CD121
Assignment # 1.1
Mr. Prestininzi
CAD SOFTWARE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
There are different fields of study involving and utilizing the use of CAD software, one in particular, the automotive industry. Like other industries who also employ the use of software to help make their jobs easier, the automotive industry is no different. The fact that the software allows them to create designs faster, easier and with more accurate measurements, makes it easy to see how the industry might benefit from this technology. CAD, which can produce designs that are two-dimensional or three dimensional, stands for Computer Aided Design and has been in use since 1982.
The CAD industry suffered severe setbacks in the recession of 2008-2009. Because CAD tools are used in so many vertical markets, its recovery is not even for all. For example, the architecture industry was the first to feel the recession and will take the longest to recover. On the other hand, the automotive industry, which suffered a drastic meltdown in 2009, is coming back more quickly. There are benefits that appear in an economic downturn and in some cases those benefits have already shown themselves. The market has shown growth in 2010 but has not recovered to the high levels seen in 2008, which was fueled unnaturally by financial gain. As difficult as the recession was in 2009 and which will continue to be for many companies, it has acted as a springboard for long term growth as many companies have taken this time to lean towards advanced technologies and to retrain workers. The CAD market is expected to fully recover by 2013/2014. Before the introduction of CAD, designers used a pencil and eraser directly on paper. One great advantage of CAD computer software is its easy-to-use tools in the creation and alteration of designs. The main objective in using CAD is to achieve improved proficiency and increased productivity.
When CAD came along it changed the
Cited: Vontrei, Jordan “How useful is CAD software to Engineers & Architects”? Ezine Articles June 16, 2010 http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Useful-is-CAD-Software-to-Engineers-and-Architects?&id=4495298 Peddie, Jon “CAD Industry in slow recovery” Jon Peddie Research May 10, 2010 http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100510005738/en/JPR%C2%A0Report-CAD-Industry-Slow-Recovery Rampell, Catherine “A “Big Three” failure & U.S. auto making” Economix, November 19, 2008 http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/why-a-big-three-failure-wouldnt-kill-us-auto-making/ “CAD Conundrum: Will the industry ever work off of one CAD platform, or should suppliers turn to the next best solution”? Wielgat, Andrea Automotive Industries, December, 2002 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3012/is_12_182/ai_96553943/