CAD/CAM

CAD/CAM

 in full computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing.

Integration of design and manufacturing into a system under direct control of digital computers. CAD systems use a computer with terminals featuring video monitors and interactive graphics-input devices to design such things as machine parts, patterns for clothing, or integrated circuits. CAM systems use numerically controlled (see numerical control) machine tools and high-performance programmable industrial robots. Drawings developed during the design process are converted directly into instructions for the production machines, thus optimizing consistency between design and finished product, and providing flexibility in altering machine operations. These two processes are sometimes grouped as CAE (computer-aided engineering).

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(Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing) The integration of designing by computer and manufacturing by computer. The electronic image of products designed in CAD programs are translated into a numerical control programming language, which generates the instructions for the machine that makes it (see numerical control). CAD designs are also converted into slices for rapid manufacturing (see 3D printing).

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CAD/CAM - Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing.