LECAD was set up in 1983 as a Laboratory Unit of Computer-Aided Design (CAD). It was formed within the Chair of Engineering Design and Transportation Systems at the initiative of Prof. Joze Duhovnik. The focus of LECAD's mission at the very beginning was research and development of designing and transportation systems.

Designing is taken as a process from the idea to a prototype or a product. Transportation systems are technical systems for transport activities.

Initially, LECAD had three researchers all together, one professor and two assistants. In 1990, it already had one professor, two assistants, two researchers and one technical associate. At the beginning of the new millennium, it employed two professors, two assistants, four researchers and two technical associates. In 2006, the laboratory has 15 fully employed people.

Research work in the area of transportation systems was focused on transportation systems such as a fully robotized line for decomposing pallets, loaded with beer crates, followed by loading full bottles in plastic crates back onto pallets (1980 - 1984). 35 such systems were manufactured for different locations throughout Europe. Particular attention of research activities was initially paid to developing 2-D and 3-D modelling tools. Together with a strong development team, the laboratory examined and carried out models of an expert system for designing a car tyre tread for the Sava Kranj company (1983 - 1985). It is important to stress that modelling at LECAD means development of its own software for modelling in the 3-D environment. Later, modelling led to analysis of analogue and digital signals for the purpose of defining 2-D and 3-D models.

Conditions in the water current (numerical methods) were extensively studied between 1990 and 1998 for the Litostroj company. The results were directly applied to projects Stratos - Greece, Vrhovo - Slovenia, Toro - Costarica, Sole - Argentina, Fala - Slovenia and a Chinese project. In 1993, research work began on information systems for the development process and later for the entire production process. Currently, research work in the area of PDM and PLM processes for specific production systems is going on.

We have been studying the development and design process since our establishment and the largest number of publications are also from this area.

In 2006, we have four smaller teams, doing the research and development work in the following areas: integrated product development, PDM-PLM systems, modelling and analyzing shapes and tensions as well as research work in the area of fusion. The laboratory has a special Centre for Integrated Product Development.

In 1996, we started cooperation with the University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Zenica. In 2004, LECAD II laboratory was established in Zenica. It is one of the LECAD Group laboratories, based in Ljubljana. LECAD II in Zenica is led by Prof. Balic. In 2005, LECAD Slavonski Brod at the Strossmayer University in Osijek, with its head office in Slavonski Brod, was set up. This laboratory is also a unit within the LECAD Group. LECAD Slavonski Brod is led by prof. Kljajin.

LECAD is the basic research unit in Slovenia in the area of designing and in this respect, it also unites researchers from the University of Maribor, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.