Chapter 2.

Components of CAD/CAM/CAE Systems

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 2.1. Hardware Components
2.1.1. Computer Systems
(1) MS Windows-based PCs
– Low cost
– Easy in system administration
– Various application programs available
– Good performance
(2) UNIX-based Workstations
– Excellent performance
– High cost
– Difficult in system administration

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Example:
How to read the specifications of a computer
Asus 3rd Gen Intel Core i7-3770 Desktop Computer (CM6870-CA-3AA)
Base Features
• Processor Type: Intel i7-3770
• Processor Speed: 3.4 GHz
• Processor Cores: 4
• RAM: 16 GB
• Hard Drive Capacity: 2 TB
• Hard Drive Speed (Revolutions Per Minute):
7200 RPM
• Optical Drive: 12 x Blu-Ray Combo
• Graphics Card: nVidia GT630
• Pre-loaded Operating System: Windows 7
Home Premium 64-Bit
 
Graphics
• Dedicated Video Memory: Yes
• Shared Video Memory: No
• Video Memory: 2 GB
• TV Tuner: Not Applicable
Display
• Built-in Monitor: No
• HDCP Compliant: Not Applicable
• Screen Size/Type: Not Applicable
• Native Screen Resolution: Not Applicable
 
Audio
• Sound Card: ALC892
• Audio Output: High Definition Audio
• Speakers: No
• Speaker Wattage: Not Applicable
• Integrated Microphone: No
• Microphone Input: Front & Back
• Line-In Input: Back
• Line Out: Front & Back
• Digital Input: No
• Digital Output: Back

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 Networking • S-Video Output: No
• Ethernet Port: 10/100/1000 • Composite Output: No
• Integrated WiFi: 802.11b/g/n  
• Integrated Bluetooth: No Computing Features
  • Processor Cache: L3 8 MB
Inputs & Outputs • System Bus: Information Not Available
• Webcam: No • Available Hard Drive Bays: 1 External 3.5
• Keyboard: Full-Size Inches (1 Available)
• Mouse: Optical • Available Optical Bays: 2 External 5.25
• Remote: No Inches (1 Available)
• Modem: No • Available PCIe Slots: 1 PCI-e3.0 x 16
• USB Ports: USB 2.0: 2 - Front; 4 - Back & (Occupied); 1 PCI-e2.0 x 4 (PCI-e x 16) (1
USB 3.0: 2 - Front; 2 - Back Available); 1 PCI-e2.0 x 2 (1 Available)
• FireWire (IEEE 1394): Not Available • Available PCI Slots: No
• Card Reader: 16-In-1 Card Reader • Available AGP Slots: No
• E-SATA: No • Available Memory Slots: 4 Total (0
• VGA Output: Yes Available)
• DVI Output: Yes • Removable Storage: No
• HDMI Output: Yes • Power Supply: 300 W
• Component Output: No • Energy Star Qualified: Information Not
Available
 
Software
• Operating System Language: Bilingual
• Loaded Software: Microsoft Pack; Adobe
Acrobat Reader; Microsoft Office 2010
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 2.1.2. Input Devices
Keyboard, mouse, data tablet with a puck or a stylus

Data Tablet (E-Drawing Board):

– Position Input with a Stylus

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 2.1.3. Output Devices
(1)Vector Scan and Raster Scan
• Vector Scan:
Instruction:
pen up move to x4, y4
4 5
3 move to x1, y1 move to x5, y5
pen down move to x1, y1
2 1 move to x2, y2 pen up
move to x3, y3
• Raster Scan: Instruction:
– The whole area is described by a
N x M matrix of pixels
– Each pixel is described by a value
of either 0 or 1 representing the
black dot or white dot respectively

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 (2) Monitors (Raster Scan)

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 (3) Plotters and Printers
• Pen Plotters (Vector Scan)
– For large sheet drafting

Flat-bed Pen Plotter Drum Pen Plotter

• Ink-jet Printers (Raster Scan)
– For photo printing
• Laser Printers (Raster Scan)
– For document printing

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 2.1.4. Hardware Configurations
• Using a Mainframe Computer

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 • Using Engineering Workstations

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 Questions:
• Are CAD systems only run on MS Windows?
• Give one application to use the CAD data tablet (E-drawing
board) as an input device.
• When CNC milling machine is used for engraving letters on a
sheet metal, is this scanning a vector scanning or raster
scanning?
• Draw a triangle using both raster and vector scanning methods.
• Explain why mainframe computers are still used in computer
aided design.

