Hand Drafting vs. Autocad
Crystal Rogers
Cathy Rodriguez
English & Composition
September 5, 2007
Hand-Drafting vs. AutoCAD Over the years, there has been little technological advancement in architecture and interior design methods of creating drafted plans. The most significant improvement has been the development of computer aided drafting and design, or CADD. There are many notable advantages and disadvantages when comparing the use of hand-drafting and CADD drafting for creating completed design plans. When hand-drafting, speed is a time consuming issue. Drafting by hand requires a great deal of time, even for skilled drafters. Each line in the drawing must be extremely accurate. Creating each line with this kind of accuracy takes time because the drafter must measure each line using a drafting scale to the finest point of measurement. Any flaw in this area can be catastrophic to the completed project. Every letter and dimension placed in the plan must be legible, and appropriately placed so that every user of the document can refer to their particular section of the project. AutoCAD, a popular CADD computer software, has almost eliminated many of the problems with speed. Using a few simple mouse-clicks or commands, lines that are no longer needed can be easily erased. Objects such as windows and doors can be copied and placed elsewhere in the drawings quickly and efficiently. Using an offset command, parallel lines used for walls and other architectural items are created automatically. There are many other commands that can greatly reduce the time it takes to draft a design plan. AutoCAD uses an automatic ruler that displays line dimensions while drawing, eliminating the need to measure and re-measure while drawing. Accuracy within a drawing is very important when creating plans. Hand-drafting leaves much room for error. If the drafter 's pencil slips by even a millimeter, the entire plan could be inaccurate. If the mistake goes unnoticed, the finished
Cathy Rodriguez
English & Composition
September 5, 2007
Hand-Drafting vs. AutoCAD Over the years, there has been little technological advancement in architecture and interior design methods of creating drafted plans. The most significant improvement has been the development of computer aided drafting and design, or CADD. There are many notable advantages and disadvantages when comparing the use of hand-drafting and CADD drafting for creating completed design plans. When hand-drafting, speed is a time consuming issue. Drafting by hand requires a great deal of time, even for skilled drafters. Each line in the drawing must be extremely accurate. Creating each line with this kind of accuracy takes time because the drafter must measure each line using a drafting scale to the finest point of measurement. Any flaw in this area can be catastrophic to the completed project. Every letter and dimension placed in the plan must be legible, and appropriately placed so that every user of the document can refer to their particular section of the project. AutoCAD, a popular CADD computer software, has almost eliminated many of the problems with speed. Using a few simple mouse-clicks or commands, lines that are no longer needed can be easily erased. Objects such as windows and doors can be copied and placed elsewhere in the drawings quickly and efficiently. Using an offset command, parallel lines used for walls and other architectural items are created automatically. There are many other commands that can greatly reduce the time it takes to draft a design plan. AutoCAD uses an automatic ruler that displays line dimensions while drawing, eliminating the need to measure and re-measure while drawing. Accuracy within a drawing is very important when creating plans. Hand-drafting leaves much room for error. If the drafter 's pencil slips by even a millimeter, the entire plan could be inaccurate. If the mistake goes unnoticed, the finished
Cited: "AutoCAD." Last updated 2007; Autodesk; Accessed 3 Sep. 2007. http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=2704278 "Staedtler Design and Layout Kit." Last updated 2007; Dick Blick Art Materials; Accessed 3 Sep. 2007. http://www.dickblick.com/zz557/20/