If you’ve ever been exposed to or thought about getting into the design industry, you’ve likely heard of AutoCAD. But what exactly is it, and why is it such a big deal?
AutoCAD is a computer-aided drafting program used for many different design processes. Its usage centers around drawing with electronic equivalents of real-life drafting tools. The added support of digital precision helps with measurements and calculations, 3D components, and data sharing.
The software is notable because it was the first CAD program developed for PC use (instead of industrial computers) in the 1980s. With computer hardware becoming more capable, the company behind AutoCAD, Autodesk, wanted to make CAD accessible to more people.
AutoCAD has remained the dominant program in many design industries because it’s continuously updated. There’s a new version released every year, and new features are always being added. A large part of its success can be credited to the diversity of design tasks supported by the software. Throughout the rest of this article, we’ll walk you through the most important details of the software suite as well as its many uses.
An AutoCAD license is available through subscription plans, and there are a few options to choose from:
AutoCAD is available for both Windows and MacOS. Below are the recommended specifications:
The main reason users say that AutoCAD is hard to learn is that the user interface is complex and seemingly not arranged in an intuitive way for those who haven’t used it before. Unfortunately, AutoCAD’s cluttered appearance only gets worse if you’re using a smaller screen!
Of course, that’s just an initial perception people may have. Once you learn the different areas of the UI and what kind of tools and functions they contain, things become much clearer. Here’s a quick overview of the different areas of the main workspace:
AutoCAD’s core competency is 2D design. Its workspace is basically a drafting desk on your computer, and this hasn’t changed since its introduction. At the same time, AutoCAD has kept up with the times. When computer-aided 3D design became popular, AutoCAD integrated corresponding capabilities into the rest of its feature toolbox.
In support of both 2D and 3D design, AutoCAD features a range of commands that help with precision, such as centering lines and marks automatically calculated from your design size and placement, drawing dimensions that can be set to fixed proportions, and geometric arrays that help you more quickly replicate patterns.
For working in 3D, AutoCAD offers a variety of ways to view your design so you can work on it from every angle. Whatever dimension you’re in, the software automatically saves useful design data for sharing and future reference. We’ll talk about specific features that are especially interesting in more detail later.
AutoCAD is meant for a wide range of design-based purposes, so even its base program has a lot of features and functions. The following are our favorites, divided into usage categories so you can understand their role in the AutoCAD process.
There are specialized toolsets included in AutoCAD to improve productivity across seven different studies:
AutoCAD is known for its high learning curve among computer-aided drafting forums. New users often feel overwhelmed by the number of buttons, tools, and features presented to them all at once. However, many users have found that the best way to get past this hurdle is through a step-by-step tutorial, whether from an official Autodesk video or an experienced user.
In order to make the interface more manageable, it’s important to organize the tools and features that you use most often. One way to do this is to customize the ribbons and palettes so that your most-used commands are easily accessible, while the ones you use less are hidden away. Additionally, adding tools to the Quick Access Toolbar provides quick access to frequently used tools – the layering tool, for example, allows you to switch between different layers of your drawing.
It’s worth noting that to customize the UI to your advantage, you must be familiar with AutoCAD’s tools and how they fit into your workflow. Fortunately, there are plenty of tutorials, both official and from other sources, that can give you a comprehensive overview of the software.
AutoCAD’s versatility and ability to be customized to individual needs is likely a contributing factor to its longevity and popularity in the industry. It’s remarkable to see how everyone adapts and customizes the software in their own way, which probably adds points to the longevity of the software.
AutoCAD advertises itself as key software for the entire design market, which gives it a huge audience. In particular, many industries that heavily rely on design precision use AutoCAD for its mathematical reliability. For example, architecture and aeronautics are two fields that rely on exact measurements, components that fit together, and working on a large scale to build stable structures.
Other types of engineering, such as mechanical and electrical, also require a program that allows them to design as big or as small as they need without compromising precision. In addition to its more industrial usages, AutoCAD is also heavily used on the creative side for graphic, interior, and even stage design, allowing designers to visualize everything from a design’s big picture to its smallest details.
Studio GLDN, a California-based company founded in 2018, uses AutoCAD for remodeling and interior design. The founder, Danielle Golden Irby, says AutoCAD is her choice for project development because of how customizable it is and how automated the work process becomes.
Another example is Winch Design, a company that designs yachts, buildings, and private airplane interiors. AutoCAD is used throughout the entire design process, from sketching the gist of a project down to refining millimeter-level details.
AutoCAD has a good formal support system for users of all skill levels. In addition to the personalized troubleshooting tech support available with whatever subscription level you choose, you can always check out Autodesk’s website for the AutoCAD user community. It has both user forums and official training materials that cover the gamut of AutoCAD issues.
However, since AutoCAD is so ubiquitous and has been for decades at this point, there are a ton of unofficial user forums to search if Autodesk’s website doesn’t answer your question – for example, Reddit’s thread on AutoCAD. There are also a lot of YouTubers who post videos of tricks, tips, and walk-throughs of specific AutoCAD tasks.
Chances are if you’ve had a problem, so has someone else.
It’s easy to get the impression that AutoCAD is the only computer-aided drafting software option out there, but don’t fret if you want to use something else. There are several alternatives that have grown out of the same PC-based CAD movement and strive to improve areas of AutoCAD that users don’t like, such as its high price and steep learning curve.
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