Geometry and Graphics as CAD Prerequisite in Engineering Education

The present time can be characterized as an era of digital revolution which has resulted in a creativity burst in different design applications. Rapid advancements in Information Technology (IT) are still under way and are widely used to communicate design projects practically in all areas of engineering. The paper deals with an exploration of some elements of IT – how they can be integrated into university curricula. In academic courses contemporary Computer Aided Design (CAD) knowledge basically is about the development of both computer aided design and problem solving skills in the context with fast changing CAD media. It becomes more difficult to teach the common principles behind individual software which is general and will most likely survive ever-changing software versions. Limited university class contact hours for the subjects do not allow development of detailed courses for the training of particular software. This study presents the evaluation of the capability of the architectural and mechanical engineering students for their problem solving skills. Statistical analysis of the data revealed strong linear correlation between the time to complete particular exercises and preliminary CAD competence level among the students, thus clearly demonstrating the significance of CAD training in effective usage of software