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The Use of Manufacturing Commands and Features in a CAD Interface to Familiarize Engineering Students with Manufacturing Equipment and Processes Capabilities

Mario H. Castro-Cedeno Rochester Institute of Technology 1 Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, NY 14623-5603

Abstract Manufacturing features and commands such as cut, drill, mill, turn, etc. can be added to the interface of computer aided CAD software. The commands can be used to design simple to medium complexity parts by using commands in a way that resemble the creation of a manufacturing process plan. Students using the software can be introduced to the capabilities and relative advantages and disadvantages of manufacturing processes and equipment. The software can be used as an augmentation of conventional shop exercises where the students have to plan the steps needed to fabricate a part.

This research describes some of the previous research on design and manufacturing features and provides examples of how manufacturing commands have been added to Solidworks CAD software.

Introduction The goal of seamlessly transferring information between design and manufacturing has received much research effort during the last 20 years and researchers have achieved significant success [1]. The high level of interest is due to the fact that large labor and time savings would be possible if a manufacturing process plan could be generated from the CAD model with no or minimal human intervention. Although much of the recent work is focused on converting design features into manufacturing features through feature recognition and translation [2], early researchers explored the possibility of driving CAD geometry creation directly with process plan compatible commands [3].

Modern, feature-based CAD software can be modified to include a language similar to the operations used on a process plan. The requirements are that 1) the design features of the CAD software can be translated into process plan actions and 2) that the CAD software must have a language that can be used to extend its capabilities. This research has focused on developing an interface for Solidworks CAD software to demonstrate the use of process planning and manufacturing commands that can be used to create simple parts. It is envisioned that students can use the modified software to learn what steps can be used to create a part. Most importantly, students can explore alternate approaches to making a part, and compare their advantages and disadvantages.

Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education

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Castro-Cedeno, M. (2005, June), The Use Of Manufacturing Commands And Features In A Cad Interface To Familiarize Engineering Students With Manufacturing Equipment And Processes Capabilities Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--14933