The History of CAD

CAD has spent decades teaching us to speak its language: commands, shortcuts, rigid workflows, and tool specific habits that make switching painful and training slow. We want the reverse. We want design software to understand us. That’s where this conversation goes, fast: from the daily reality of producing architecture and publishing product coverage, to the next wave of AI in CAD that could turn plain English prompts into real geometry.I’m joined by Anthony, an architect who also runs Architosh, and that dual perspective keeps the discussion grounded in real work. We talk about why CAD and BIM tools still feel hard, why moving between platforms like Vectorworks, Archicad, SketchUp, Rhino, AutoCAD, and Revit can be such a mental tax, and why “assistive AI” is more than a flashy feature. We dig into early examples of prompt driven drafting, what’s genuinely impressive about modern AI understanding messy text, and why the real payoff is generating many correct actions from one clear description, not drawing a single line faster.From there we take on bigger forces shaping AEC software: why Mac support has lagged despite Apple’s hardware gains, how Autodesk became a center of gravity for the industry, and what cloud first development means for the future of desktop tools. We also get honest about the fear underneath the hype: if AI reduces the grunt work, what happens to entry level roles and the career ladder? If you care about CAD history, AI in engineering design, AEC software strategy, and where drafting workflows go next, you’ll want to hear this one. 

We catch up with Mickey W. Mantle and trace how early computer graphics hardware and software paved the way for modern CAD workstations, 3D visualization, and engineering design tools. Along the way, we talk candidly about chaotic product cultures, what good engineering management looks like, and how AI is changing both code and careers faster than most teams can track. • Mickey and I at IMSI. He came from Broderbund. • Why IMSI felt like the hardest job and what global teams demand • Lessons from How to Manage Unmanageable Groups and building without specs • AI hype, LLM limits, and why physical AI matters for engineering • The University of Utah’s outsized role in computer graphics history • Evans & Sutherland workstations, early CAD customers, and real-world use cases • The vector-to-raster shift and how cost beat perfect lines • Digistar and the rise of digital planetariums and dome experiences • Pixar, Steve Jobs meeting dynamics, and what RenderMan unlocked • Vibe coding, maintainability risk, and advice for new developers 

We catch up with Biplab Sarkar on his path from IIT Kharagpur to the helm of Vectorworks, tracing how reverse engineering and solid modeling informed bold moves in growth, acquisitions, and product focus. He shares candid takes on Autodesk’s dominance, Mac vs Windows tradeoffs, AI’s promise, and digital twin reality.• IIT roots shaping a career in CAD • Mechanical engineering to point clouds and reverse engineering • ICEM, Intergraph, PTC: lessons from early CAD roles • Vectorworks leadership, partner acquisitions, and revenue growth • Competing with Autodesk and choosing niche markets • Parasolid adoption and modeling credibility • Mac user base, Windows tooling, and development hurdles • AI integrations, Stable Diffusion tests, and workflow fit • Digital twin hopes versus real-world constraints

We trace a living history of CAD through Grant Rochelle’s 30 year career: HP’s software origins, CoCreate’s direct modeling, PTC’s Creo synthesis, Autodesk’s PLM tensions, and Siemens’ push into subscriptions and cloud. The throughline is simple: data, process, and change control decide winners.• HP’s early CAD stack and life inside a hardware-first culture• Direct modeling’s value for late-stage change on plastic parts• PTC’s integration strategy and Creo’s blend of direct and parametric• NX as a model for low-friction product consolidation• Why PLM “stickiness” locks in processes and data• Autodesk’s volume DNA versus enterprise PLM needs• Siemens’ subscription shift and careful customer on-ramp• The enduring role of release control, configurations, and traceability

Mike Payne, the celebrated serial founder behind PTC, SolidWorks and SpaceClaim, shares his journey through the evolution of computer-aided design from punch cards to cloud computing. His candid insights reveal how identifying technological shifts and understanding real engineering needs led to revolutionary CAD innovations that democratized design tools.• Started career studying physics when computers were rare in undergraduate education• Learned programming by necessity for a microwave concrete curing project• First encountered CAD through PDMS at Prime Computer in the early 1980s• Co-founded PTC with Sam Geisberg, pioneering parametric modeling using "feature recipes"• Recognized the potential of Windows NT to disrupt workstation-based CAD• Founded SolidWorks to bring affordable 3D CAD to Windows platforms• Made key decision to license Parasolid geometry kernel after ACIS proved inadequate• Developed SpaceClaim for direct modeling, enabling analysts to modify designs• Created Kenesto to solve cloud-based CAD document management challenges• Advocates hiring engineers and teaching them programming rather than vice versa• Believes in evolution rather than revolution in technology development• Maintains that cloud and desktop software should interoperate seamlesslyIf you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the History of CAD podcast where we explore the untold stories behind the tools that shape modern engineering and design.