CAD/CAM: a new dimension in design and manufacturing.

CAD/CAM: a new dimension in design and manufacturing. Many a great idea has first taken shape as a simple drawingsketched by hand on a piece of paper, but in an increasingly high-techworld, such drawings are more often being created--or at the very leastperfected--with the aid of a computer. And in today's highlyautomated workplace, manufacturing a finished product from that greatidea will likely require assistance from a computer-based tool. Computer-aided design computer-aided design(CAD) or computer-aided design and drafting(CADD), form of automation that helps designers prepare drawings, specifications, parts lists, and other design-related elements using special graphics- and calculations-intensive (CAD), sometimes called computer-aideddrafting or CADD (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting) CAD systems with additional features for drafting, such as dimensioning and text entry. CADD - Computer Aided Detector Design: a project to develop standards and methods to allow cooperation between HEP (computer-aided design and drafting), usescomputer-based tools to design products. The projects that result fromcomputer-aided design span a wide spectrum, since these drawings may bearchitectural, mechanical, electrical or another form of designcommunication. Computer-aided manufacturing computer-aided manufacturing(CAM), a form of automation where computers communicate work instructions directly to the manufacturing machinery. The technology evolved from the numerically controlled machines of the 1950s, which were directed by a set of coded (CAM) uses computer-based tools orsystems in the manufacturing process. Whether the manufacturing processis implemented in a machine shop or a woodworking shop, whether thematerial is metal, wood, glass or plastic, the technical drawing anddesign is the starting point Noun 1. starting point - earliest limiting pointterminus a quocommencement, get-go, offset, outset, showtime, starting time, beginning, start, kickoff, first - the time at which something is supposed to begin; "they got an early start"; "she knew from the if the result is to be a product of qualityand precision. Computer-control programmers and operators use computernumerically controlled (CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) See numerical control. CNC - Collaborative Networked Communication ) machines to cut and shape precisionproducts. This work requires careful planning and preparation, alongwith knowledge of the working properties of the specific material. As the connection between CAD/CAM CAD/CAMin full computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing.Integration of design and manufacturing into a system under direct control of digital computers. software and CNC machine toolshas grown, so has productivity in the American workplace, enabling ournation to compete more effectively in t he global market. In a report called "Why Do We Need Manufacturing TechnologyMade in America?" the Association for Manufacturing Technology Association for Manufacturing Technology, formerly the National Machine Tool Builders Association (NMTB), creates machine tool design standards.The NMTB laid down standards for machine tool design, among other things: the taper used on CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) (AMT See vPro. ) notes, "The ability to build machines and machine parts withtolerances as small as a micron has enabled those who use American-mademanufacturing technology to design, build and deliver ever moreefficient, durable, productive and precision products to customers inthis country and around the world." According to according toprep.1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.2. In keeping with: according to instructions.3. AMT, as a result of the efficiencies delivered bymachine tools that are capable of high speed and ext raordinary precisionand flexibility, nearly $1 trillion was contributed to the Americaneconomy during the latter half of the 1990s. There are great benefits as well for those who enter careers inthis field. According to the U.S. Department of Labor'sOccupational Outlook Handbook, workers not only earn good wages, but,"Job opportunities should be excellent, as employers are expectedto continue to have difficulty finding qualified workers." The Association for Manufacturing Technology agrees with thatassessment and notes that manufacturing employees enjoy annual salariesand benefits that average $54,000. Those benefits include opportunitiesfor advanced training and education. This is a field in which today's employers are looking for Looking forIn the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. workers who have highly developed technical skills in or der to diagnoseand solve quality-control and production problems, and those are theskills learned in career and technical education programs. Such aprogram might include courses in 2D and 3D drafting and modeling,high-level computer skills, blueprint reading, physics, and math coursessuch as algebra, geometry and trigonometry trigonometry[Gr.,=measurement of triangles], a specialized area of geometry concerned with the properties of and relations among the parts of a triangle. Spherical trigonometry is concerned with the study of triangles on the surface of a sphere rather than in the . Students who do well inthese programs can take a certification exam in AutoCAD, themanufacturing engineering Manufacturing engineeringEngineering activities involved in the creation and operation of the technical and economic processes that convert raw materials, energy, and purchased items into components for