Specification section 6.3 CAD / CAM Specification section 6.3

What do you need to learn? The advantages and disadvantages of CAD /CAM in the design and manufacture of products.

CAD / CAM 6.3 CAD Computer Aided Design

Designs can be easily altered CAD / CAM 6.3 Advantages of CAD Quick & Easy to use Designs can be saved Designs can be easily altered You can view the item in 3D before it is made The design can be sent to others via E-Mail

Programs can be expensive to buy CAD / CAM 6.3 Dis-advantages of CAD Programs can be expensive to buy Constant upgrades – new learning / expense

CAD / CAM 6.3 CAM Computer Aided Manufacture

Duplicates the same piece exactly each time Quicker than hand made CAD / CAM 6.3 Advantages of CAM Cuts down labour costs 24 Hour Manufacture Duplicates the same piece exactly each time Quicker than hand made

Expensive to initially set up Machines need to be serviced CAD / CAM 6.3 Disadvantages of CAM Expensive to initially set up Machines need to be serviced

Virtual Modelling & Testing CAD / CAM 6.3 Virtual Modelling & Testing Virtual modelling and testing allows designers to :- View the development of a product on screen in 3D Cut back on time consuming and expensive physical modelling Share their ideas with others very quickly Make instant changes to their designs Show what their products might look like with different finishes See if different parts of a product fit together properly Test products for areas of weakness

Laser Cutting CAD / CAM 6.3 LASER stands for :- Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation Laser cutting is a thermal process where a focused laser beam is used to burn or melt material. The main advantages of laser cutting are that :- It gives a clean cut It is very accurate It is quick Good for cutting complex shapes

Laser Cutting CAD / CAM 6.3 LASER stands for :- Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation Disadvantages of laser cutting are :- The machines are quite expensive to run and maintain. The waste products (fumes) have to be filtered. Filters are expensive and need to be regularly changed.

CNC Milling & Turning CAD / CAM 6.3 Computer controlled milling and turning allows for repeat products to be made quickly and very accurately. It would be very difficult to mass produce these items by hand and get them all the same. 24 hour running cuts down labour costs for a manufacturer but this has to be countered by the initial cost of buying expensive machines. More complicated CNC machines have automatic tool changers which can allow for more complex products to be made in one go.

Rapid Prototyping CAD / CAM 6.3 Rapid prototyping involves the manufacture of a product by the building up of layers of material. This process begins with a 3D CAD drawing of the product to be made. A computer then splits the drawing into many, very thin layers. Each layer is then printed, one on top of the other, until the final product is made.

Rapid Prototyping CAD / CAM 6.3 3D Printing. Each layer is then printed, one on top of the other, until the final product is made. Laser Sintering A laser is fired onto powdered material to melt it and make it solid. A fresh layer of powder is laid on top and the laser fires again to melt the next layer.

Rapid Prototyping CAD / CAM 6.3 Advantages Very complicated shapes can be made. There is practically no waste. Repeat products are identical. Disadvantages Despite the name, it is not a particularly quick process. Machines are very expensive