CAD Programs: ProE® SolidWorks® Rhino®  CAE: FEA  Stress Analysis   Mold Flow  Thermodynamics  CAM: CNC Manufacturing   Rapid Prototype
 

ServsCAD1
CAD - CAE - CAM
Key Vocabulary
CAD
Fundamentals
CAD
Development
 Process
CAD
ProE
SolidWorks
 Rhino
FormZ
Documentation
CAE
FEA
Stress Analysis
Mold Flow
Thermodynamic
CAM
CNC
Manufacturing
Rapid Prototype

CAD CAE CAM
CAPABILITIES
 

OTHER
SERVICES





 

 


CAD - CAE - CAM Development Process
See Example (Page 2)

     3D Computer-Aided Design 3DCAD) is the main geometry, virtual authoring tool within product development and production manufacturing.  The 3D CAD Product Development System and Product Lifecycle Management processes utilize both dedicated 3D CAD software and hardware.  The entire system is centered on the binary CAD data that is exported and imported from program to program - designer to engineer to prototyper to tooler to manufacturer to packager. 

     Practical application of 3D CAD data can be utilization to construct complex electronic and mechanical mechanisms (simple machines that make larger more complex machines operate), perform 3D part mechanical assembly and mechanism modeling, tolerance and fit checks, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Rapid Prototyping (RP - CNC, SLA, SLS), and Computer-Aided Machining (CAM), for machine – mold, die, tool or part creation, defining tool paths and cutting rate speeds, for creating tooling cavities and cores, manufacturing robotics assembly control, part inspection, etc. The process of CAD - CAE - CAM development allows the entire invention - product development process to be managed from concept to production assembly line robotics, including resource allocations, manpower management and fulfillment, minimizing costs, cycle time and reworks.

CAD Computer-Aided Design

     The process of product development using CAD through prototyping, predictive analysis and manufacturing starts with the idea and thumbnail sketch combined with industrial design and extensive industry experience to deliver a well built of the 3D CAD model and file data with seamless translation of the CAD files (i.e. .stp or .igs) throughout the entire process.  This process takes significant investment, planning and experience to deliver a profitable product design solution. With the integration of Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) and Computer Aided Machining (CAM) and Rapid Prototyping and the Industrial Designers, Engineers Prototypers, Toolers and ultimately the Machine Operators knowledge of natural and man-made materials, craftworking, forming, molding  and machining techniques, these tools create machine dedicated, automatic part builds or machine tool cutting command files.  The Machine Operators must understand the product - part - assembly design intent as well as the properties, limitations, chemical and structural forces which are generated, released during and after the material removal or prototype build and the resulting geometries, be it clay, wood, plastic or metal. 

The Build Process - foreseeing the future
     The CAD build process typically starts with needing to make decisions on defining the optimum product or part assembly configuration and the general intended manufacturing technique.  The process starts with the Industrial Design which may only be a napkin sketch with some rough dimensions or be based on fully dimensioned orthographic drawings. The Industrial Designer working with Engineering is typically responsible for foreseeing the future in defining the best product design to meet the established objectives and meet manufacturing and tooling budgets  It is best that the Client and Industrial Designer work with the Engineers and Manufacturers in the initial phases of development based on a design control drawing package including orthographic layout drawing and isometric or perspective drawings which will be  used to develop the 3D virtual CAD model.  

     Control drawings should have basic geometry and critical dimensional information to recreate the form- geometry in the computer CAD program.  The more dimensional information that is given the faster the CAD build.  The initial CAD build process may take 2 hours or it may take 200 hours depending on that part geometric and mechanical assembly complexity. The CAD build must start with envisioning the end product and making major decisions on part tooling and manufacturing issues to define the most appropriate CAD method of construction or CAD build tree to end up with model files that are edible and exportable to the CAE, CAM and prototype processes.  The knowledge and skill final part geometries, materials and process selection must be defined early or before the CAD build process initiates to best optimize process. 

The CAD Tree

     It is important that Designers and Product Development Managers understand the CAD build process to maximize the capabilities, minimize design revisions and (ECO's) Engineering Change Orders to reduce the development cycle.  The CAD build depending on the native CAD program starts with a complete understanding of the CAD software's capabilities, limitations and construction techniques for creating a CAD build structure tree.  The CAD tree is a set of software specifically ordered commands or instructions to create your part geometry, design.   In depth knowledge of the CAD program and the build capabilities must be applied to the CAD tree build operation or in the later stages changes will become very time consuming and costly or impossible without going back into the build process to make the change possible.  Telling our Clients you can't do that is best done early, than later, 

     Like a tree system of roots, trunk and branches which are dependent on each other, the CAD tree software instruction are ordered or built on the program's base instructions or parents with children.  You must go through the parent that effects the child capabilities and appearance.  The build typically starts with defining the planar axis, orthographic front, top and/or side view dimensional profiles to draw out or create enclosed profiles and extrude the basic form block shapes.   The resulting CAD software command instructions, build tree will have several line instructions and resulting secondary construction build instructions built on the previous parent instructions.

     The result is a long list of exact ordered instruction to the software to build your virtual 3D model with surfaces and volumes. Significant change to the base geometry will result in going back to the base of the tree and working until the base parent (command) change is made that will result in the desired geometry change.  This process can be very easy or be very CAD labor intensive as the build tree may have to be completely reconstructed if the change is to far down the built tree instruction list. CAD programs are very particular on the way geometries are constructed. The experienced CAD designer will know the ins and outs of the program to most efficiently create the model. 