sale to other manufacturers or into end products for technology program that prepar es students forentry-level positions in the production, quality control and maintenanceareas of manufacturing. Like most technical careers today, this is a field that willrequire workers to continue updating their skills in response to newautomation and changing technologies. This training is usually availableat local technical schools or through an equipment manufacturer, but asnoted by AMT, the employer, who recognizes the benefits for the companyas well as for the employee, often reimburses the cost for thistraining. The work done by these skilled technicians does not benefit onlytheir employers, however. According to AMT, some of the products createdas a result of the use of CAD/CAM are found in planes such as the F-22,as well as other jet fighters, weapons systems and classified projectsneeded to keep our nation safe. In answering the question about why weneed manufacturing technology made in America, AMT says, "Americanmanufacturers of machine tools and other manufac turing technology play avital role in the nation's security." It is helping keep our economy strong, and it is helping keep ourcountry safe. That's how important it is--and that's howimportant career and technical education is. A HIGH SCHOOL LEADS A STATE INITIATIVE The Russell County Russell County is the name of several counties worldwide:In Canada: Russell County, Ontario In the United States: Russell County, Alabama Russell County, Kansas Russell County, Kentucky Russell County, Virginia Career and Technology Center has, throughout itshistory, faced changes in the workplace and has adjusted its programs inresponse to those changes. First established as the Russell CountyVocational School in 1964, the school then had five trade programs--automechanics, cosmetology cos¡¤me¡¤tol¡¤o¡¤gy?n.The study or art of cosmetics and their use.[French cosm¨¦tologie : cosm¨¦tique, cosmetic; see cosmetic + -logie, -logy. , building trades, electricity and maintenance.Almost immediat ely, the school found itself so much in demand that a newfacility had to be constructed to meet the needs of the surroundingarea. When the new school opened in 1971, machine shop, electronics,occupational foods and occupational clothing programs were added to thecurriculum, and students spent one-half day taking academic courses attheir home high schools with the other half of the day at the careerschool. In 1976, a second building was completed for the prevocational pre¡¤vo¡¤ca¡¤tion¡¤al?adj.Of or relating to instruction given in preparation for vocational school. program for students in grades eight-10. When the name of the school was changed in 1998 to Russell CountyCareer and Technology Center (RCCTC), that was not the only changeoccurring at the school. RCCTC became the first operational pilot siteand lead school for a statewide manufacturing technology Initiative. Themanufacturing technology program at RCCTC became so successful that itwas recognized by the National Dissemination Center for Career andTechnical Education (NDCCTE NDCCTE National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education ) as a national "Promising Program"for 2001. When it named the two-year integrated manufacturing program atRCCTC as promising, NDCCTE noted that the program addresses the skillsrequired by the precision manufacturing industries manufacturing industriesnpl → industrias fpl manufacturerasmanufacturing industriesnpl → industries fpl de transformation in the community,with students able to obtain nationally recognized certification throughthe VTECS "Building Linkages" program. According to NDCCTE, "The strengths of the program include: acourse of study that reflects manufacturing skills standards,state-of-the-art equipment, articulation agreements with postsecondaryinstitutions, and extensive partnerships with business andindustry--assuring that industry needs are met and that the programcontributes to the community's ability to a ttract newbusiness." In industrial design, students in the RCCTC program learn the useof 2D and 3D CAD as well as parametric design software, and CNC machinesare incorporated into their training. Instructor William Meade William Meade (November 11 1789 - March 14 1862), was a United States Episcopal bishop.The son of Richard Kidder Meade (1746-1805), one of George Washington's aides during the War of Independence, he was born near Millwood, in what is now Clarke County, Virginia. was a shop teacher who became involvedwith computers about 12 years ago and finds the program he teaches nowto be much more interesting than his previous traditional woodworkingclass. Now the equipment he is using includes the LabVolt 5500 lathe lathe(lāth), machine tool for holding and turning metal, wood, plastic, or other material against a cutting tool to form a cylindrical product or part. It also drills, bores, polishes, grinds, makes threads, and performs other operations. and5600 mill . The software is a combination of LabVolt Level 4 and VirtualGibbs. Currently, they are using CAD 14 from LabVolt, but Meade notesthat the company recently came out with an upgrade, so he is now indiscussions about an upgrade for his school's program. According to the course outline, students become familiar withindustrial design, quality systems, electrical and mechanical supportsystems, automation and material handling, and manufacturing processes.They participate in activities involving electrical, mechanical,pneumatic and hydraulic systems and learn techniques of automatedmaterial handling and manufacturing processes through hands-onactivities in programming robots, conveyors and other