BimScaler Blog – CAD software is constantly evolving as technology advances. With new innovations on the horizon, the industry is ready for a revolution. These innovations, ranging from AI-powered design tools to cloud-based collaboration platforms, have the potential to change the way we create and innovate with CAD software.
Let’s dig deeper into the five key trends that are expected to shape the future of CAD software and keep you ahead of the curve.
1. Integration of AI and Machine Learning
AI and machine learning are increasingly integrated into CAD software to enhance design capabilities, automate repetitive tasks, and optimise designs. AI technologies can analyse data to identify patterns and create models, making the design process more efficient and accurate.
The integration of AI and CAD can significantly speed up product development by incorporating reasoning and decision-making capabilities.
While not all design projects are exactly the same, AI implementations should be tailored to each project for optimal results. For design or production processes that can use an integrated CAD-AI system, the investment involved in creating a CAD-AI system will provide rich rewards. AI can function as a design automation tool for well-defined design tasks, using model-based reasoning (MBR) to predict interactions between connected components within a design.
AI in CAD software can capture the proficiency of experts through the non-numerical cognitive processes of pattern matching and decision-making models. With that, CAD software can perform tasks such as synthesis, diagnosis, planning, interpretation, and execution of designs automatically.
In CAD/CAM, AI-driven tools can optimize the design and manufacturing processes, resulting in minimal errors and making it easier for engineers to create designs that are both economical and functional.
It can analyse large amounts of data and make intelligent decisions in real-time, generating optimised toolpaths and selecting the best manufacturing techniques based on material selection and production goals. AI-driven CAD/CAM integration can automate various tasks and optimise the manufacturing process, from concept to creation.
With the rise of AI, some of you might even be wondering, Will AI replace CAD designers?
Thankfully, artificial intelligence is unlikely to replace CAD designers. Even with new generative design technology, AI is still unable to produce designs as precise as those created by a human designer.
However, AI can help us become more efficient and productive by automating repetitive tasks, allowing designers to focus on creative problem solving. Established brands can also use AI to create more visual content faster.
The integration of AI in CAD software is also used in a variety of industries, including the construction process. Find out more in our previous article, ‘CAD in Construction: Its Role, Applications, and Benefits‘.
2. Cloud-Based CAD Solutions
While cloud-based CAD software is not a new concept, the industry is increasingly adopting this type of solution as cloud computing and internet speeds improve. According to Scan2CAD, cloud-based CAD solutions have their origins in web-enabled or web CAD software from the late twentieth century.
CATIA Version 4 Release 1.7 was released in 1996 by Dassault Systèmes. This release included Conferencing Groupware, which allowed teams to review, annotate, and revise designs collaboratively using video conferencing.
Following that, the company rolled out CATweb solutions. These online tools allow users to view and review CAD or CAM drawings and models. It also grants other users access to critical information.
Nowadays, cloud-based CAD solutions have become increasingly popular due to their accessibility, collaboration features, and ability to streamline design processes. Additionally, advancements in technology have made it easier for users to access CAD software from anywhere with an internet connection.
Some popular cloud-based CAD software options include Fusion 360, OnShape, and the AutoCAD Web app. These tools offer a range of capabilities, from 2D drafting and 3D modelling to collaboration features and AI-driven design enhancements.
3. Advanced Simulation and Analysis
CAD software was initially built as a 2D drafting tool. However, as technology advances, CAD has become the go-to solution for every design problem, including engineers and designers looking to simulate and analyse complex designs before production.
With the advancement of computational technology, CAD systems gave rise to 3D modelling software, which allowed engineers to view designs in a computer-generated environment and investigate their shape, size, and functionality.
Concurrently, CAE (computer-aided engineering) software with finite element analysis (FEA) tools started to appear in the 1970s. With the use of this computational technique, engineers were able to anticipate performance, simulate and analyse intricate structural behaviours, and find possible design flaws before building physical prototypes.
Nowadays, engineers have access to extensive virtual testing. The advancement in CAE software allows engineers to do other analyses like electromagnetics, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and more.
