Development of an integrated CAD/CAPP/CAM system for turning operations

Abstract

Automating information-processing functions to support design and production operations may have reaped many benefits but this can also be an expensive affair in terms of its initial equipment and software costs. This paper looks at the development of a low-cost integrated CAD/CAPP/ CAM (IDPM) system for the design and manufacture of turned components. The automated information generation process begins with the draughting of a part to be turned using the drafting package Auto CAD. From the CAD drawing, the data are transferred to coroplan, a CAPP software package, which will then prepare the operational parameters and the machining sequence and assign the tasks to the appropriate work centres for the producing of a turned component. These process data are relayed to SmartCAM, a CAM software package, which will then generate the necessary numerical machine codes for the machining of a turned part. Preliminary work on the machining of a turned product with complex features using the IDPM system has been found to be promising and satisfactory. The absolute average size tolerance of the turned product is found to be 0.055 mm.