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CAD's New Frontier More than an automated drawing tool, CAD makes possible—and practical—a new world of design products. hen Tracy Stigers,Brown drafter in consulting engineering firms. "Now the lead designer/drafter on a and Caldwell's chief engi- "The tools have changed;says project has a central coordinating role, neer for Northern Stigers"and we have changed the way managing design databases and California,sits with a we do things."Before automation,the drawing production,says Stiger. client to negotiate a con- role of drafters,unless they were also Vanderent says"The work used to tract she has to deal with designers,was to create the final presen- flow in one direction—from engineer issues that didn't exist 15 years ago— tation or drawing of the engineers'plans. to drafter.Now the lead CAD designers file compatibility for comput- are bringing information and er-generated design products. innovation to the design team." Computer generated ' "We are always making design files,models,linked sure our technology is Com- data,and three-dimensional patible with the client's tech- designs—information sliced [ nology"he adds.That can be any way the client wants it. a time-consuming project Although CAD(computer task as the demands become aided design)applications more specific. "It's more than have been around for morehaving compatible software; than a decade as a drawing says Stigers. "Clients want tool,the demand for the certain types of linkages information they can provide " between the designs and is increasing. reports so they can pull out ' blow information later that may More than a drawing have nothing to do with the "It used to be that the CAD project at hand." product was a hard copy of the Thus,client demand has design drawfkgs and that was evolved to the point where it"says Barry Vanderent,a the product delivered by the CAD systems analyst at Brown consultant must be flexible and Caldwell.Using CAD gave enough to be manipulated to drafters the flexibility to enter serve another purpose. changes quickly and globally. Vanderent gives as an "Now it's a drawing tool and example equipment lists information manager and extracted from a design, design automation tool,says which can help a construc- Vanderent.its possible to tion manager analyze costs extract a complete equipment and scheduling for the list from the design drawing, project.If a particular valve for example. was not immediately avail- The applications seem able,for example,the manag- unlin ited.Lennon McDuffie, er could get a quick analysis a lead CAD operator at Brown showing the ramifications— and Caldwell[see sidebar], -?, in costs and manhours—of envisions the day when it's using a replacement valve. practical to test all of a plant's Even today,the price or building's tolerances from tag for automation can be a his desk in the company's - - significant piece of a project's Atlanta office. total budget,Stigers says. The availability and capa- \ s That is why the issue of bility of software and options \ exactly what deliverables are for manipulating,presenting, t \\\ , requested or required by the and storing data has shifted client comes up during con- the traditional role of the a – tract negotiations. 4