Key terms

• Computer aided design (CAD)

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


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


  Using a program 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 manufacturers
• Just in time (JIT) production

  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, used to carry materials and finished goods around a factory