Computer-aided design applications on microcomputers

Although computer-aided design systems for mechanical design are becoming commonplace on minis and mainframes, initial cost of a system typically ranges from $30,000 to more than $100,000 per workstation, including terminal, processor, and software. After initial training of users, substantially increased productivity offsets this large investment and recurring costs; nevertheless, only large companies (e.g., aerospace, automotive) can afford this kind of expense.