Computer-aided Design
Slides Prepared by
Junwei Zhang
8 May 2002
Overview
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What is Computer-aided Design?
Will CAD work for me?
How does it work?
Advantages and Disadvantages
Future Trends
Rollerblade Inc.
Six ways to choose the right CAD for you
Summary
What Is Computer-aided
Design(CAD)
• A software system that uses
computer graphics to assist in the
creation, modification, and analysis
of a design.
What Is Computer-aided
Design (CAD Retrospective)
• 1982 Solid modeling has proliferated to
CAD systems
• 1983 3D developed in Sweden
• 1986 Autodesk's AutoCAD is the most
popular microcomputer design program
• 1989 NASA develops high-end data
visualization programs
What Is Computer-aided
Design (CAD Retrospective)
• 1990 Manufacturers take advantage of NC
simulation software to graphically depict
tool paths to detect machining errors
before actual metal cutting commences
• 1998 Chrysler becomes the first automaker
to adopt a fully digital, "Cyber-synthesis"
process.
What Is Computer-aided
Design (CAD Retrospective)
• 1998 Mechanical CAD vendors battle for a
share of the midrange market
• 2000 Moving design engineering from the
desktop to the Web
• 2001 The same CAD data used to design
cars is also used to market them
Will CAD work for me?
• Speeding up the prototype testing
process, and consequently,
shortening the product design cycle
significantly?
• Taking advantage of 3D modeling
tools to translate visions into
realities?
Will CAD work for me?
• To best describe a product in order
to gain approval from marketing?
• Provide instructions to
manufacturing?
How Does It Work?
• Geometric modeling
• Automated drafting and
documentation
• Engineering analysis and design
analysis
How Does It Work?
• Geometric modeling
– Uses basic lines, curves, and shapes to
generate the geometry and topology of a
part
– 2D
Technical drawing
General-Purpose drafting
– 3D
Difficult to master
Freely rotate and zoom a model
How Does It Work?
• Automated drafting and
documentation
– Produces engineering drawings directly
from the CAD database
– More advanced documentation merges
text and graphics to produce assembly
drawings, bills of material, instruction
manuals and reports, parts catalogs, and
sales brochures
How Does It Work?
• Engineering analysis and design
analysis
– Is also called computer-aided
engineering
– Tests and analyzes designs on the
computer screen
Advantages
• Reduce the lead time for new
product introduction
• Products can be tested more quickly
• Costly mistakes in design or
production can be avoided
Advantages
• Time to manufacture can be reduced
• Documentation can be printed in
various forms for multiple users
• The quality of designs and the
products manufactured from them is
improved
Disadvantages
• Incompatibility
• Complex Surfaces
Future Trends
• Design software is getting
easier to use
• National CAD standard
Rollerblade Inc.
• Background
– headquartered in
Minnetonka,
Minnesota
– founder and
market leader of
the in-line
skating industry
Rollerblade Inc.
• Implementation
– Software: Vellum, Alias Studio, Alias
StudioPaint 3D, Pro/Engineer
– speed up the prototype testing stage of
the design development process
– skate can be produced not only faster,
but more cheaply as well.
Six ways to choose the
right CAD for you
• Check around to see what your co-workers
are using
• Do not buy based on price
• Define how often you will use the software.
• Narrow software selections
• Check out vendor demos
• After the demonstrations, narrow the
choice down to two or three
Exercise
• Divide into groups
• List company designing problems
– Compare to brainstorming questions
• How are problems solved by CAD?
Summary
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Time-saving
Efficient design tool
Improve product quality
Communicate through the web
Bibliography
1.
Russell, Roberta Operations Management
Prentice Hall, Inc. 2000
2.
3.
4.
5.
Rowell, Amy “Designing To Win” Computer
Graphics World March, 1997
Stevens, Tim “The cost of CAD Incompatibility”
www.IndustryWeek.com June 11, 2001
www.bdcmag.com
Meyer, Ann “TRW Faces CAD Translation
Nightmares” Computer Graphics World June, 1997
Bibliography
6.
Rowell, Amy “The Challenge of Cad
Interoperability” Computer Graphics World June,
1997
7. Smith, Susan “The Challenges of Complex
Surfaces” Computer Graphics World November,
1996
8. Potter,Caren D. “Engineering on the Internet”
Computer Graphics World August, 1996
9. Rowell, Amy “The 2D Cad Option” Computer
Graphics World August, 1996
10. Hudspeth, Michael “Planning the move to 3D
design” Machine Design Oct 25, 2001