material-handlingdevices. Meade says that it's not always easy for the students to learnthese things "These Things" is an EP by She Wants Revenge, released in 2005 by Perfect Kiss, a subsidiary of Geffen Records. Music VideoThe music video stars Shirley Manson, lead singer of the band G arbage. Track Listing1. "These Things [Radio Edit]" - 3:172. at first, but "once they get started, they learn quitea bit about how things are done in this industry." In bestowing the exemplary or promising designation on a program,NDCCTE looks at articulation agreements the school has withpostsecondary institutions, and RCCTC met this requirement because ofits articulation agreements with Mountain Empire Community College Mountain Empire Community College is a two-year college located in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, and is one of the 23 schools in the Virginia Community College System. The college serves residents of Dickenson, Lee, Scott, and Wise counties, as well as the City of Norton. andSouthwest Virginia Community College Southwest Virginia Community College (SwVCC or formerly SVCC) is located outside of Richlands, Virginia, on the border of Tazewell and Russell counties, and is one of the 23 schools in the Virginia Community College System. . Through these agreements, st udentsin the manufacturing technology program at RCCTC can earn 12 credithours in the manufacturing technology associate degree program atMountain Empire Community College. At Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege, they can earn 10 credit hours in the computeraided drafting anddesign associate degree program and seven credit hours in theelectrical/electronics technology associate degree program. Meade says this is a "wonderful program," but admits hehas to work to keep his skills updated "just to stay one step aheadof the kids." That's why he usually spends a week each summer at the LabVoltfacility in New Jersey. Instructors who come from all across the EasternSeaboard use the week working in certain areas and on specific problemsthey may have encountered during the school year. Career and technical educators often help one another when it comesto solving problems, and Meade has at least one other instructor in hisstate with whom he shares such a working relationship. This type ofcooperative problem solving problem solvingProcess involved in finding a solution to a problem. Many animals routinely solve problems of locomotion, food finding, and shelter through trial and error. , along with his model of lifelong learning Lifelong learning is the concept that "It's never too soon or too late for learning", a philosophy that has taken root in a whole host of different organisations. Lifelong learning is attitudinal; that one can and should be open to new ideas, decisions, skills or behaviors. ,sets a great example for his students. Add the in-demand technicalskills the Russell County Career and Technology Center offers, and youhave a program designed to manufacture success for its students. DESIGNING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM Career and technical education students often receive opportunitiesin high school that can set them on the path to both higher education higher educationStudy beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher educ ation include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. and future career success, and that is certainly the case with thecomputer-aided manufacturing class at Kewaskum High School in Kewaskum,Wisconsin Kewaskum is a village located mostly within Washington County, Wisconsin. The population was 3,274 at the 2000 census. The village is located mostly within the Town of Kewaskum. On May 21, 2003, the village annexed a portion of land in the Town of Auburn in Fond du Lac County. . In a program that began in the fall of 2001, Kewaskum High Schooltechnical education instructor Patrick Moerchen began teaching the classusing SURFCAM software. He supplies his students with the necessarycomputer instruction that, in turn, provides the foundation for thestudents to begin designing their own parts and projects. "The beauty of this class is that five miles from our schoolis the only tool and di e design school in the state," saysMoerchen. Four times during the semester-long course, students travel toMoraine Park Technical College The college features over 100 associate degrees, technical diplomas and certificates, with classes and labs taught by instructors with real-world experience. Traditional classroom, online and blended formats are available at the College’s campuses in Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac and , site of the Applied ManufacturingTechnology Center, where they download their designs onto the CNCmilling machines and lathes, program the machines and create theprojects. The technical school's professors provide instruction forthe students while they are at the center. Moerchen says, "This course is a joint effort between our highschool and Moraine Park Technical College," and notes he has beenunable to find another type of program like this anywhere, with thestudents receiving both high school and college credit for theirefforts. He also notes the posi tive relationship between business and careerand technical education. Moerchen works part time for MGS MGS Mars Global SurveyorMGS Metal Gear SolidMGS Microsoft Game StudiosMGS Ministry of Government Services (Ontario, Canada)MGS Maryland Geological SurveyMGS Malaysian Government SecuritiesMGS Minnesota Geological Survey Mfg. Group(www.mgstech.com) and adds that the company has donated a lot of timeand money to his school, as well as setting up a