Hardware in Computer Aided Design

Haider Ali

Layout

Configuration of Stand-alone CAD System

Design Workstation
Graphics Terminals
Input Devices
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Output Devices
Secondary Storage

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Configuration of Stand-alone CAD System

Design Workstations (One or more)

A graphics terminal
Operator input devices

Output Devices (One or more)

Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Secondary Storage
Secondary Storage
CPU

Graphics Terminal

Input Devices

Output
Devices
3

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Design Workstations

It must accomplish following five functions

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Typical Interactive Graphics workstation has

.
.

Interface with the central processing unit

Generate a steady graphic image for the user
Provide digital descriptions of the graphic image
Translate computer commands into operating
functions
Facilitate communication between the user and
the system
A graphics terminal
Operator input devices
Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

Image Generation in Computer Graphics

Graphics Terminals for Computer Aided Design

Color and Animation in Computer Graphics

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

Image generation in computer graphics

CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) as graphics terminal
Two Basic techniques

Stroke Writing or line drawing, random position,

vector writing
Raster Scan or digital TV, Scan graphics

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

Image generation in computer graphics

CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) as graphics terminal
Two Basic techniques

Stroke Writing

Electron beam acts as a pencil

Creates lines segments by moving the beam from one
point to other
Picture is composed of lines only
Smooth curves can be approximated by using short line
segments

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

Image generation in computer graphics

Two Basic techniques

Stroke Writing or line drawing, random position,

vector writing
Raster Scan or digital TV, Scan graphics

Phosphor discrete picture elements (pixels); usually

square elements
Ranges from 256x256 = 65,000 to 1024x1024 =
1,000,000 points
Beam sweep the screen in lines from one end to other
Jumps to next start up line after sweeping in first line
Sweeps entire screen at rate of 30 fps to 60 fps

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

Image generation in computer graphics

Factors affecting the graphics terminal
performance and effectiveness

Type of Phosphor Coating on the screen

Color requirement
Pixel Density
Amount of Computer memory required to
generate the picture

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

Graphics Terminals for Computer Aided

Design

10

Directed Beam Refresh

Direct view storage tube (DVST)
Raster scan (digital TV)

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

Graphics Terminals for Computer Aided

Design

Directed Beam Refresh

11

Stroke writing approach to generate the image

Phosphor coating has short time capacity for holding
the brightness
Refresh: Image is retraced continuously by applying the
beam to the screen
Useful for playing animations
Oldest of all methods

Direct view storage tube (DVST)

Raster scan (digital TV)
Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

Graphics Terminals for Computer Aided

Design

Directed Beam Refresh

Direct view storage tube (DVST)

12

Stroke writing approach to generate the image

Increase the ability of the screen to retain the image
Using electron flood gun to light the pixels
Resulting image is flicker free
Lowest cost/Being used in many applications
Cannot remove individual lines
Total picture will be changed whenever required

Raster scan (digital TV)

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

Graphics Terminals for Computer Aided

Design

Directed Beam Refresh

Direct view storage tube (DVST)
Raster scan (digital TV)

Digital Signals are used to generate the picture on the

CRT screen
Intensity of input beam is either ON or OFF / Illuminated
or Dark
Quality can be increased by

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Increasing the pixel density from 256x256 to 1024x1024

Adding color of grayscale: 5 to 6 bits are required for
grayscale
For color picture: 3 times more bits for storage are required
Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

Graphics Terminals for Computer Aided Design
Comparison
Sr.
Directed
No
Beam
DVST
Raster Scan
.
Refresh
1

Image
Generation

Stroke
Writing

Stroke
Writing

Raster Scan

Picture Quality

Excellent

Excellent

Moderate to
good

Data Content

Limited

High

High

Selective Erase

Yes

No

Yes

Gray Scale

Yes

No

Yes

Color Capability

Moderate

No

Yes

Animation
Capability

Yes

No

Moderate

14

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

Color and Animation in Computer

Graphics

Different colors for different components

Color CRT uses three electron beams

15

Red, Blue, Green

Focuses three beams on a point to get

required color
Difficult in Stroke-writing tube: difficult to
focus
More color advancements in Raster Scan
Approach
Pixels are made colored by beam of light
A pixel require 24 bits of memory for colorful
of Mechanical 9/30/16
representation Department
Engineering, WEC

LCD vs. LED

LCD

16

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9/30/16

LCD

17

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LED

18

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Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

The Graphics Terminal

19

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Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Input Devices
Mainly three types if input devices
1. Cursor Control Devices
2. Digitizers
3. Alphanumeric and other keyboard terminals
. Cursor Control Devices and Digitizers are
mainly used
. Two Basic type of interactions with these
devices

20

Creating and positioning new items on the CRT

screen
Pointing at or otherwise identifying locations on
the screen, usually associated with existing
Department of Mechanical 9/30/16
images
Engineering, WEC

Cursor Control Devices

21

Thumbwheels
Direction keys on a keyboard terminal
Joysticks
Tracker ball
Light pen
Electronic tablet/pen
1st four gives cursor control without direct
contact
Last two give control via touching the CRT
screen
Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Cursor Control Devices