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 2.2. Software Components
2.2.1. Classifications
• Operating Systems
– MS Windows
– UNIX
– Mac
• Major Functions of CAD/CAM/CAE
– 3-D Geometric Modeling
– 2-D Drafting
– Visualization
– Motion Analysis
– Structure Analysis
– Flow Analysis
– CNC Programming, Simulation and G-code Generation

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 2.3. Major CAD/CAM/CAE Systems
2.3.1. Major CAD Systems
• Professional CAD/CAM/CAE Tools
 CATIA (Dassault Systems)
 NX (Formerly Unigraphics) (Siemens PLM Software)
 PTC Creo (Formerly Pro/ENGINEER) (PTC)
 SOLIDWORKS (Dassault Systems)
• Other CAD and Graphics Packages
 AutoCAD
 AutoDesk Inventor
 AutoDesk Fusion 360 (Cloud-based)
 Solid Edge
 MicroStation
 IRONCAD
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(1) SOLIDWORKS (www.solidworks.com)
• 3D computer-aided mechanical design software from
SolidWorks Corp. founded in 1993 and acquired by Dassault
Systems in 1997.
• A leader for the lower-priced mechanical design solution
companies.
• A system used for designing and engineering parts and
assemblies in a completed 3D-centric process linked to
automated assembly and drafting functions.
• The first solid modeling program to run in native Windows
environments, and sells for a fraction of the cost of similar
programs.

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 SOLIDWORKS Add-ins (Previously Called COSMOS):
Additional functions embedded with SOLIDWORKS.

• SOLIDWORKS Simulation (i.e., COSMOSWorks) - stress,

frequency, buckling, thermal, and optimization analyses
• SOLIDWORKS Motion (i.e., COSMOSMotion) - motion
simulation and kinematics
• SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation (i.e., COSMOSFloWorks)
- fluid flow analysis with robust capabilities normally found in
high-end Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) programs

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 Three SOLIDWORKS Packages
SOLIDWORKS Premium is the
system we are going to use.

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 • Geometric Modeling

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 • Visualization

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 • Animation

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 • Motional Analysis

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 • Structure Analysis

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 • Manufacturing

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(2) CATIA (www.3ds.com/products-services/catia)

• A process-centric CAD/CAM software solution marketed

exclusively by IBM and manufactured by Dassault
Systems.
• A system used to design and manufacture many complex
3D products. Today, 7 out of every 10 airplanes and 4 out
of every 10 cars are designed using CATIA-CADAM
Solutions, making it the de facto standard for these markets.
• A software of choice for a wide variety of applications
ranging from consumer goods and machinery to plant
design and shipbuilding.
• 300,000 CATIA users worldwide, nearly half in English
language markets.

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 CATIA

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(3) NX (Unigraphics)
(www.plm.automation.siemens.com/global/en/products/nx/)

• A full spectrum design modeling, analysis, simulation, and

manufacturing CAD/CAM/CAE software from Unigraphics
Solutions.
• One of the older and well-established CAD/CAE system.
• A software of choice for a wide variety of applications,
especially in automotive and aerospace product
development.

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 Automotive & Aerospace
NX (Unigraphics) Virtual Product
Development Process

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(4) PTC Creo (Pro/ENGINEER)
(www.ptc.com/en/products/cad/creo)
• One of the CAD/CAM/CAE industry’s leading suppliers of
software tools from Parametric Technology Corp. (PTC).
• A pioneer of the new feature-based, parametrically driven
design paradigm in late 1980s, now industrial standard.
• A system used to automate the development of a mechanical
product from its conceptual design through production.
• Offering integrated software technologies to reduce time to
market, improve engineering process, and optimize product
quality.
• Improved user’s interface in recent release.

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 PTC Creo (Pro/ENGINEER)

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 2.3.2. Major CAM Systems
• Mastercam from CNC Software
• CATIA from Dassault Systèmes
• NX from Siemens PLM Software
• PTC Creo from PTC
• SOLIDWORKS CAM from Dassault Systems
Procedure to define a CAM model:
• Define the part geometry
• Define the machining geometry and the raw material
• Define machines and cutting tools
• Define machining operations and parameters
• Simulate machining process
• Generate CNC machining codes

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 (1) SOLIDWORKS CAM
(www.solidworks.com/product/solidworks-cam)

SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard

• Recognizing any updated geometry as the model changes
through feature updates or newly imported parts
• Assigning machining strategies based on features that are
recognized
SOLIDWORKS CAM Professional
• Assembly Machining
• Turning
• 3+2 Milling: with 4- and 5-axis machining centers
• High-Speed Machining

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 SOLIDWORKS CAM

Milling

Turning
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 (2) Mastercam (www.mastercam.com)

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 2.3.3. Major CAE Systems
• ANSYS from ANSYS
• CATIA from Dassault Systems
• NX from Siemens PLM Software
• PTC Creo from PTC
• SOLIDWORKS from Dassault Systems
Procedure to define a CAE model:
• Define the geometry of a part or an assembly
• Select materials
• Specify restraints and loads
• Create meshes
• Run the analysis
• View the analysis results

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 ANSYS (www.ansys.com/)

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 Questions:
• Give names of 3 CAD systems.
• Give names of 3 CAM systems.
• Give names of 3 CAE systems.
• Give three criteria to select a particular CAD, CAM or CAE
system for a company.
• Give 2 analysis functions in SOLIDWORKS.
• Give 2 manufacturing functions in SOLIDWORKS.
• Give 2 types of CNC machines whose operations can be
simulated in SOLIDWORKS CAM.

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