Engineering Document Management, Viewing and Conversion Software - Trix Systems Header

Home    Products    Support    Order    Contact    Site Map    Conversion Services

Member Provanum Group
Trix Systems Phone Numbers USA 978-256-4445 UK (0)20 7193 7445 Sweden (0)10 451 0500
 

 

What is CAD (or CADD)?

CAD is an acronym that, depending on who you ask, can stand for:

   Need to use a CAD file without a CAD application?

Try Trix DrawingCenter software
     
Computer Aided Design. Computer Aided Drafting.
Computer Assisted Design. Computer Assisted Drafting.
Computer Assisted Design and Drafting. Computer Aided Design and Drafting.

There are many CAD software applications (see our links to vendors). These replicate the old drafting board as a means to draw and create designs. As CAD applications run on computers they provide a great deal more functionality than a drafting board -- and a great deal more complexity. The lines and text created in CAD are vectors. This means their shapes and positions are described in mathematical terms. These vectors are stored on computer systems in CAD files.
 
  There are a great many different file formats for CAD. Most CAD applications produce their own proprietary file format. The CAD applications from Autodesk, Inc. are used widely. As a result their DWG format is very common. Many other CAD applications from other vendors can produce and open DWG files, as well as their own proprietary formats.

CAD data is often exchanged using DXF format. When CAD drawings are sent to printers the format commonly used is HPGL. HPGL files typically have the extension .plt.

Trix DrawingCenter software can be used to open, view, markup and print the common DWG, DXF, DWF and HPGL CAD format files. We also offer PDF conversion solutions.

 
  Copyright 1996-2013, Trix Systems Inc. All rights reserved. The Trix Systems logo, Trix Systems and Trix DrawingCenter are trademarks of Trix Systems AB. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Trix Systems is a member of the Provanum AB group of companies. Legal restrictions and terms of use apply to this website - see Legal Notice. Revised to 05/07/2013.