The State of Drafting and Design
We are two years into the new century, and it seems things are changing all around us in the field of drafting and design. ADDA as well as many other professional groups have concluded that drafting and design will be going through one of the greatest changes in the history of the profession.
Those changes are simple and absolutely necessary for the survival of the profession. We must get back to the basics of training. Over the last fifteen to twenty years we have pushed the use of computers and software to help the working drafters and designers. [an error occurred while processing this directive]ADDA has found there is no artificial intelligence that can replace that of a good drafter and designer.
The facts are there is no such thing as artificial intelligence. Computers are as simple as things come. No matter how sophisticated the software, the computer still operates on a series of 1’s and 0’s. No matter what new software or programs emerge, they will all operate underneath the platform on this very simple process, and there is always a person that creates this process to make the software and platforms work as we see them.
This computer revolution pushed the envelope of drafting and design. Programmers produced massive amounts of software to do almost every type of visualization that can be imagined. Through promotions and good strategic marketing, CADD was presented as the greatest development since the wheel. Companies could manufacture at maximum speed and buildings could be drafted in a matter of a few days. One would never have to draw a detail twice, and a computer would replace all the drafters. The engineers would be able to recall a product that was drawn months ago, and with a few clicks, have a new product ready for production or construction.
The problem with the great invention of CADD is intelligence. It would not, and could not determine if an error occurred in the design process. It did not know the dimensions of a Number 1 taper, or that you were putting a square peg in a round hole. CADD cannot determine the correct line style or line weight required. It does not know the rules of drafting, the proper height, width, or depth of an object. It cannot pick the proper electrical symbol or determine if the doors in a house meet the proper code requirements.
All this, to say, we have developed and become dependent on some of the best equipment ever invented for the drafting and design industry but that equipment cannot replace the skills of a trained drafter or designer.
Related sites: • AEC Newsroom • Digital CAD
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