C.A.D. The first voice of a n e w technology
This publication Computer Aided Design has been created by the publishers Heywood Temple Ltd., to serve as a communication medium for both individuals and companies, in a wide variety of industries, who are concerned with applying the new techniques of design to their special problems. It will serve to introduce potential users to the new equipment and software packages becoming available in this rapidly expanding activity.
The term C-A.D., computer-aided design is used to describe the use of the computer to solve real problems, as distinguished from its conventional role of performing formal mathematical operations. In particular, the rapidly growing application of 'real time' keyboard and graphics terminals to problem solving, where the designer operates in direct interaction with the computer, will have a widespread influence on many contemporary conventional design processes. The designer is now free to experiment with new concepts which can be modified into practical systems, without the costly and sometimes irreversible process of actual model construction and modification. To assist him in his task he may use not only the data storage capabilities of the computer, but also the built in experience of previous designers, retained in the programs available in the software packages.
C-A.D. is of itself a new technology, though at the moment one without recognition in the technical literature of the world. Important information relating to new applications is often buried in the proceedings of general conferences in particular disciplines. However, many problems in totally different fields of design activity have important common factors. These basic identities when prepared for the computer result in programs with many common characteristics. For instance mechanical structures, chemical pipe layouts, and electronic circuits are all fundamental network problems.