What is the scope of CAD/CAM?

The primary reasons for this trend are enumerated as follows:

Rapid shift from manual Design and Production system of Engg. Industry to highly productive quality and cost effective CAD/CAM/CAE system. In fact most of Tool and Die, Automotive, Heavy Engg., Industrial Equipment industry etc. in India and the World are totally working on CAD/CAM/CAE equipment. In continuation in above points many of companies as recruiters are looking at CAD/CAM/CAE knowledge as part of essential profile of recruiting students.

Knowledge of CAD/CAM/CAE system shall be an added weapon for students seeking admission to post graduate M.S. courses and jobs abroad.

These CAD/CAM/CAE systems shall prove to be an excellent tool for Industry, Research setup for Professors and Academically Bent Students. The question, Which are the industries that need more skilled man power and what for these segments skill sets are available, such of these segments are:

Tool Room                 Process M/C          

M/C Tool                    Defence                        

Automobile                Auto Ancillaries

GEOMETRIC MODELLING: -

Design involves the development of the shape and dimensions of a component. During designing several factors are to be considered simultaneously. Some of them are stress requirements, method of manufacture. Geometric modeling is the first step in CAD. A geometric model is created on the screen using different techniques. Once creating this model can be easily altered in geometry and configuration to yield a satisfactory shape. The next step is deciding on the exact dimensions. The results of geometric modeling will further be use by CAM in the preparation of NC tapes for the component.

ENGINEERING ANALYSIS: -

The most important function of CAD is engineering analysis. Engineering analysis basically involves deciding the exact dimensions of the component. These values have to be arrived at by analyzing the component in terms of the loads it has to withstand in function. CAD provides sophisticated method like the finite element technique. Unsatisfactory design may require several iteration of the whole process. The computer scores over the human in its capabilities of rapid information retrieval, numerical processing and repeating a process without fatigue.

 SIMULATION: -

Simulation, in the CAD/CAM context, means duplicating on the video screen a replica of the actual physical situation the designed component is likely to be in. for instance, an aeroplane will be subjected to wind loads. In the conventional method, the aeroplane will be tested in a wind tunnel using a prototype. This is an expensive and inflexible process, expensive because of the physical construction of the wind tunnel and the prototype, inflexible because it may not be possible to test various sizes and shape under a set of test condition. Computer simulation gets rid of both these limitations. It involves the testing of a graphic model whose size and shape can be varied at will. Computer simulation does not completely do away with prototype testing. A near perfect shape can be determined using simulation, which can later be tested with a prototype under test conditions.

DRAFTING: -

The logical step would be to produce a drawing of the component. A drawing is dispensable for the production of the component. Not only the components designed by engineering analysis, but also complex layouts, assemblies can be created interactively and plotted in about one tenth of the normal time. Automated drafting has resulted in enormous productivity gains in terms of time, labour and expenses.   

EXPERT SYSTEMS: -

The latest development in CAD is the use of Expert systems. An Expert system has an “ intelligent data-base” called knowledge base and reasoning logic. It may contain, for example, the details of the breakdowns that occurred in the industry. On a later date, the user has only to feed in the conditions under which a breakdown occurred. The expert system discovers the reason for the breakdown. This is only one application of expert systems. Wherever decision making under multiple constraints is involved expert systems are used as logic support systems.