This allows for more accurate predictions of how a product will perform in real-world conditions, saving time and resources in the development process.
Some popular CAD software solutions with advanced simulation and analysis capabilities include Siemens NX Advanced Simulation, SolidWorks Simulation, PTC Creo Simulation, and Autodesk Inventor 3D CAD software. These tools provide a range of simulation and analysis features to help engineers design and optimise products more efficiently and effectively.
4. Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) Integration
One could argue that AR and VR are the modern day’s new technologies. For this reason, although it is becoming more and more popular, the incorporation of AR and VR into CAD software is not as widespread as other emerging trends. The high investment cost of the devices is one of the reasons why this trend is being adopted slowly by the industry.
Even with that, the integration of AR and VR technologies allows users to visualise and interact with 3D models in a more immersive and intuitive way.
Some popular CAD software solutions with AR/VR integration include SOLIDWORKS eDrawings, which allows users to visualise designs in VR and AR environments, and TechViz, which provides a 15-day trial for visualising CATIA V5 models in VR. Other companies, like Virtalis and Meta, are also using HOOPS SDKs from Tech Soft 3D to build successful AR and VR applications.
In the future, we can expect to see more advanced AR/VR integration in CAD software, with capabilities such as real-time analysis, automated design optimisation, and even AI-driven design enhancements. This will further enhance the design process and enable engineers and designers to create more innovative and efficient products.
5. Sustainability and Green Design
Sustainability and green design in CAD software are becoming increasingly important as the world shifts towards more eco-friendly practices. Sustainable design involves creating objects, buildings, environments, and services that conform to the principles of ecological sustainability, such as maintaining a homeostatic environment, using materials efficiently, and minimising waste.
CAD software can help designers achieve their sustainable design goals by providing features that optimize energy efficiency, support the integration of renewable energy sources, and facilitate the reduction of waste during construction and over the lifespan of a building.
Here are some ways CAD software can support sustainable design:
- Energy analysis: Some CAD software can analyse the energy performance of a building by considering factors such as insulation, renewable energy sources, and energy usage.
- Building Information Modelling (BIM): BIM software like Revit can help designers create and manage 3D models of buildings and infrastructure, allowing for more efficient energy analysis and sustainable design.
- Sustainability standards: Some CAD software extensions, like EcoDesigner STAR for ArchiCAD, comply with major sustainability standards and provide sophisticated simulation engines for energy performance simulations.
- Material selection: CAD software can help designers evaluate materials for environmental impact through lifecycle and cost analyses, identify opportunities for local sourcing, and plan for durability and maintenance.
- Sustainable construction software: Software like cove.tool provides AI-powered consulting and advanced analytics to optimise efficiency and environmental impact in building design.
As the demand for sustainable design grows, CAD software will become increasingly important in assisting designers in creating more environmentally friendly buildings and products. Designers can help create a more sustainable future by utilising the features and tools offered by this software.
That concludes our discussion of CAD software’s future trends. Aside from learning about its future, you might be interested in exploring the use of CAD in industry. While it has many applications, one of the most important is engineering. More information can be found in our previous article, ‘CAD in Engineering: The Role, Features, and Software Options‘.
Conclusion
CAD software has a bright future ahead of it, full of possibilities as technology advances. With features like AI-driven design optimization and immersive AR/VR experiences, CAD software is going through a radical change that will change how we engineer, design, and innovate. Professionals must embrace these new trends, adjust to new processes, and use technology to push the limits of what is feasible in the fields of design and engineering if they are to succeed in this fast-paced environment.
So, are you ready to implement the BIM process for your construction project?
BIMscaler’s consulting and management services will provide you with end-to-end BIM usage for your project, starting with BIM/model management, content management, project start-up, project meetings, and end-user support, including as-built documentation creation.
As a leading Australian provider of BIM services, BIM Scaler assures you of a professional and effective BIM implementation for your building project.
Contact us today to learn how BIMscaler can optimize your construction process.
