Questions about CAD?

Esther and Angela are collaborating on an article on how to select a CAD (computer aided drafting) system for your business. If you have any questions that you know you’d want answered, please leave them in comments. Thanks!

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7 comments

  1. Dave Kessinger says:

    RE: CAD

    I’m a new in the beginning steps of the process of becoming a DE, however, I’m very familiar with CAD as I work in the aerospace industry.

    My questions are about being able to save the file in various file types for output. The major reason being the ability to go to shops that specialize in printing large drawings thus being able to avoid the cost of purchasing a high priced printer and attendant supplies. Also the ability to have patterns printed on various media for durability.

    Next is the ability for the ability to globally scale a drawing – in effect enlarging or shrinking a drawing through a global command. e.g. 110% or 90% Many articles on this site discuss how you can’t just ‘add to’ or ‘subtract from’ a pattern because curves grow or shrink due depending on whether or not they are concave or convex. But a global adjustment has everything adjusting proportionately.

    Do any of the prorams having nesting capabiities for maximizing material utilization?

    Lastly would be the ability to import scanned images and rasterize them. For example, literally taking a garment apart, scanning the pieces and converting to a drawing. This would give a starting point for modification. This could also be done with a pattern.

    Thanks

    Dave Kessinger
    Resident Supplier Quality Representative
    Israel and Greece
    (Home is Texas)

  2. Julie Knox says:

    After reading Dave’s comment, I think a bit about how CAD for fashion design is different than CAD in other industries, particularly digitizing and grading patterns, but also the ‘standard’ kinds of manipulation used in pattern drafting eg. ‘slash and spread’, ‘pivot a dart’ etc. and comparison of how easy they are to apply in different programs.

    I’m also interested in more info on what kind of problems people have with CAD – what kind of ‘shortcuts’ and ‘bad patternmaking’ problems are they that have given CAD a bad name?

  3. Stacy says:

    If you have specific questions about CAD, I have worked in manufacturing and for CAD software companies for 20 years. I have been to smallest and largest of companies and seen all product types. I have run my own service bureau as well – doing all jobs from grading, pattern making, markers and automated cutting. Let me know if you need help.

  4. leina says:

    Hi, I have a very small patternmaking studio in Australia and am currently doing the transition to offer my services using CAD not manually. Lectra and Gerber are way outside my budget. Does anyone have any comments regarding “Style CAD” or “PAD”? Have you heard of them overseas?
    Any feedback or comments would be greatly appreciated

  5. leina says:

    Hi, I have a very small patternmaking studio in Australia and am currently doing the transition to offer my services using CAD not manually. Lectra and Gerber are way outside my budget. Does anyone have any comments regarding “Style CAD” or “PAD”? Have you heard of them overseas?
    Any feedback or comments would be greatly appreciated

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