What is CAD?
CAD (Computer aided design or Computer aided drafting) is a computer drawing software for making digital drawings. Since the evolution of CAD, many CAD softwares have been introduced but the most widely used is AutoCAD. It has become an industry standard to use CAD drawings. However, since AutoCAD is very complex to use, it requires special training to make use of its advanced functionalities. Apart from AutoCAD, there are many other CAD softwares like microstation, vectorworks.
What is Paper?
By paper here, we mean to say hard drawings or drawings made on paper. Before the evolution of CAD, all the drawings were made on paper. But ever since CAD has been introduced, the scenario has been changed completely and all drawings are made in digital format with the help of CAD software.
What is Paper to CAD?
The conversion of hard drawings into digital drawings is called as “Paper to CAD”. This can be done in two ways. The most basic way is doing it manually that is redrawing the paper drawing. This is done by trained CAD drafters. The second approach is automatic conversion. This done by scanning the paper drawings into image and then using a raster to vector conversion software to convert these image formatted drawings into CAD format. However, this is not fully automated and its accuracy varies from software to software used. The conversion is also called as PDF to CAD conversion, PDF to DWG conversion, Scan to CAD conversion etc.
What is the need for Paper to CAD?
The main and foremost reason to convert paper drawing to digital drawing is the storage. CAD format drawings are easier to store and does not wear and tear over the time as in the case of conventional paper drawings.