foundation to helpfurther the tool and die and plastic injection molding injection moldingn.A manufacturing process for forming objects, as of plastic or metal, by heating the molding material to a fluid state and injecting it into a mold. industry. Moerchen also credits the administration and staff at Kewaskum HighSchool with having the vision for such a progressive program and isgrateful for the support they have given him. In recognition of hisefforts, the school even nominated him for the 2003 Herb Kohl This article refers to Sen. Herbert Kohl (D-WI). For the article about Herbert Kohl, the educator and author, see Herbert Kohl (education).Herbert H. Kohl (born February 7, 1935) is an American politician, business leader and philanthropist. WisconsinTeacher of the Year Award. When the Kewaskum program began, the Applied ManufacturingTechnology Center (AMTC AMTC Applied Media Technologies CorporationAMTC Aerospace Manufacturing Technology Centre (Canada)AMTC American Modeling and Talent ConventionAMTC Army Missile Test Center (White Sands Missile Range, NM)) was still under construction, so the studentswere taught in the existing building, but now they train in the newfacility. The Applied Manufacturing Technology Center at Moraine ParkTechnical College is a 42,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art center. TheCNC lab comprises 6,000 square feet of the facility and features 14 CNCmachines in the CNC lab and six in the tool and die facility. When it was established, the AMTC combined the tool and die making,tool and die design, and CNC programmer operator programs, each of whichis two years long and had been available at Moraine moraine(mərān`), a formation composed of unsorted and unbedded rock and soil debris called till, which was deposited by a glacier. The till that falls on the sides of a valley glacier from the bounding cliffs makes up lateral moraines, Park.Apprenticeship-related courses include tool and die making, sinker SinkerA bond whose payments are provided by the issuer's sinking fund.Notes:A portion of these bonds are retired by the issuer each year.See also: Sinking Fund, Super SinkerSinker electrical discharge machining Electrical discharge machining (or EDM) is a machining method primarily used for hard metals or those that would be impossible to machine with traditional techniques. One critical limitation, however, is that EDM only works with materials that are electrically conductive. , wire electrical discharge machining, CNCmachine tool, CAD, CAM and train the trainer. The center features day and night classes and both full-timeprograms and custom training workshops. Completion of the two-yearMachining Technician program results in a technical diploma. Accordingto Jim According to Jim is an American situation comedy television series originally broadcast by ABC. The show premiered with little publicity in October 2001, following the surprise hit comedy My Wife and Kids. Hokenson, Machining Technician CNC instructor, Moraine Park hasthe only tool and die design associate's degree as¡¤so¡¤ci¡¤ate's degreen.An academic degree conferred by a two-year college after the prescribed course of study has been successfully completed. program in thestate of Wisconsin. In the manufacturing, CNC and tool and die courses, the softwarethe students use includes Mastercam, SURFCAM and ESPRIT--and Hokensonsays they have just started implementing SolidWorks into themanufacturing design area. The software used in the tool and die designprogram includes SolidWorks, AutoCAD, AutoDesk Inventor Autodesk Inventor is the 3D parametric solid modeling package produced by U.S.-based software company Autodesk. It competes with other CAD systems such as SolidWorks, Pro/ENGINEER, and Solid Edge. , Pro/ENGINEERand Unigraphics. The manufacturing course schedule at Moraine Park includes classesin AutoCAD, basic machining applications, basic programming, design for3D machining and classes on quality control and improvement. Integratedmanufacturing-planning provides students with the opportunity to take aproject concept to the point where it is designed and its machineprocess is planned. Classes in statistical process control help studentsdevelop an understanding of the fundamentals of statistics and theirapplication to process control and quality. MANUFACTURING SUCCESS Moerchen says that the area from Chicago to Green Bay is one of thetool and die strongholds in the United States United States,officially Uni ted States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , and the Moraine Park Website notes that southeastern Wisconsin is internationally known for itsmachine tool industry. One of the important keys to success inattracting an industry to a certain area is the availability of awelltrained workforce. Because business and community leaders from thelocal area recognized this, they worked closely with the leadership atMoraine Park to formulate the vision and the plan for creating the newAMTC. Industry leaders such as the National Tooling and MachiningAssociation, the Tool and Die Making Association of Wisconsin, theAmerican Mold Builders Association, and the Association of ManufacturingTechnology were also involved in the planning process. Hokenson notes that the college remains responsive to the needs oflocal ind ustry. If a new software or other technology enters theworkplace and the Advisory Board sees a need for people to be trained init, then, says Hokenson, "We get it and bring our instructors up tospeed." He also notes, "We try to keep our teaching materialconsistent with industry." The need to keep the instructors on the same page with currentindustry needs can result in the