What is Computer Assisted (Aided) Manufacturing?
Since the dawn of the industrialrevolution many changes have taken place. One of the more recent changes which has radically changed manufacturing is CAD/CAM (computer aided manufacturing) where computers and robots are used to help produce products. Through the use of CAM a factory can become highly automated. Robots and much CAM equipment is expensive but once the outlay has been made many tasks can be automated which were formerly carried out by people. The CAm computer/ controller will control the production process through varying degrees of automation. Once the outlay has been made a high degree of precision can be achieved that is not possible with a human workers. The CAM system will set the toolpath and execute this precisely based on the design which has been entered into the computer. Some CAM systems bring in additional automation by also keeping track of materials and automating the ordering process, as well as tasks such as tool replacement.
