ABSTRACT
A standard tool for many years in engineering calculations, the computer has been programmed to produce engineering designs and drawings. Computers were called "number crunchers" when engineering companies first began to take advantage of the speed at which the machines could handle complex mathematical calculations. Many problems associated with computer usage inhibited acceptance of the computer for use in design applications. The new technical user had a sense of frustration and lack of control when his program ran into problems because of his input errors. Computer-aided design justifications have generally been evaluated on the basis of a limited area of usage, such as specific work tasks in an engineering department only. Computerized isometrics were made possible by the development of the two-axis, numerically controlled, flat-bed drafting plotters. When new design techniques are introduced or production systems are modified, the production personnel tend to view them with suspicion as being a threat to their jobs.
