CAD/CAM — Bridging the gap from design to production

An engineer can use a computer to design a component, analyze its stresses, and check its mechanical action (CAD = computer-aided design). Production people can use the same computer to transform the design into hardware through numerical-control machining or other automated processes (CAM = computer-aided manufacturing). This paper describes the major CAD/CAM areas: geometric modeling, engineering analysis, kinematics, automated drafting/numerical control, process planning, robotics, factory management; shows how they are being integrated into unified systems; outlines the cooperative efforts of government, industry, and universities in CAD/CAM development; and lists sources of information.