35 Version of AutoCAD

1. AutoCAD Version 1.0

2. AutoCAD Version 1.2
3. AutoCAD Version 1.3
4. AutoCAD Version 1.4
5. AutoCAD Version 2.0
6. AutoCAD Version 2.1
7. AutoCAD Version 2.5
8. AutoCAD Version 2.6
9. AutoCAD Release 9
10. AutoCAD Release 10
11. AutoCAD Release 11
12. AutoCAD Release 12
13. AutoCAD Release 13
14. AutoCAD Release 14
15. AutoCAD 2000
16. AutoCAD 2000i
17. AutoCAD 2002
18. AutoCAD 2004
19. AutoCAD 2005
20. AutoCAD 2006
21. AutoCAD 2007
22. AutoCAD 2008
23. AutoCAD 2009
24. AutoCAD 2010
25. AutoCAD 2011
26. AutoCAD 2012
27. AutoCAD 2013
28. AutoCAD 2014
29. AutoCAD 2015
30. AutoCAD 2016
31. AutoCAD 2017
32. AutoCAD 2018
33. AutoCAD 2019
34. AutoCAD 2020
35. AutoCAD 2021

The Pioneers of CAD

Considered the two major innovators of CAD, Patrick J. Hanratty, and Ivan Sutherland made
groundbreaking contributions, including:
In 1961, Patrick Hanratty joined General Motors Research Laboratories where he helped
develop DAC, (Design Automated by Computer), the first CAD system to use interactive
graphics.
Ivan Sutherland broke new ground in 3D computer modeling and visual simulation, which is the
basis for CAD. His 1963 Ph.D. thesis at MIT was “Sketchpad: A Man-Machine Graphical
Communications System.” It let designers use a light pen to create engineering drawings
directly on a CRT.
The CAD Timeline
In the 1970’s the first CAD programs were only capable of creating 2D drawings, which were
similar to hand-drafted drawings at the time. Regardless, the first simple programs were starting
to change the way the manufacturing and construction industries viewed design. Much of the
research moved from 2D to 3D design creation.
By the late 1970’s, early solid modeling software started showing up, giving designers the ability
to combine basic geometric shapes.
During the 1980’s, 3D modeling emerged as new theories and algorithms evolved. Later in the
decade, solid modeling technology for rendering 3D designs became integrated into new CAD
programs.
By the 1990’s, PCs were powerful enough to support CAD software such as AutoCAD, making
such programs a household name for designers across all industries. CAD training became
synonymous with architecture training and programs have continued to grow increasingly user-
friendly since.
Present day development of CAD programs focuses on automation of different aspects of
design and manufacturing, speed and efficiency, and the development of new algorithms.