WHAT DOES A CAD DESIGNER DO?

The CAD Designer specialized in CAD design, this role involves clarifying and coordinating technical product documentation requirements with superiors, and creating, maintaining, and managing production-ready 3D components and assemblies alongside 2D drawings. Responsibilities also include updating design documents to current standards, independently implementing design specifications, and managing the distribution of design data via a PLM system. This position plays a crucial role in enhancing product presentations, standards, patents, and public image descriptions through the proficient creation of technical documents.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for CAD Designer

1. CAD Designer Duties

  • Leadership and Training: Provide leadership, direction, and training to other CAD personnel.
  • Software Proficiency: Remain informed of the latest software updates and modeling techniques.
  • Mentoring: Mentor other members of the CAD team on modeling, dimensioning, and tolerancing techniques.
  • Project Documentation Coordination: Coordinate the documentation of new product development through conception, design and layout, certification, pilots, and full production under guidance from the Project Engineer.
  • Interdepartmental Collaboration: Work with other departments to accomplish this documentation in accordance with project schedules.
  • Supervision: Supervise the pilots and initial production runs for verification of drawings, assemblies, and bills of materials.
  • Complex Design and Detailing: Design and detail complex machined, fabricated, sheet metal, and/or purchased components from engineering input.
  • Assembly Drawing Development: Develop assembly drawings for complex assemblies with multi-layered bills of materials utilizing 3D CAD software and PLM system.
  • 3D Modeling: Generate 3D solid models of parts and assemblies to ensure proper fit, form, and function.
  • Analysis: Perform interference and tolerance stack-up analysis.

2. CAD Designer Details

  • PLM System Management: Process Engineering Change Requests/Orders utilizing the PLL system in an accurate and timely manner.
  • Data Accuracy: Ensure item and bill of material attributes are accurate and maintained in the PLM system.
  • Part Number Assignment: Understand policies and procedures within the department for assigning part numbers.
  • Change Management: Redline bills of material, revise drawings, and work Engineering Change Requests into Engineering Change Orders while utilizing the PLM system.
  • Documentation Support: Provide documentation support to other departments such as marketing, sales, and manufacturing.
  • Product Design Assistance: Assist engineers with new product conception, design, and layout utilizing good verbal and organizational skills with minimal supervision.
  • Prototype Development: Assist in the build-up of prototypes during the pre-pilot stage of a project.
  • Process Improvement: Recommend procedural changes within the department to facilitate productivity and consistency.
  • Departmental Liaison: Serve as a liaison with other departments as necessary to formulate these changes.
  • Software Training Assistance: Assist the CAD Department or MIS Department in the evaluation, selection, and training of new software acquired and implemented by the Engineering Department.

3. CAD Designer / CNC Responsibilities

  • CAD Modeling: Use Inventor and SolidWorks to create 3D solid models and 2D drawings of a variety of sheet metal products.
  • Drawing Review: Review and analyze drawings and specifications.
  • Material Specification: Specify materials and processing for manufacturing components.
  • Technical Documentation: Create technical work instructions, manuals, bills of materials, etc.
  • Model Updating: Update/modify existing models and drawings.
  • Sketch Interpretation: Interpret sketches, written and/or verbal instructions.
  • Detailed Drawing Production: Produce models, assemblies, and detailed drawings.
  • Programming for Manufacturing: Use Trumpf programming software to create programs for laser machines.
  • Program Development: Create user-friendly programs for operators to use.
  • Safety Compliance: Understand and demonstrate the organization’s safety policies and procedures.

4. CAD Designer / Drafter Accountabilities

  • Component Selection: Select mechanical components and produce the related justifying documents.
  • Structural Design: Conduct structural design for skids, supporting structures, and piping.
  • Manufacturing Documentation: Issue manufacturing drawings for Production, including assembling instructions of the mechanical fits.
  • Bill of Materials Management: Create and/or modify bills of materials and issue assembly drawings.
  • P&ID Preparation: Prepare simple Process & Instruments Diagrams (P&ID).
  • Electrical Drafting: Prepare basic electrical drawings on occasion.
  • Personnel Management Development: Develop skills in the area of personnel management and problem solving.
  • Drawing and Documentation: Provide clear drawings in accordance with the recommended practices, detailed specifications, and documents.
  • Problem Identification and Evaluation: Identify problems and evaluate options, considering costs and benefits, to choose the most appropriate solution or corrective action.
  • Physical Demands Handling: Perform the duties of this job standing, walking, sitting, reaching, climbing or balancing, stooping or kneeling, talking and hearing, and using fingers and hands to feel objects, tools, or controls.

5. CAD Designer Functions

  • Documentation Coordination: Clarify and coordinate the requirements for the technical product documentation with superiors.
  • CAD Design: Create, maintain, and manage production-ready 3D components and assemblies as well as 2D drawings using CAD.
  • Document Updating: Update the design documents with the current standards.
  • Specification Implementation: Independently implement design specifications in product documents.
  • Detailed Design: Draw up detail designs in accordance with specifications.
  • Data Distribution: Distribute the design data via a PLM system and assign drawing numbers.
  • Technical Documentation: Create the technical documents for presentations, standards, and patents.
  • Product Description: Create the product description for the public image of the products.
  • Knowledge Transfer: Transfer knowledge and coordinate the CAD standards between the product designers.
  • Method Standardization: Ensure uniform working4 methods for the product documentation and implement design specifications.

