Home > Computers And Internet > Software Tips

Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing

by Jennifer Bailey

Computer aided manufacturing or CAM is the process of using specialized computers to communicate instructions directly to the manufacturing machinery. It can control, monitor and adjust tools and machinery in the manufacturing process. Computer aided manufacturing makes use of algorithms for planning and controlling the fabrication processes. CAM has become an industry standard in all major manufacturing industries.

Once a product has been designed it needs to be manufactured. Manufacturers use machine tools, which are computer controlled. As a result it is imperative that CAD and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) technology be fully integrated.

CAM technology has evolved from the numerically controlled machines of the 1950s. Those machines used a set of coded instructions contained in a punched paper tape. Recent technology has made it possible for a single computer to control milling machines, lathes and welding machines. It is capable of robotically controlling the product and moving it from machine to machine in each step of the manufacturing process. Advanced systems also control and manage tasks like parts ordering, scheduling and tool replacement. It is used in mechanical engineering, electronic design automation and to prepare printed circuit boards.

CAM systems verify the data and are capable of converting computer language data to a numerically controlled code. This simplifies the machining and designing process. CAM systems work alongside a CAD design in a 3D environment. CAM software is capable of controlling a machine like a lathe or miller.

Through the use of CAM, a factory can become highly automated, through systems such as real-time control and robotics. A CAM system usually seeks to control the production process through varying degrees of automation. As each manufacturing processes in a CAM system is computer controlled, a high degree of precision that would not be possible without the CAM system can be achieved.

Computer aided manufacturing can be used to facilitate the process of creating small batches of products that are custom designed to suit each particular client. CAD software allows for easy customization and rapid design changes. The automatic controls of the CAM system make it possible to adjust the machinery automatically for each different order.

More articles >>