Required features of CAD system as a real design tool

In this paper, the limitations of the current CAD systems are reviewed and the required features they should have to become a real design tool are identified. Current CAD systems are good enough to be used as a tool to manipulate three-dimensional shapes. This is a very important capability to be owned by a design tool because a major portion of designers’ activities is spent on the shape manipulation in the design detailing process. However, the whole design process involves a lot more than the shape manipulation. Currently, these remaining tasks, mostly logical reasoning process, are processed in the designer’s brain. This is one of the reasons why current CAD systems are not considered as the real design tool. The research activities being performed at Seoul National University to overcome this limitation are discussed in this presentation. Their goal is to provide the current CAD systems with the capabilities for design process modeling, evolutionary design using design intent and accumulated information, and case-based reasoning.