instructors traveling out of state tothe facility of a software manufacturer or distributor for training.Other times a manufacturer will send a representative of the company tothe college to provide onsite training. All of this is necessary because, as Hokenson explains, there havebeen major changes in the field just in the last five years, with moretechnological advancement in computers and in the machines themselves. "The equipment is better, the tooling is better, the machineitself is better," says Hokenson, "and they are all evolvingat an incredible rate." Enrollments in the school's Machining Tec hnician program haveexperienced a steady growth, and the new Applied ManufacturingTechnology Center allows Moraine Park to provide training for anadditional 200 full-time equivalent Full-time equivalent (FTE) is a way to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or a student's enrollment at an educational institution. An FTE of 1.0 means that the person is equivalent to a full-time worker, while an FTE of 0.5 signals that the worker is only half-time. students per year, as well asproviding continuing education continuing education:see adult education. continuing educationor adult educationAny form of learning provided for adults. In the U.S. the University of Wisconsin was the first academic institution to offer such programs (1904). for the existing workforce in order toincrease manufacturing productivity. "Local industry is very, very happy with what we'vedone," Hokenson notes with pride. As for the placement rate of the graduating students, Hokensonsays, "All of our students are employed well before the last monthof their tour here." As April nears, he strongly encourages his students to get jobslined up, and he works with them on an individual basis to find the bestplacements for them and introduces them to the prospective employers. Also contributing to the high placement rate is the fact that allof the students have portfolios that they present to the Advisory Boardin the spring. The portfolios demonstrate in a concrete way theknowledge and skills the students have acquired. After a typical student portfolio presentation to the AdvisoryBoard, Hokenson notes, "One member made it clear he would hirethose students on the spot." BENEFITING THE COMMUNITY AND THE NATION There are now four other schools in addition to Kewaskum HighSchool that send students to the college for training: West Bend HighSchool, Hartford High School Hartford High School is a co-educational comprehensive, community school for pupils aged 11-16 in Hartford, Ch eshire. In November 2006 the school had 1136 pupils [1].The school has specialist status in Languages and Sport. , Slinger High School Slinger High School is a high school located in Slinger, Wisconsin and a part of the Slinger School District. Its athletic teams are named the Owls. Slinger used to have a bitter rivalry with Pewaukee High School when they were both in the Parkland conference. and Princeton HighSchool Princeton High School may refer to: Princeton High School (Illinois) in Princeton, Illinois Princeton High School (Minnesota) in Princeton, Minnesota Princeton High School (North Carolina) in Princeton, North Carolina . Moraine Park was able to get seats of the SURFCAM software at areduced rate and then the college placed them in the high schools. Hokenson says of this collaborative effort, "It has beenworking really well." From creating the spark of interest in high school students togiving workers in the industry the updated training they need, MorainePark Technical College and its Applied Manufacturing Technology Centerare ensuring that the manufacturing industry in their state will remainstrong. When Hokenson talks about his program at Moraine Park TechnicalCollege, he talks about how it exists for "the better good of thecommunity." But he also sees it as contributing to "the commoncause of the manufacturing base in this country." This is one of a number of career and technical education programsthat are introducing students across the country to computer-aideddesign and computer-aided manufacturing, and when they enter theworkforce as skilled employees of the manufacturing industry, thesestudents will become an important part of the economic strength andnational security of our nation. For Further Exploration To learn more about the schools and organizations cited in thisarticle, here are their Web sites and some others to explore. American Mold Builders Association www.amba.org Association for Manufacturing Technol ogy www.amtonline.org National Institute for Metalworking Skills www.nims-skills.org National Tooling and Machining Association www.ntma.org Precision Machine Products Association www.pmpa.org Precision Metalforming Association Educational Foundation www.pmaef.org Tooling and Manufacturing Association www.tmanet.com Kewaskum High School www.kewaskumschools.org/khs/khs_main Moraine Park Technical College www.morainepark.edu Russell County Career and Technology Center www.russell.k12.va.us Additional Resources To learn more about some of the companies whose products are usedin CAD/CAM, visit these Web sites. Autodesk, Inc. www.usa.autodesk.com ESPRIT www.dptechnology.com Gibbs www.gibbsnc.com LabVolt www.labvot.com Mastercam www.mastercam.com PTC (PTC, Needham, MA, www.ptc.com) Long a world leader in mechanical computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering software, PTC, through acquisitions and reorganization, has transformed itself into a leading provider of Internet-based B2B solutions for discrete manufacturers. www.ptc.com SolidWorks www.solidworks.com Surfware www.surfware.com Tech Ed Concepts www.TECedu.com