This paper discusses the microcomputer impact in numerical cartography. recently, workstation specializing in data retrieving, image processing, and mapping are available for geoscientists. They provide fast and integrated facilities for mapping application. However, some specific problems, such as 3D modelling require faster procedures and mass storage devices of great capacity. Parallel computing is presently used to speed image processing tasks. It is believed that a similar task such as interpolation or 3D drawing could be optimized using similar procedures. Some chosen case studies in 3D mapping are presented.