Appreciation post: I just read that the first CAD software was made in the 1960s for the car industry

I was reading this old article about the history of drafting (you know, just for fun, I'm a nerd like that) and it said the first real CAD program was made by a guy at GM back in 1963. It was called DAC-1. That blew my mind a bit, because I always thought CAD was a much newer thing, like from the 80s or 90s. It makes total sense though, thinking about how complex car designs are. It's wild to think draftsmen back then were using light pens on these giant screens, basically inventing the rules we all still follow today. It really puts into perspective how much the tools have changed but the core ideas are still the same. I guess I just have a new respect for the old heads who figured this stuff out with way less computer power than my phone has. Has anyone else stumbled on a piece of drafting history that made you stop and think?

3 comments

3 Comments

carr.elliot8h ago

Ever see those old drafting machines with all the arms and think how did they even?

the_mary7h ago

Right, @carr.elliot, those things look like torture to use.

elliot_johnson315h ago

Read an article once about how they used to make blueprints with ammonia printers. The smell was supposed to be awful, like cat pee and chemicals. Makes you realize how good we have it now, just hitting print. Those old guys dealt with a lot of nasty stuff just to get a drawing done.