CAD design has revolutionized the world of design with better productivity and quality. But if you don’t have a good workflow, you’re not taking full advantage of the technology’s possibilities.
A CAD designer has to deal with complex projects that require great attention to detail. They need to be efficient but have little margin for error.
By improving your skills and workflow, you’ll be elevating every future project to higher standards of quality and be able to work as fast as ever.
Read this article for 5 essential tips on how to boost your CAD skills and workflow.
1. Preparation Is Key
One of the best productivity tips when it comes to CAD is to plan things out. Create a blueprint with clear objectives. This way, at the end of the day, you’ll be able to measure how productive you’ve been.
It doesn’t feel good to miss out on the goals you’ve set. If you don’t fulfill your day’s objectives, the feeling of failure will drive you forward to better yourself.
Create to-do lists with different levels of priority. Use an online tool that you can color code. This will help you structure your day and have a clear idea of what you’re doing at any given time.
Make plans at the beginning of the day and have a debriefing at the end.
2. Use the Best Tools
Stay on top of your projects by learning how to use the best tools available. Get into 3D CAD design to take your CAD skills to the next level.
Additionally, make use of every resource you have at your disposal. That means leveraging e-learning to grow your team’s know-how. It’s accessible, quick, and there’s an incredible wealth of information.
Furthermore, join online communities to take advantage of worldwide expertise. But don’t neglect in-house training. Lift up your team by having more experienced members teach newer ones.
3. Start With a Template
Put your CAD design software to good use by starting new drawings with a template. Create a few templates with all of your text styles, dims, layers, and so on.
It’ll save you tons of time and will allow you to standardize your drawings. Your clients will know what to expect quality-wise and you’ll gain more consistency across the board.
4. Use Layers
Using layers is essential for other people to be able to work with your drawings. If you put everything at layer 0 you complicate everyone else’s task and waste precious time.
It’s good practice to use a standard naming system. It’ll improve clarity and foster teamwork.
5. Dimension as Needed
This is a good tip when it comes to CAD drafting in general. Make sure your drawings are easy to understand by not including too much information.
Some CAD designers have a tendency to over-annotate and over-dimension their drawings. Instead of being helpful, they become cluttered. Strive for balance by removing repetitive dimensions.
Grow Your CAD Design Skills
To improve your CAD design workflow, start by being well-prepared. Having a plan does wonders for your clarity of mind, which allows you to perform at your best.
Use templates, layers, and don’t over dimension. They will save you tons of time and make your drawings a lot easier to understand for everyone else. You’ll raise your standards of quality and work faster.
Lastly, upgrade your software and make use of 3D CAD design.
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