13/09/2026
Designers… Designing… Designs… Product!
Designers are churning out dozens of CAD models every single day. With AI, a new concept can be generated in a matter of seconds. But are we actually doing our work the right way?
Now that AI tools are widely accessible, anyone can hit "generate." Yet, how many of these creators truly understand the journey of the product they are making? How many actually know how it functions in the real world? Very few.
Before the AI boom, less than 1% of these creators were regularly sharing design concepts. Today, feeds are flooded with precise, polished renders. But while the output looks flawless, the deep product knowledge is missing. There is no deep thinking, no emotional connection—just volume.
AI is just a tool, not the entire software. You can use it smartly to make beautiful, well-designed, and realistic products that you can justify both after designing and during the manufacturing process. Designers often start with AI sketches, designs, or renders, but over time, they begin compromising their standards. Please use AI as a tool to refine your product, but don’t use it to produce garbage.
To create a meaningful design or CAD model, you have to immerse yourself in it. You have to feel the product, understand its mechanics, and justify every curve and dimension before touching the software. If you can’t justify your design decisions, you aren't ready to build it.
If you want to bring a product to life in the real world, you cannot just be a prompt operator; you must be a CADsmith—someone who understands every tiny detail without making cheap compromises.
Even the functional elements—a subtle connecting support or a clean parting line—can be deliberate design features that enhance a product’s beauty. Mindlessly stripping metal away to shave off weight isn't real work. True engineering geometry speaks for itself: the carved-out spaces should clearly show that material was removed with artistic intent and extra effort, rather than as a quick shortcut to make a part lighter.
That is how we honor the craft of design. The question is: How many true "CADsmiths" are actually left in our industry today?
