DT 1.7

• CAD

  Computer aided design - using computers to draw in 2D or 3D and develop products
• CAM


  Computer aided manufacture - using computer controlled equipment to machine materials
• CNC


  Computer numerically controlled - using a programme to convert CAD drawings to drive CAM equipment
• CFD


  Computational fluid dynamics - using software to virtually test products in liquid or gases
• FEA


  Finite element analysis - using software to test components and products to identify potential stress or weak points
• EPOS


  Electronic point of sale - shop tills or similar that use barcodes or computer entry to transmit customer orders to suppliers and manufactures
• JiT


  Just in Time production - a production method that relies on materials and components arriving at the point of manufacture, just in time for production
• MPS


  Master production schedule - a plan used to determine how many products will be made in a given time period
• Kanban


  A system used to control the movement of materials and components from suppliers and through a factory
• RFID tags


  Small electronic devices that can be scanned and used to track items as they move through a factory and into dispatch
• AGV


  Automated guided vehicle - robots, similar to forklift trucks, used to carry materials and finished goods around a factory
• Computer aided design (CAD)

  Using computers to draw in 2D or 3D and develop products
• Computer aided manufacture (CAM)

  Using computer controlled equipment to machine materials
• Computer numerically controlled (CNC)


  Using a programme to convert CAD drawings to drive CAM equipment
• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

  Using software to virtually test products in liquid or gases
• Finite element analysis (FEA)


  Using software to test components and products to identify potential stress or weak points
• Electronic point of sale (EPOS)


  Shop tills or similar that use barcodes or computer entry to transmit customer orders to suppliers and manufactures
• Just in Time production (JiT)


  A production method that relies on materials and components arriving at the point of manufacture, just in time for production
• Master production schedule (MPS)


  A plan used to determine how many products will be made in a given time period
• Kanban


  A system used to control the movement of materials and components from suppliers and through a factory
• Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags


  Small electronic devices that can be scanned and used to track items as they move through a factory and into dispatch
• Automated guided vehicle (AGV)


  Robots, similar to forklift trucks, used to carry materials and finished goods around a factory
• Use of CAD to develop and present ideas for products


  • 3D CAD software allows designers to produce high quality 'artist impressions' of their designs
  • Original artwork can be scanned and copied into CAD software, so that the drawing can be digitally developed
  • Libraries of standard component drawings can be used to complete designs
  • Designers can use 'layers' to draw on, allowing complex designs such as electronic circuits to be built up layer by layer
  • CAD and CAM software often has the facility to run a simulation of what will be machines when a drawing is downloaded to a piece of equipment, such as a laser cutter
• CAM processes


  1. Downloading completed CAD drawings to machines that will cut and shape materials

  2. Most CAM equipment uses software to convert CAD drawings into a machining programme, and only required the operator to select the appropriate speed and power settings for the materials they are machining
• Laser cutting


  • Laser cutting uses a high-energy laser beam to cut or vaporise materials and compressed gas or air to blow the waste material away, leaving a clean edge
  • 2D CAD drawings are downloaded to laser cutters, which convert the drawing into a computer numerically controlled (CNC) programme that controls the movement of the laser in the X and Y axes, and the power and speed can be adjusted to cut or engrave different materials
• Routing


  • Both 2D and 3D drawings can be downloaded to CNC routers, which are used to cut sheet of material that are too thick for laser cutters, often to make moulds or 3D moulds
• Milling


  • Can be fitted with tools to drills holes, cut slots or shape the surface and edges of a range of materials
  • Milling machines can move the 'bed' of the machines in the X and Y axes, and the cutter can be moved in the Z axis to vary the depth of cutting
  • Some milling machines can also angle the cutting head and the machine bed, making them ideal for complex engineering components
  • Modern CNC milling machines often can automatically change tools to suit different machining jobs and different materials
  • CNC milling machines are usually totally enclosed, which improves safety in the work area and are fitted with automatic coolant to improve tool life and surface finish
• Turning


  • Turning involved the use of lathes, usually to machine metals in bar form or plastic rods, to reduce the diameter and length of the bar, or for more complex operations such as thread cutting
• Plotter cutting


  • Plotter cutters convert 2D CAD drawings into a CNC programme that will use X and Y coordinates to cut out what has been drawn, usually onto thin sheet materials such as vinyl for graphic applications
• Virtual modelling


  • Virtual modelling can be used to test products before they are manufactured, by creating 3D CAD drawings and putting the product or a component into a virtual model of where it may be used
  • Virtual modelling can be used to simulate a manufacturing process, to check that a product will be machines correctly or to plan a whole production line before investment is made in purchasing new equipment
• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

  A tool available in some 3D CAD packages, used to simulate the flow of fluids or gases in or around a product
• Finite element analysis (FEA)


  Uses computer modelling to carry out component stress analysis, allowing designers to simulate things such as vibration or shock loads on products or components to identify potential weak points
• Rapid prototyping processes


  • Rapid prototyping is the process of downloading a 3D CAD file to a machine that will produce a 3D model of the drawing
  • Stereolithography is one of the most accurate 3D printing methods capable of producing plastic models of products with a high level of accuracy and surface quality
  • Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is one of the most common types of 3D printers, building or printing a 3D model from 3D CAD drawings by using processing software to 'slice' the drawing and guide an extruder in paths to build the product from the bottom up, layer by layer
  • Rapid prototyping allows products to be modelled quickly, accurately and cheaply, and such models can be used to show clients and potential consumers what the product will look like, to obtain feedback, or to make moulds for casting and making production dies
  • Manufacturers have developed 3D printers capable of printing in metals, ideal for one-off bespoke production or limited production runs, and allowing the production of highly complex engineering components or structures that would be impossible to make in any other way
• Electronic data interchange


  EPOS is a system of capturing data when consumers purchase goods, with details of the sale recorded when barcodes of products are scanned at the till, allowing stock levels to be controlled and marketing teams to monitor sales
• Production, planning and control networking

  • In modern manufacturing and a global market, it is vital for companies to operate an efficient supply chain network (SCN) and use Just in Time (JiT) production
  • The master production schedule (MPS) is a plan that determines how many products will be made in a given time period, using software that networks with other parts of the business to determine required labour and order materials and components
  • Many manufacturers only produce products to order - JiT, with customer orders placed electronically via EPOS and transmitted automatically to the manufacturer's MPS software
  • The flow of materials and components through a factory is often controlled using a 'Kanban system' of barcodes, scanners or RFID tags to ensure materials and parts arrive at the correct point in a production or assembly line at the correct time
  • MPS software can also be used to control flexible manufacturing equipment, with part programmes downloaded from the network and the flow of materials automated using robots and AGVs, with 'buffer zones' to allow for differences in process times