Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing

From raster graphics to 3D

The lectures start with input and output devices and raster graphics, then work through polygon filling, windowing and clipping. The second half moves into 2D and 3D transformations, projections and perspective, which is where the computing side of CAD becomes the main subject.

Hidden surfaces and analysis

Several lectures are devoted to hidden surface removal, a problem any 3D display has to solve. The series closes with an introduction to the finite element method, which links the graphics material to engineering analysis.

Who it suits

• Engineering students who want the mathematics behind CAD software
• Learners who prefer university lectures to software tutorials
• Anyone curious about how 3D scenes are drawn on screen