Computer-aided Design And Computer-aided Manufacturing System Research Articles

Integrated CADCAM and Automotive Die and Mould Manufacture

Many automotive components are produced in very large quantities using manufacturing processes such as casting, moulding and forging. These processes require tooling which usually has geometrical complexities such as doubly curved surfaces, fillet curves, split lines and draft angles. Traditionally the component design is conveyed to the toolmaker for manufacture of the tooling, using conventional engineering drawings. The paper shows how tooling and component problems can arise due to the inability of conventional two-dimensional engineering drawings to unambiguously define complex three-dimensional shapes. Modern fully integrated computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing (CADCAM) systems may be used to overcome these problems. This is achieved by producing numerically controlled machining information to manufacture the tooling directly from the computer generated component design, thus eliminating the ambiguities associated with conventional engineering drawings. The use of a fully integrated CADCAM system for the design and manufacture of automotive components and tooling is described, and the technical and economic advantages gained from its use are detailed.