AutoCAD Text: Introduction to AutoCAD1.1 OverviewIf nature didnt make it someone using Autodesk design software probably did.No doubt AutoCAD-based product was used in the design and maintenance of much of what you see around youand much of what you dont see, including your buildings HVAC and electrical systems, the surrounding landscaping and your telecommunication network.AutoCAD is a powerful 2D and 3D design and drafting platform that automates your design tasks, and provides digital tools so you can focus on the design rather than the software itself. Architects, engineers, drafters, and design-related professionals use AutoCAD to create, view, manage, plot, share, and reuse accurate, information-rich drawings.AutoCAD: The foundation for collaborative designAutoCAD supercharges your design process, unlocking the value of your design data at every step of the way. In fact, AutoCAD offers:Powerful design tools to enhance productivity and performance.New ways to help you connect and collaborate with your design teamand extend the reach of your design data.New tools to help you manage your corporate design standards. Evolved deployment and integration features and advanced license management tools to help you use your Autodesk software assets for a greater ROI.System RequirementsRecommended System RequirementsThe recommended operating system for AutoCAD is intel Pentium or AMD K6- 450MHz-basesd PCMicrosoft windows XP Professional, Windows Millennium Edition, or windows NT 4.0(SP5 or later)128MB RAM200MB free disk spaceVGA display of 1024768 or higherMouse or other pointing deviceCD-ROM driveLess capable machines (such as Pentium 233) can run AutoCAD, but the results may be less than ideal. Sufficient swap space id also required installation of AutoCAD as well as any data or drawing files saved. The use of additional memory or faster processors will improve performance and capacity.2.2 CAD/CAM CAD/CAM is a term which means computer aided design and computer- aided manufacturing. It is the technology concerned with the use of digital computers to perform certain functions in design and production. This technology is moving in the direction greater integration of design and manufacturing, two activities which have traditionally been treated as distinct and separate functions in a production firm. Ultimately, CAD/CAM will provide the technology base for the computer-integrated factory of the future. Computer-aided design (CAD) can be defined as the use of computer systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. The computer systems consist of user firm. The CAD hardware typically includes the computer, one or more graphics display terminals, keyboards, and other peripheral equipment. The CAD software consists of the computer programs to implement computer graphics on the system plus application programs to facilitate the engineering functions of the user company. Examples of these application programs include stress-strain analysis of components, dynamic response of mechanisms, heat-transfer calculations, and numerical control part programming. The collection of application programs will vary from one user firm to the next because their product lines, manufacturing processes, and customer markets are different. These factors give rise to differences in CAD system requirements. Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) can be defined as the use of computer systems to plan, manage, and control the operations of a manufacturing plant through either direct or indirect computer interface with the plants production resources. As indicated by the definition, the applications of computer-aided manufacturing fall into two broad categories: 1)Computer monitoring and control. These are the direct applications in which the computer is connected directly to the manufacturing process for the purpose of monitoring or controlling the process. 2)Manufacturing support applications. These are the indirect application in which the computer is used in support of the production operations in the plant, but there is no direct interface between the computer and the manufacturing process. INCREASING DRAFTING PRODUCTIVITY CAD/CAM system can entail a whole new set of drafting philosophies, all of which enhance productivity. For instance, most systems now on the market have a number of built-in functions that make new and useful drafting techniques automatic. Layering, for example, enables drafters to create drawings in logical segments tha