Understanding CAD CAM Design
While each company works on its own products, many of the CAD CAM design programs used by the companies are the same. Understanding what these specialized programs can do can make it much easier to find the appropriate programs for the company and to design the products successfully. The use of CAD CAM design programs, or computer-aided drafting and computer-aided manufacturing design programs, is the bulk of the preparatory work needed during the manufacturing process. While these programs are easy to use, and come complete with built-in error-detecting features, they do not replace the need for trained drafting personnel behind the scenes.
CAD CAM design programs work in several different ways. There are programs that allow for the integration of previous work, and there are programs that allow the work to begin with the CAD CAM design software. Both of these types of programs have benefits. The benefit of integrating previous work is that one can change and modify the original work to be adapted into the new product. This also allows one to correct any problem areas in past projects. The benefit of starting fresh is the ability to come up with completely new ideas.
Once a project’s starting method has been chosen, the process of designing or editing begins. These tasks are completed with the use of a series of tools provided by the CAD CAM design program. These tools have the ability to do anything, including the ability to translate three-dimensional images into their two-dimensional counterparts. These tools have built in trackers that trace even the most miniscule changes, a trait important to both the designers and the toolmakers.
Another feature of most CAD CAM design programs is tool testing. In the past, if one wanted to test a design, a mold with sample cavities would have to be built. Once this mold was built, the mold would have to be set into a press and ran. There are numerous downfalls to this type of testing. If the mold or the sample cavities were inaccurate, the error would be nearly impossible to find. The process also wasted a lot of scrap materials, in the plastic mold itself, and in the set-up equipment. There was also a lot of economic waste in both the time needed to tie-up the mold and the technical services of the company. Now, with the new CAD CAM software available, many of these tests and simulations can be done on the computer, cutting back on waste and time.
While CAD CAM design programs still require skilled, human operators, the costs of these expensive but powerful products are well worth the money for what can be saved. The time required to design and test a product is greatly reduced with the use of CAD CAM design programs. As any company owner or manager knows, time is ultimately money in the business world and as new products emerge as well as redesigning of current products to make them even better, CAD CAM design programs will continue to emerge on top.
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