Everyone knows about CAD (Computer Aided Design) and its impressive capabilities. With so many digital tools at our disposal, is technical drawing still relevant? In today’s post, we take a closer look at this complex question.
Technical Drawing: Definition and History
As we explained in our previous blog about this topic, technical drawing is a detailed graphic rendition of how something functions or how it is built. Technical drawings are made at a precise scale and include elements that make them unambiguous, meaning that their elements can be interpreted only in one way.
The computer revolution has disrupted almost all areas of human endeavor, and technical drawing is no different.
For five centuries, technical drawings were done by hand. However, things changed in the 20th century with the advent of Computer Aided Design, or CAD.
At least in theory, CAD allows engineers and mechanical designers to create highly detailed technical drawings in two or three dimensions without ever putting pencil to paper.
Is Technical Drawing Still Relevant?
No doubt, the advances in Computed Aided Design have been impressive. Turnaround times have been dramatically compressed while increasing accuracy and flexibility.
With all the above in mind, one would think that technical drawing is destined to go the same way as steam locomotives and film cameras.
And yet, technical drawing remains relevant in our hyper digitized world. Here are some of the reasons why:
- Technical drawing is a shared visual language that allows engineers and designers share and transmit ideas
- Being proficient in manual drafting frees designers from the limitations inherent to a specific software
- Technical drawing helps students get a better grasp of geometry projection and shape generation
- In many industries, technical drawings remain a crucial component of the procurement process
About Darnell Technical
Darnell Technical Services is an engineering design firm with extensive experience in a vast array of projects. Our headquarters are located in Santa Ana, California, and we have an office in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Contact us today by telephone (714-285-0082 (CA), 702-945-2899 (NV)) or through our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to learn more about all the technical instruments and materials we put at your disposal.
