How many people hand-draw schematics anymore? (versus CAD)

[TheQuietOne]

I myself can't use CAD but just wanted to know because I think it is much more fun and artistic. (maybe I'm just the weird mechanic).

 

[Nidum]

I myself can't use CAD

Why ?

 

[TheQuietOne]

too much space taken on both laptops

 

[Bystander]

I always "free-hand" first --- work the kinks out before I actually get to design stages.

 

[TheQuietOne]

Plus working all those hours putting and erasing even the smallest details for hours on a screen sounds tedious and boring (boring as in a hole in my brain!)

 

[TheQuietOne]

no offense

 

[billy_joule]

Plus working all those hours putting and erasing even the smallest details for hours on a screen sounds tedious and boring (boring as in a hole in my brain!)

You'll hate paper drafting even more then, there's no ctrl x, ctrl v, ctrl c, etc etc on paper. Drawings can be done once and then auto update whenever design changes are made to the part files. Nearly everything about CAD makes the design and drafting process faster, easier and less tedious. That's the whole point of CAD.

 

[TheQuietOne]

hand drawing is a good time killer though

 

[billy_joule]

hand drawing is a good time killer though

If your intention is to kill time then I guess paper is better.
My intention is to be productive, so I use CAD.
Businesses also prefer productivity to time killing which is why paper drafting ( bar a quick sketch) went like the typewriter; obsolete.

 

[Tommyboyblitz]

When i was in college 15 odd years ago they started teaching us technical drawing. Half way through the course they stopped binned the lot and consentrated on cad. They said no one uses technical drawing anymore. Which is true, unless you are doing it for yourself you should use cad. Although sketching an idea before putting it into cad is always useful.

 

[timpani]

Old school, by hand.

 

[Fervent Freyja]

The only experience I have with CAD was from a sequence course in high school. Unfortunately, I have forgotten anything I may have learned and do see myself having to relearn it in the future. I do prefer drawing and writing by hand, but using software is much better; my biggest issue is not knowing how to use it when I do need it. I do enjoy trying out other drawing software that isn't so hardcore, for sketching and playing. I use drawing for many daily things, it's a habit. When my Husband tore down the kitchen and rebuilt it, he used my hand-drawn blueprints and I was able to determine required materials almost exactly (keeping in-line with the budget). I don't exactly need a computer to draw a diagram of how I will redecorate, rearrange my furniture, or when I plan a party. By hand is easier in those cases. I don't have a job drafting and designing, if I did, then I would probably prefer CAD.

 

[jack action]

With CAD, you draw one 3D object and you can:

• Make multiple views for the drawings. Change the object and all drawings update automatically;
• Feed the object's data to a FEA program;
• Feed the object's data to a CNC machine or 3D printer and get the actual part.

By hand:

• You have to create a set a of data based on your drawings to feed FEA and CNC programs, which might lead to errors;
• For a bigger chance of errors, have humans interpret your drawings to machine it. This is true for every copy you machine;
• Change one dimension and you need to redo all views for your drawings and create new set of data for FEA and CNC.

 

[Randy Beikmann]

It all depends. For playing with ideas, I can draw several rough schematics by hand in the time you'd do it once in CAD. Once I get the right idea, CAD is great for accuracy, editing, and documenting.

Regardless, I still feel more creative with a pencil than a mouse. They say the same about taking notes by hand vs. typing: people retain learning better by writing.

 

[Joe591]

With us there are production drawings that are standardised and that are done on cad and then there are little one off jobs where you just make a quick hand sketch of whatever needs to be made. Cad takes too long for small one off's, quick hand sketches are better for this

 

[Dr.D]

As an elderly man, I've lost the use of my hands for find details like drawing. I am forced to use CAD to make any sort of sketch or drawing. I'd much rather be able to have the option of doing it by hand; by hand is vastly quicker if not quite as neat .