Advantages and Disadvantages Of Using AutoCAD

AutoCAD is a computer-aided software drafting program. It is utilized for various applications like making plans for buildings, bridges and PC chips to give some examples. AutoCAD is 2D and 3D computer-aided drafting programming application. It is commercial software. Since 1982 it was a desktop application. Since 2010, it is accessible as a portable, web and cloud-based application and known as AutoCAD 360.

In this articles brief description about advantages of Autocad and Disadvantages of AutoCAD is given :

Advantages of Using AutoCAD

1. A mid range Software
2. User Friendly
3. Fulfills most of the professional needs of a mechanical engineer
4. Lots of Time saving (but not always)
5. Paperless Environment
6. Ease of Accuracy — e.g. joining of lines head to head is not possible manually with desired accuracy
7. Easy to edit
8. Ease of Repetition / Addition
9. Reproduction of Drawing is easy, rapid and reliable in terms of dimensional accuracy and precision.
10. 2D and 3D production of drawings is very easy.
11. Zoom Command Facility allows us to see the minute details on larger scale view.
12. A facility of Modeling and making Parts library is available.
13. Parent – Child relationship allows multiple editing in single command, means if one part is edited all other linked parts are auto edited
14. Data handling, data storage and data sorting become very easy in soft form as compared to the conventional Printing and filing.
15. Data transmission to distant and remote areas is very easy and economical via emailing and link sharing.
16. Layers option allows us to hide or show some specific details of a complex assembly drawing for clear understanding.
17. There is no limitation of a Drawing size. You can draw a 2 light years long line through proper scale stetting.
18. Auto scale option is available. Full scale drawings can be formed.
19. Geometrical relationship can make quick mathematical operations easy, e. g. you can make an inscribed circle using dimensions of the triangle or polygon etc.
20. BOM or BOQ can be produced with accuracy
21. Mass, Area, Volume, Center of Gravity can be calculated
22. Auto Dimensioning – easy, accurate and rapidly done within no time.
23. Dimension Standards are strictly followed
24. Bullion operation is possible.
25. Copy, scale, Move, Stretch, rotate, Pattern commands make the task simple and easy
26. Draw Guiding through Osnap, Ortho etc.
27. Direct and Quick Drawing of Symmetrical objects. e.g circle, ellipse, polygon rectangles and triangles etc.
28. Geometrical Relationships are possible. Like two parallel lines, Tangent lines, perpendicular lines etc.
29. Fixed line thickness throughout the drawing. —– remember that, ”by default, the line thickness of auto Cad is zero”
30. Fill, Hatch, Section lines, Chamfer and fillet commands make the software a blessing as these operations are very difficult in manual drafting.
31. Adding Text – Lettering – is a big facility
32. Images can be imported and traced out for digitization of conventional diagrams and drawings.

Disadvantages of Using AutoCAD

1. Expensive equipment is required. like Computer, Plotter, big screen monitor etc.
2. Registered software is expensive and it requires a heavy re-occurring annual fee.
3. Equipment is fragile, can be damaged drastically.
4. Continuous Updating of the equipment and software is needed.
5. Electricity is mandatory for running the equipment which is a big issue for third world countries like Pakistan which is facing a severe power crises these days.
6. Data storage is also fragile — high probability of data corruption, data loss is a big threat for all soft form data banks. To overcome this potential disaster, experts suggest “Mirroring of Data” that is storage of data on multi hard drives on multiple locations which involves a big capital allocation. Some disaster data recovery systems can also be implied to recover the lost data.
7. Piracy and hacking threats are always there when you use internet for data transfer or even storage of data on a computer which is connected to internet.
8. Special computer Skills are required.
9. Proper Maintenance, supervision and administration is required for computer networking.

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