CAD systems have no means of comprehending real-world concepts, such as the nature of the object being designed or the function that object will serve. CAD systems function by their capacity to codify geometrical concepts. Thus the design process using CAD involves transferring a designer's idea into a formal geometrical model. Efforts to develop computer-based "artificial intelligence" AI have not yet succeeded in penetrating beyond the mechanical—represented by geometrical rule-based modeling.
Other limitations to CAD are being addressed by research and development in the field of expert systems. This field is derived from research done in AI. One example of an expert system involves incorporating information about the nature of materials—their weight, tensile strength, flexibility, and so on—into CAD software.
By including this and other information, the CAD system could then "know" what an expert engineer knows when that engineer creates a design. The system could then mimic the engineer's thought pattern and actually "create" more of the design. Expert systems might involve the implementation of more abstract principles, such as the nature of gravity and friction, or the function and relation of commonly used parts, such as levers or nuts and bolts.
Such futuristic concepts, however, are all highly dependent on our abilities to analyze human decision processes and to translate these into mechanical equivalents if possible. One of the key areas of development in CAD technologies is the simulation of performance. Among the most common types of simulation are testing for response to stress and modeling the process by which a part might be manufactured or the dynamic relationships among a system of parts.
In stress tests, model surfaces are shown by a grid or mesh, that distort as the part comes under simulated physical or thermal stress. Dynamics tests function as a complement or substitute for building working prototypes. The ease with which a part's specifications can be changed facilitates the development of optimal dynamic efficiencies, both as regards the functioning of a system of parts and the manufacture of any given part.
Simulation is also used in electronic design automation, in which simulated flow of current through a circuit enables the rapid testing of various component configurations.
The processes of design and manufacture are, in some sense, conceptually separable. Yet the design process must be undertaken with an understanding of the nature of the production process. Join Our Newsletter Want more on technology leadership?
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The automotive industry today is the most advanced and demanding industry second only to the aerospace industry. Strict regulations govern the automotive industry also from safety to pollution. The manufacturers keep experimenting with new materials, designs and methods to obtain the best value for money. Computer-aided manufacturing has proved extremely useful for manufacturers right from the concept phase to the launch phase.
CAM can manufacture innovative products armed with features such as tool-axis definitions, surfacing, and polygon mesh. CAM software can provide a set of focused toolpaths and modelling options to create complex shapes within short spans of time while completely integrating them with concepts such as lean manufacturing and Just-in-Time manufacturing. Computer-aided manufacturing can significantly reduce cost, wastage, lead times, and errors. It improves accuracy, surface finish, consistency, and manufacturing speed.
These features make CAM an indispensable part of the automotive industry. Besides the examples above, CAM finds many applications in industries such as computer and smartphone hardware manufacturing, biomedical devices, pharmaceutical industry, and so on. In short, almost all modern-day mass manufacturing setups apply computer-aided manufacturing to increase productivity. As CAM automates pretty much all the main processes already, there is little possibility of any large scale production while avoiding the computerised nature of contemporary manufacturing technology.
An important step that precedes computer-aided manufacturing is computer-aided design CAD. Using CAD, designers can create, modify, and analyse product designs. It can also check the functionality and application of these designs. This is because, besides the differences, they have many similarities. In simple terms, CAD is concerned with the designing and drafting part of a product whereas CAM is concerned with the manufacturing aspect.
Following the code, the machine instructs machine tools to carry out the machining as needed. This drawing can then be viewed as an orthographic or an isometric view. A CAM machine may be, for example, a three or a five-axis control machining centre. The limitations of CAM machines are important factors that designers must consider at the design stage itself. This is the first stage known as the design process. In this process, the designer creates the models in CAD software.
The focus is on the functionality, manufacturability, and aesthetics of the part. These designs are known as CAD models. In this stage, the designer processes the model into coordinates. This means that any model inconsistencies are straightened out at the development stage before the production begins.
We simulate the production cycle as accurately as possible to get a clear picture of the completed production setup. This also provides a roadmap for specialists at all stages of production. When the modelling stage is complete, we move on to computer-aided manufacturing.
After the import is complete, the software starts creating the code for CNC machining. CNC machining refers to the task of computer-controlled machining by cutting, turning, drilling, boring, and milling the raw workpiece into a finished part. The software scans the computer model for any geometrical errors, especially ones that will affect the manufacturing process. The manufacturing software creates optimum tool path designs.
Toolpath designs refer to the route the machine tool will follow during the manufacturing process. The machining software then selects the suitable parameters for the manufacturing process depending on the machining requirements.
Parameters such as cutting speed, depth of cut, feed, voltage, coolant flow are selected to strike the right balance between the machining speed and the surface finish. This step focuses on the CNC machine setup. The startup and functioning of a CNC machine involve many actions that must be performed in a certain sequence. The machinists must perform tasks such as pre-start, tool loading, loading of CNC program, dry run and program run.
The next step in line is quality control. The finished product must pass quality tests before approaching the next station in the assembly line. There are a number of tools available in the market for designing and manufacturing purposes. A list of popular computer-aided manufacturing tools is as follows.
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