CAD Build Process

      It is also important that Designers and Product Development Managers understand the CAD build process. The descriptive solid geometry build may use both a subtractive and additive process of building the CAD model.  The build process starts with the additive process, generating encloses profile shapes followed by profile extrusions or rotations, to construct or form the basic (virtual product design) block volume.  Then block, followed by a subtractive process of removing material or performing similar reverse build functions in the subtractive process until you get to the over all basic form volume, geometry.   The process will include adding and removing material to achieve smaller details and shapes such as protrusions, cavities, radii, rounds and fillets.  The final geometry shape will be developed in stages to reduce the time consuming  CAD detailing part of the process.


Phase 1  Base Exterior Geometry
Stage 1  3D Model all major internal  components (OEM; Power, PCB, Controls - blocks)
Stage 2  Base block geometry (all base components)   
Stage 3  All major exterior geometry (enclosure parts)


Phase 2  Base Assembly - All Parts (Base Geometries - no drafts)
 Stage 4  Core-out  Walls - enclosure - All major interior geometry    
Stage 5  Complete Assembly  - enclosure - All major interior geometry


Phase 3  Full CAD Assembly - All Parts (Base Geometries - no/drafts)
 Complete Assembly  - enclosure - All major interior & exterior geometries

OPTIONAL 3D Prototype Model Release   (All Geometries - no drafts) Complete Assembly  - all textures, rounds, fillets, major interior & exterior geometries

Phase 4  Final CAD Assembly - All Parts ( All Geometries - w/drafts)  Complete Assembly  - enclosure - All major interior & exterior geometries

Phase 5  3D Documentation (All Geometries - w/drafts) 
Pre-production 3D CAD Assembly files - all textures, rounds, fillets, major manufacturing mold - tooling interior & exterior geometries

Phase 6  Pre-Production Prototype Model Release (All Geometries - w/drafts) Complete Assembly  -all textures, rounds, fillets, major manufacturing mold - tooling interior & exterior geometries

Phase 7  3D Production Documentation Tooling  - Complete CAD Assembly - All Parts  (with optional 2D Documentation Drawings)
Complete Assembly  -all textures, rounds, fillets, major manufacturing mold - tooling interior & exterior geometries

Phase 8 Production Prototype - Model Release 


Phase 9  Production Tooling  - Final CAD File w/drafts) 

See Example 3D CAD Build Process (Page 2)
 

CAE Computer-Aided Engineering

      The CAD data which is exported in a compatible file extension is imported into the CAE programs for the predictive analysis work  Use CAE technology for design validation, structural analysis, simulation, design, manufacture, planning, diagnosis and repair allowing Engineers to analyze the robustness and performance of components and assemblies. It can provide simulation, validation and optimization of products and manufacturing tooling to deliver an almost "hands free" non manual design validation process. Once validated and revised as needed the data can move to the CAM-CNC or Rapid Prototyping processes.
 

CAM Computer-Aided Manufacturing
 
     CAM and CNC Tooling, Molders or Machine Operators import the final .stp or .igs CAD model geometry data and translates it to a CAM program which is programmed by the operator for CNC conversion.   The CAM -CNC - computer numerically  controlled manufacturing has been universally  to forming and cutting or material removal systems such as milling machine, with automatic to tool selection, tool path command files to remove the desired material from a block of aluminum. CAE allows you to maximize design confidence, reduce  need for expensive prototypes and compress the development cycle time.

     The CAM - CNC program mastered by an experienced machine operator, defines the specified raw material and tool orientation, with tool cutting speed for proper material, chip removal and cutting paths and path speeds to subtract the material needs to leave the desired geometry.  CNC, or computer "controller"  reads the code instructions and drives a machine (mill, cutter or lathe) to fabricate components by the machining or selective removal of material with programmed – automated movements or machine tool paths. The operating parameters of the CNC machine-tool cutting software load program are defined by the operator and (machinist) experience.  CNC operators typically have a solid background in manual, machine operation and a working knowledge of machining parts (chip removal rates) from the selected materials.

CAD - CAE - CAM

  • CAD Programs Computer-Aided Design
  • CAE Programs  Computer-Aided Engineering
            -  FEA  (Finite Element Analysis)
        -  MFA  (Mold Flow     Analysis)
        -      TDA  (Thermal Dynamic Analysis)
  • CAM – CNC   Computer-Aided Manufacturing
    Computer Numerical Controlled - Machining
  • Prototyping
       -  SLA     Stereolithography
         -  SLS     Selective Laser Sintering
         -      RTV     Urethane Molding - w/ SLA

CAD Fundamentals

CAD: Programs: ProE® SolidWorks® Rhino® CAE: FEA  Stress Analysis  Mold Flow  Thermodynamics  CAM: CNC Manufacturing  Rapid Prototype
CAD Introduction    CAD Key Vocabulary    CAD Fundamentals    CAD Development Process   CAD Documentation    CAD Capabilities
ME Mechanical   EE  Electrical    MatE   Materials   ManufE  Manufacturing    HF Human Factors   
 Start Fundamentals     Industrial Design     Engineering    CAD/CAE/CAM     Prototype      Branding
 SERVICES NAVIGATOR   EXPEDITE   QUOTATION    NDA   Design Brief     Patent Evaluation   Coaching    Consultation   Top of Page