6. Product CAD Designer Job Description

  • NX Software Design: Create and analyze head designs using NX software.
  • Collaborative Design: Create design models with frequent interaction between the Industrial Design, Product Analysis, Product Engineering and Development groups, the Legal department, and multiple levels of management.
  • Cross-Functional Participation: Participate in cross-functional teams evaluating design, development, manufacturing, and legal and marketing issues.
  • Process Improvement: Contribute to improvements in design processes and standards.
  • Timeline Management: Provide design timeline estimates and updates as the design progresses.
  • Standards Adherence: Follow design procedures and standards as defined by the Category lead.
  • Specification Documentation: Participate in process improvement initiatives and document head design specifications.
  • Issue Resolution: Raise issues that may affect the success of the product and participate in the resolution of those issues.

7. CAD Designer Overview

  • AutoCAD Design: Utilize AutoCAD to generate designs for complex projects.
  • Architectural Review: Review and process architectural plans and organize final drawings for presentations.
  • Team Collaboration: Collaborate with Creative Directors and Marketing Teams.
  • Project Management: Determine timelines and budgets and resolve any issues.
  • Change Reporting: Create, modify, and upload Engineering Change Reports.
  • CAD Integration: Support workflow tasks for reviewing and integrating CAD data in Teamcenter.
  • Data Analysis: Analyze data and provide creative solutions and adhere to industry and engineering standards.
  • Workflow Development: Support the development, deployment, and documentation of new workflows in Teamcenter.
  • Design Review Participation: Participate in engineering and manufacturing design reviews to evaluate design concepts and make recommendations.
  • Design Specification: Provide detailed design spec package (space plans, interior elevations, custom cabinetry, and materials).

8. CAD Designer Details and Accountabilities

  • Routine Technical Tasks: Perform technical tasks which are routine or well-prescribed, following established methods and procedures.
  • Technical Contribution: Contribute to technical designs and documentation.
  • CAD Operations: Use CAD models to create standard views, section views, and detail views.
  • Innovative Recommendations: Recommend new ideas and concepts and provide design-drafting and details.
  • Impact on Project Outcome: Understand that the quality of task completion may impact the project outcome.
  • Health and Safety Compliance: Conduct activities in a safe and healthy manner and work in accordance with established HS&E requirements.
  • Environmental Protection: Ensure the protection of employees, the public, and the environment.
  • Unsafe Condition Management: Take actions necessary to stop work when an unsafe condition or action is identified.
  • Work Stoppage for Safety: Stop work when unsafe conditions or actions are identified.
  • Housekeeping Responsibility: Responsible for general housekeeping and maintenance of working areas.

9. CAD Designer Tasks

  • Complex Design Execution: Perform design assignments of a complex nature, requiring application of specialized technical expertise performed independent of other personnel.
  • Professional Judgment: Exercise professional judgment in autonomous decisions related to Civil & Surveying Engineering Projects.
  • Scope of Work Submission: Prepare/submit detailed scope of work descriptions for projects to the client and/or the Project Manager.
  • Estimate Formulation: Formulate and prepare estimates for proposals and submit them to the Project Manager.
  • Code Interpretation: Interpret applicable codes and pursue direct contact with code enforcement officials for interpretations and clarifications.
  • Local Compliance: Locate and design to local ordinances/regulations.
  • Design Layout Development: Develop complex and difficult design layouts and sketches, choose appropriate equipment for the design/layout task.
  • Technical Specifications Writing: Arrange and write the technical specifications for equipment and materials used in the design.
  • Collaborative Design: Work with other designers, technicians, and drafters in preparation of finished engineering drawings.
  • Independent Work: Perform work with little guidance and operate in areas where precedents are not clearly established.

10. CAD Designer Roles

  • Collaborative Design Implementation: Work with others in the implementation and execution of his/her design from the sketch/layout phase to the final engineering drawing phase.
  • Drawing Accuracy Check: Check drawings of others for accuracy and compliance with company and client standards.
  • Direction on Design Problems: Give direction to subordinates on multiple and complex design problems.
  • Innovative Design Application: Apply new design techniques to projects, interpret design information for use on assigned projects.
  • Individual Layout Design: Make individual design layouts/sketches based on his/her calculations and equipment selections to satisfy project requirements.
  • Creative Solutions Initiation: Initiate creative/innovative solutions to non-standard design problems dictated by project requirements.
  • Independent Design Work: Work independently on design problems without direct supervision.
  • Field Data Gathering: Gather field data/information in a relevant organized coherent presentation.
  • Engineering Principles Application: Apply extensive knowledge of accepted engineering principles and practices and employ applications to design methods and concepts.
  • Construction Phase Follow-Up: Follow up the design during the construction phase on the project and make necessary changes to adapt the design to field dictated conditions.
Relevant Information
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