Abstract

This chapter focuses on computer-integrated engineering systems. CAD/CAM embraces a broad range of applications in the fields of engineering design and manufacturing, and systems vary greatly. A typical CAD/CAM system provides a workstation that has either on-board computing capability or is connected to a time-sharing computer system that runs application software. The user's workstation includes a screen that displays both text and graphical information and input devices such as a mouse or a digitizing tablet and a keyboard. Early systems were often developed on mainframe computers with a user interface provided through graphics terminals employing storage tubes. Later, specialist vendors provided systems with customized CAD/CAM workstations attached to a minicomputer. These workstation-based systems are usually dedicated to the needs of a single user with specific software applications. The stand-alone computer system comprises a processor with integral fixed disk drives and a cartridge tape drive for software loading and data backup. The great advantage of stand-alone workstations is their flexibility. Each workstation can be tailored to the specific needs of particular users, and these systems do not suffer from the same performance degradation as do time-shared systems.

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