Future is not in digital fabrication but in material fabrication.Cad cannot meet material science ,architects need to move on and what about you guys?

Hello Ajayce, the advancements in CAD went exponentially in the past5 years in a way nobody ever imagined. The level of details you can go for in CAD now is tremendous and the amount of data you store in a file is much much more than a model or a drawing. 

I am working with CAD for14 years now , and when I compare the things I used to do with what I can do now I just laugh! Believe me.

Yes you're right, nothing is better than having a physical prototype whether a stereo lithography or through3D printing. There are even technologies that can give you different types of materials in the same prototype. At the end , a prototype is a better way to communicate things to others especially if they're not technically oriented. But the benefits of advanced CAD in simulation, assembly, product engineering and even  in construction have a bright future too.

By the way, sheet materials like sheet metal have specialized solutions that make the design of a sheet metal part just like apples. This also applies for composites including GRC, FRP .. etc

Best luck

Fadi