Top Three Bits

Hi,

I'm currently setting up in-house CAD facilities within a company. It would be really helpful to hear what are people’s top bits of hardware.

I know what thing that I need is some kind of pin board to hold up drawings.

Currently all I have is a standard monitor (Though I’m hoping to get a Lacie 324) a standard keyboard and a roller mouse.

Does anyone use any screen protection screens.

How about lighting. Currently we have standard strip reflector lights.(Not the ones with transulcent plastic covering.)

My chair is a swivel up and down chair on wheels

my top three things that I wouldn't be able to work without (besides from a function computer) is

1: a mouse with scrollwheel

2: a tiltable keyboard (nothing special, but I hate working with keyboards that have their tilting-bits broken)

3: lots of water.

about lighting: I have good general lighting, spotlights I haven't found a use for yet.

Headphones

not especially on hardware but you may also need

Racks to store your drawings, both plotted and blueprinted.

Whiteboard- very useful.

Computer speakers for me. Lighting(as long as lighting is brighter than the monitor so it wont stress your eyes)

And same w/ Tiger,,, Lots of water, perhaps get a water dispenser

Good Morning. Thanks for the feedback so far.

Thanks to Tiger for the tilting keyboard. After years of CAD and touch typing I have this minute turned the keyboard over and discovered the two lever. I'll try it out.

The blessed cool water is in the corridor. Its amazing also what an appetite you build up also when doing a lot of CAD work.

The biggest flat LCD monitor, best graphics card and the most physical RAM you can afford because it won't matter how much water you have on hand, or how comfy your chair is if you can't push CAD drawings around efficiently.

The biggest flat LCD monitor, best graphics card and the most physical RAM you can afford because it won't matter how much water you have on hand, or how comfy your chair is if you can't push CAD drawings around efficiently.

but if you did have a comfy chair, you could snooze a bit when the drawing is regen'd :wink:

a big desk, the bigger the better. IMO it should at least be big enough to have an A1 sheet laid out & it not get in the way of your keyboard & mouse.

also a nice comfortable, adjustable chair and a wrist support for your mouse. oh and a coffee machine which makes actual coffee not muddy water