Usefulness of CAD/CAM techniques in the design and realization of the means of production

Applications of CAD/CAM techniques as a tool to improve the efficiency and speed of industrial production are discussed. Prior to production, a machine-tooled part requires orientation guidelines, blow-ups of specific area's details, and tolerances. Consideration is also given to the position of the part in the ensemble and to the machining order. The choice of grid points for numerical modeling and the subsequent two- and three-dimensional displays of the part are outlined, with later data retrieval possible from a remotely accessed data bank. Examples are provided, using CAD/CAM, for the design and subsequent manufacture by progressive cuts of a piece contoured out of sheet metal. The automatic casting of lifters and the stamping of a balanced piece are also described.