16. Product Design and CAD/CAM 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 16.8 Unit Introduction Unit Objectives Product Design and CAD CAD System Hardware CAM, CAD/CAM, and CIM Unit Review Self Assessment Questions Self Assessment Answers 16.1 Introduction Product design serves an important function in the production system. It helps determine the eventual commercial success of a product; it determines how the production system should be created, and exactly what equipment should be bought; and it determines how easily, and how cheaply, the product can be manufactured. The manufacturing support system contains procedures and systems used to manage production and solve the technical and logistical problems associated with designing the products, planning the processes, ordering the materials, controlling work-in-process as it moves through the plant, and delivering products to customers. Product design and its associated use of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems, represents one of the most important aspects of the manufacturing support system. In CAD/CAM , both design and manufacturing are tightly integrated into a continuum of activities. Continuing the integration, we have Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM), which includes CAD/CAM, but also extends to embrace the business functions of a manufacturing firm. In this unit a discussion and definition of product design and CAD are given, where an analysis of the design process and the actual application of computeraided design principles are highlighted. CAD system hardware is reviewed (see 16.2 Learning Objectives After completing this unit you will be able to: BULLET LIST List the six processes of the conventional design process Define Computer-aided design (CAD) Specify the benefits of CAD State the relationship between the Product Data Management system, and the CAD system Explain the concept of geometric modelling Classify types of geometric modelling Explain Computer-aided engin