Thumbwheels

22

Two wheels
One for horizontal and 2nd for vertical control
Intersection of two gives the required coordinate

Direction keys on a keyboard terminal

Joysticks
Tracker ball
Light pen
Electronic tablet/pen

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Cursor Control Devices

Thumbwheels
Direction keys on a keyboard terminal

23

Usually used for the movement in 4 axis of the

cursor
Right, Left, Up, Down

Joysticks
Tracker ball
Light pen
Electronic tablet/pen

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Cursor Control Devices

Thumbwheels
Direction keys on a keyboard terminal
Joysticks

24

Basic concept: From the control panel of Jet

Planes
Used in games
Integral part of CRT screens

Tracker ball
Light pen
Electronic tablet/pen
Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Cursor Control Devices

Thumbwheels
Direction keys on a keyboard terminal
Joysticks
Tracker ball

25

A ball with touch sensitive surface

Move the cursor via rolling the ball on the pad
Originated the concept of ball mouse
And then laser mouse

Light pen
Electronic tablet/pen
Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Cursor Control Devices

Thumbwheels
Direction keys on a keyboard terminal
Joysticks
Tracker ball
Light pen

Not used for writing purposes

Used to determine the coordinates from the
screen
Useful for refresh type CRT

26

Every time detects the change in position

Time sequence is so short that it is like

Electronic tablet/pen
Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Cursor Control Devices

Thumbwheels
Direction keys on a keyboard terminal
Joysticks
Tracker ball
Light pen
Electronic tablet/pen

27

Selecting from function menu

Drawing on screen or making strokes on the
screen or tablet which indicate what image is to
be drawn
Selecting a portion of the screen for enlargement
of an existing image
Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Digitizers

Digitizes the hard form of a document to save

in soft form
Gives the coordinates of the drawing that will
be scanned here

28

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Keyboard Terminals

Alphanumeric terminal: depending upon the

type of requirements

Soft Copy: Used in computers

Hard form: Type writers

Function keys vary from 8 to 80

Now a days touch pads are being used

29

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

30

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Instruction Set Low-Level Commands
Registers store Instruction Set
Program containing necessary set of
instructions resides in memory
Its location specified by program counter to
CPU
Instructions are in form of low level command
called instruction set which consists of:
1. Instructions for moving the memory
contents,
2. Performing arithmetic & Logic operations,
3. Other miscellaneous
commands
31
Department of Mechanical 9/30/16

Engineering, WEC

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

A CPU fabricated as single IC (chip)

Microprocessor.
Instructions from memory for execution
Done by Controller
Controller directs ALU
ALU performs arithmetic operations
Operands/results stored in registers
Operations associated with registers done at
highest possible speed
8, 16, 32 bits registers
32

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Microprocessor
A PCB consisting of a number of devices (chips)
What does 4, 16, 32 bit mean? Length of a
word
Greater length means faster program
execution
Address tells the location of data/instructions
in memory
Width of address specifies maximum amount
of memory locations that a microprocessor
can directly address
16 bit is 2^16 locations, i.e. 65536
Speed of microprocessor System clock

33

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Managing the design workstations (operator

inputs, editing etc.)
Directing plotters in the generation of
engineering drawings
Copying data currently on disk onto other
media
Reading data from other media like magnetic
tapes for revision or editing
Transmitting data to and from the other larger
computers

34

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Computers are comparatively less expensive

due to cheaper electronics
Design Workstation
Host
Computer

CPU for CAD

System
Design Workstation

Peripheral
s

35

Output
Plotters etc.

Design Workstation

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Output Devices

Pen Plotters

Hard Copy Units

Electrostatic plotters

36

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Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Output Devices

Pen Plotters

37

Pen writes the required data on a paper

Drum Plotters
Flat-bed Plotters

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Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Output Devices

Pen Plotters

Pen writes the required data on a paper

Drum Plotters

38

Relative motion is achieved by circular motion of drum

and linear motion of pen on the drum
Fast and can make drawings of virtually unlimited
length
Width ranges from 8.5 to 42

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Output Devices

Pen Plotters

Flat Bed Plotters

39

More expensive than Drum Plotters

Writing head can move in x,y-direction
Bed of plotter vary from 5ft to 20ft

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Output Devices

Hard-copy Unit

40

Used to print the data on a paper for hard form

documentation
Light sensitive pages are used for printing purpose

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Output Devices

Electrostatic Plotters

41

Normally used printers

Electrostatic charges are used for printing the
paper
Data should be in raster format (because to
production of raster was with electron flood gun)
Laser and inkjet printers

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

Memory Types

42

ROM Read Only Memory

PROM Programmable Read Only Memory
EPROM Erasable Programmable ROM
EEPROM Electrically Erasable and
programmable ROM
RAM Random Access Memory
Flash Memory

Department of Mechanical
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9/30/16

Secondary Storage

USB Flash drive

Diskette Drive
Portable Hard drive
Magnetic Tapes

43

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Engineering, WEC

9/30/16

44

Department of Mechanical
Engineering, WEC

9/30/16