AutoCAD is used in such a variety of design processes that it can be confusing just what the Computer Aided Design package can actually do.
CAD plays a large part in the design & building of flat packed furniture from the item itself, right down to the packaging it goes into.
It is used on a day to day basis in Product Design and in Construction and is recognized as the industry standard that promotes efficiency and productivity for the
companies using the CAD system.
There are companies the world over that offer their furniture flat packed to their customer.
There are two main reasons why this concept works:
1: Cost
Reducing the packaging needed and the transportation expense has a huge benefit to the company and on the environment.
2: Self Assembly
The product almost has to be designed in reverse, with the prime importance being can the end user understand the assembly instructions?
Because the self assembly aspect is so important the designers and manufacturers require the precision of CAD at the beginning of the design process.
To make sure the component are made to the correct size, that the quantities are correct and all the pre-drilled holes are in the right place.
Now the bain of every DIY enthusiast life is the instruction leaflet that comes with the furniture.
These should list the components that are needed and in which order they are to be assembled.
If you don’t read it from cover to cover before you start you may end up with a sculpture that wouldn’t look out of place in the gallery of modern art instead of that
computer table!
But think about this, when you ask a question in a furniture store the staff refer to these leaflets too.
If they are properly compiled then a spare or missing part can be sourced with minimum effort by its article number.
Customer Services know exactly what you’re talking about and can organize replacements.
These assembly instructions can be used worldwide, letting the company achieve global continuity.
All this is generated using AutoCAD and highlights that the initial CAD drawing is used by a variety of people for many different reasons.
Design Services
Have you ever had or wanted your conservatory, kitchen, house or office designed for you?
You will find that the majority of companies offering a design service, be it space planning or interior design, will produce an AutoCAD drawing of their proposed
scheme for you.
The design is then bought by you, it is turned into an order using a system that converts the items that were used in the drawing into a written specification,
so that the drawing and the order are exactly the same. Thus reducing errors in the items sent out.
Images from websites, jpeg/pdf files or scans can all be imported into a CAD drawing to add information where needed.
AutoCAD is so versatile that it allows a variety of media to be used in conjunction with it.
Above anything else AutoCAD represents a uniformed standard that is recognized throughout the Design and Construction industries. The accuracy in the design
processes from the initial concepts through to completed items means that using this system is very cost effective, efficient and accessible by companies needing to
share information.
