Use Of 3 D Cad Tools example essay topic

Concurrent Engineering (IPD) strategic and tactical plans cover several Department of Defense (DoD) initiatives and instructions such as DoD D 5000.1 and DoD I 5000.2, Defense Acquisition Management Policies and Procedures, Total Quality Management (TQM) System, and Computer Aided Acquisition and Logistics (CALS) support / Contractor Integrated Technical Information Services; DoD 4245.7-M, Transition from Development to Production; and MIL-STD-499 B, System Engineering (Tissandier, 2001). In addition, the plans provide a support structure for training, advising, measuring, scheduling and facilitating the IPD teams. Boeing has simplified CAE / CAD/CAM support tools by standardizing Unigraphics design and manufacturing software that runs on the HP 700 series workstation and by standardizing Macintosh desktop computers on the Space Station Freedom program. MAC-X provides a shared-x window into the Unigraphics files stored on DEC Vans (Tissandier, 2001, Blumen schein, 2001). The network of mini-computers, workstations, and desktops enable near real-time Concurrent Engineering (IPD) for local, as well as for geographically separated, activities. Therefore engineers, technicians, manufacturing, and logisticians share ideas throughout the design, development, and manufacturing cycles regardless of personnel location.

Concurrent Engineering (IPD) represents a common sense approach to proceed with the right thinking up front and promote all possible parallel actions (Perroquet, 2000). This common sense approach to Concurrent Engineering (IPD) deployment has provided several benefits including: 1) Increased efficiency through early up-front communications 2) Awareness of downstream needs of all 3) Enterprise product ownership because of team involvement 4) Reduction in non-value added activity 5) Establishment of contact networks between suppliers and teammates 6) Higher first-time quality in all program phases 7) Increased use of shared data 8) Reduction in part counts through robust design principles 9) Higher performance achieved on schedule with less rework 10) Reduced life cycle cost Concurrent Engineering (IPD) based on the CAD at Boeing Company supports the TQM philosophy. It is a methodology, a philosophy, and a mindset that helps teams of product developers define all aspects of a product's life cycle from concept through disposal. From the seventies onwards, the computer has been introduced into the design phase of discrete products: Computer Aided Design (CAD). The tool has been used primarily as an electronic drafting board, which resulted in more efficient and precise drawing and more efficient use of design data in the manufacturing stage (Perroquet, 2000). Recently, CAD technology has been revolutionized.

While the older systems use a mixture of 2-dimensional (2-D) and 3-dimensional (3-D) representations, the newest CAD systems are completely 3-dimensional. In this article the authors essentially argue that the use of 3-D CAD tools shows great promise for more efficient product development, provided that attention is paid to an adequate fit between technology and organization. They base their assertions on case studies of Japanese shipbuilding, automobile, and aircraft firms; these industries are the leading users of CAD tools for mechanical products.