis allowed designers to create drawings directly on a Cathode Ray Tube, or CRT, using a light pen. A CRT is what is used to control electron beams and direct those beams to create an image on a TV screen or computer monitor.

The thesis went on to work out how those drawings could be stored, copied, and changed by designers. Finally, Sutherland helped create the algorithms needed to remove hidden lines in 3D drawings. This algorithm was key to developing the realistic renderings designers create today.

Though the foundation for CAD is over a half-century old, its adoption into the everyday design world didn’t happen immediately. Like the computer, the major advancements for CAD were developed in the 1980s (this was the decade that birthed AutoCAD®), and by the late 1990s, CAD adoption was widespread.

At its root, today’s CAD solutions create exact illustrations of 2D or 3D models as it simultaneously documents the design process. Today, CAD is used by engineers, graphic designers, textile designers, construction managers and, of course, architects.
First, the answer to question one: What is the difference between CAD software and architectural CAD software? The answer to this is simple. CAD serves engineers, designers, and architects and aids in the design of products, parts, and buildings. It can do a lot of things and ultimately serve many industries.

Architectural CAD software is designed to specifically serve architects, engineers, and contractors, or AEC professionals. It serves AEC professionals by replacing general lines, circles, and arcs with AEC objects. Additionally, many architectural CAD solutions either have BIM integrations or are CAD-BIM solutions.

BIM stands for Building Information Modeling and is important because it aids in the communication of AEC professionals for the duration of the project. If a change is made by a team on a BIM model, the changes and recalculations are immediately made across the board to all affected parts. This ensures that all AEC professionals are on the same page and this reduces time delays and potential errors.

The answer to the second question is important to understand because it will impact how much money you want to put into CAD software specific to architects. So, should architects use specialized software instead of normal CAD software?

The answer to this question is not as simple. Architectural CAD software is important to purchase. However, you will likely need both general-purpose CAD such as AutoCAD® or SketchUp® and specialized architectural CAD software. This is because the two solutions ultimately provide different—but needed—services.