Does CAD have an expiration date?

Unless you've spent the last decade under a rock, we're willing to bet that you've been exposed for the message about the digital age and similar terms. You've also more than likely been warned, probably every day, about what will happen if you don't prepare for the digital transformation. 

Much of the buzz you see on social media is pretty much stating the obvious, but even though technology is bringing new opportunities to the table, it does not mean that the more established methods are outdated yet.

So, back to our opening question: Does CAD have an expiration date? 

The future isn't coming THAT fast

You would think that it's all about BIM from now on, and yes; of course BIM, 3D and digital twins represent the future of the construction industry, simply because it allows entrepreneurs to perform more efficiently, smarter and more sustainable. 

Still, today there's only a handful of construction projects with a digital twin compared to the ones that don't. That means 2D CAD drawings will still be relevant for a very long time; as long as the buildings without a digital twin are standing.

That also means the answer to our question is quite obvious: CAD does not have an expiration date. It's actually impossible to say when, or even if, CAD will expire as a trusted and commonly used technology, because the larger part of the industry will use it for decades. 

Another way to put it is that the future isn't coming as fast as they're all saying.

BIM and CAD hand in hand

What you need to sort out, is how you handle all the various information. Working with BIM gives you many advantages, but you also need a viewing solution that lets you combine data from 3D models with 2D drawings, and much more.

This should be the most urgent thing on your to-do list, because as the industries are getting more and more affected by 3D, the importance of information-access, good workflows and collaboration is constantly increasing. 

That means it isn't time to ditch CAD, but that it's smart to invest in software that lets you visually handle large amounts of data and covers BIM, CAD or anything else you can think of.