What is Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM)?

Since the age of the Industrial Revolution, the manufacturing process has undergone many dramatic changes. One of the most dramatic of these changes is the introduction of Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM), a system of using computer technology to assist the manufacturing process. Through the use of CAM, a factory can become highly automated, through systems such as real-time control and robotics. A CAM system usually seeks to control the production process through varying degrees of automation. Because each of the many manufacturing processes in a CAM system is computer controlled, a high degree of precision can be achieved that is not possible with a human interface. The CAM system, for example, sets the toolpath and executes precision machine operations based on the imported design. 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. Computer Aided Manufacturing is commonly linked to Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems. The resulting integrated CAD/CAM system then takes the computergenerated design, and feeds it directly into the manufacturing system; the design is then converted into multiple computer-controlled processes, such as drilling or turning. Another advantage of Computer Aided Manufacturing is that it can be used to facilitate mass customization: the process of creating small batches of products that are custom designed to suit each particular client. Without CAM, and the CAD process that precedes it, customization would be a time-consuming, manual and costly process. However, CAD software allows for easy customization and rapid design changes: the automatic controls of the CAM system make it possible to adjust the machinery automatically for each different order. The spectre of robots replacing workers, however, is currently a fallacy. Robotic arms and machines are commonly used in factories, but these do still require human workers. The nature of those workers' jobs change however. The repetitive tasks are delegated to machines; the human workers' job descriptions then move more towards set-up, quality control, using CAD systems to create the initial designs, and machine maintenance. What Is Mass Customization? Mass customization refers to a firm's ability to produce a customized product at an economically viable unit cost. This is often comparable to that achievable by large scale, mass production. This ability to personalize a product at a viable cost has arrived over the past few decades with the advent of computers and the Internet. Mass production has historically been synonymous with the uniformity and standardization that was necessary to lower costs. Customization is the exact opposite; it is the individualistic and unique, which almost always costs more. On the face of it,

the term mass customization seems like a contradiction in terms, and for many years, it was. Digital technologies changed all that. It may be tempting to assume that mass customization applies only to cyber-based businesses. Clearly, its relevance to these firms is enormous. Yet the concept, as originally developed in 1987 by Boston-based business consultant Stan Davis in his book Future Perfect, was targeted to the analysis of old economy, brick-and-mortar businesses. In this old economy, the focus remained the same when Joseph Pine subsequently developed the concept in his 1992 book, Mass Customization the New Frontier in Business Competition. Production costs are lower in many brick-and-mortar businesses due to the application of computers. Car, boats, planes, and trains are all cheaper today because of computer-assisted design and manufacture. In addition to computers, the Internet has also assisted lower production costs, particularly in service industries such as investment management, R&D, insurance claim processing, and customer call centers.

What is Real-Time?
In computing, real-time refers to a time frame that is very brief, appearing to be immediate. When a computer processes data in real time, it reads and handles data as it is received, producing results without delay. For example, a website that is updated in real-time will allow its viewers to see changes as soon as they occur, rather than waiting for updates to be visible at some later date. A non-real-time computer process does not have a deadline. Such a process can be considered non-real-time, even if fast results are preferred. A real-time system, on the other hand, is expected to respond not just quickly, but also within a predictable period of time. A good example of a real-time computer system is a cars anti-lock break system. An anti-lock brake system is expected to release a vehicles brakes, preventing dangerous wheel locking, in a predictably short time frame. Unfortunately, there are times when real-time systems fail to respond as desired. A Real-time process fails when its task is not completed before its deadline. In computing, there is no grace period given because of other demands on a system. Real-time deadlines must be kept without regard to other factors; they are considered mission critical.

What are Robots?

The word robot is usually used to refer to a mechanical agent that performs one or more tasks in which it mimics a human or animal agent either through programming or commands. Another word used synonymously is automaton. Virtual robots exist, but are most often called by the abbreviated name bots.

What is Quality Control?

Quality control is a process employed to ensure a certain level of quality in a product or service. It may include whatever actions a business deems necessary to provide for the control and verification of certain characteristics of a product or service. The basic goal of quality control is to ensure that the products, services, or processes provided meet specific requirements and are dependable, satisfactory, and fiscally sound. Essentially, quality control involves the examination of a product, service, or process for certain minimum levels of quality. The goal of a quality control team is to identify products or services that do not meet a companys specified standards of quality. If a problem is identified, the job of a quality control team or professional may involve stopping production temporarily. Depending on the particular service or product, as well as the type of problem identified, production or implementation may not cease entirely. Usually, it is not the job of a quality control team or professional to correct quality issues. Typically, other individuals are involved in the process of discovering the cause of quality issues and fixing them. Once such problems are overcome, the product, service, or process continues production or implementation as usual. Quality control can cover not just products, services, and processes, but also people. Employees are an important part of any company. If a company has employees that dont have adequate skills or training, have trouble understanding directions, or are misinformed, quality may be severely diminished. When quality control is considered in terms of human beings, it concerns correctable issues. However, it should not be confused with human resource issues. Often, quality control is confused with quality assurance. Though the two are very similar, there are some basic differences. Quality control is concerned with the product, while quality assurance is processoriented. Even with such a clear-cut difference defined, identifying the differences between the two can be hard. Basically, quality control involves evaluating a product, activity, process, or service. By contrast, quality assurance is designed to make sure processes are sufficient to meet objectives. Simply put, quality assurance ensures a product or service is manufactured, implemented, created, or produced in the right way; while quality control evaluates whether or not the end result is satisfactory.