Contents

Introduction: ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Relationship Between Product Design and CAD: ............................................................................ 3
Applications of Computer Aided Design(CAD) in Product Design: ................................................ 5
Engineering Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 5
CAD System Hardware: .................................................................................................................... 6
Different CAD Software: .................................................................................................................. 8
Major Areas of Application: ............................................................................................................. 9
Benefits Of Application of CAD in Product Design:...................................................................... 11
Conclusion: ..................................................................................................................................... 12
Glossary: ......................................................................................................................................... 12
References: ...................................................................................................................................... 12

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Application of CAD Software in Product Design

Introduction:
Product design serves an important function in the production system. It helps determine the
eventual commercial success of a product; it determines how the production system should be
created, and exactly what equipment should be bought; and it determines how easily, and how
cheaply, the product can be manufactured. The manufacturing support system contains
procedures and systems used to manage production and solve the technical and logistical
problems associated with designing the products, planning the processes, ordering the
materials, controlling work-in-process as it moves through the plant and delivering products to
customers. Product design and its associated use of computer-aided design/computer-aided
manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems, represents one of the most important aspects of the
manufacturing

support

system.

Figure: Components of CAD

In CAD/CAM, both design and manufacturing are tightly integrated into a continuum of
activities. Continuing the integration, there are Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM),
which includes CAD/CAM, but also extends to embrace the business functions of a
manufacturing firm.

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Relationship Between Product Design and CAD:

Product design is of critical importance to the production system. It contributes more than any
other attribute to the overall design and operation of the production system, and its success
determines whether the production system will be fit for use in making products over the long
term.
The general process of design may be seen as an iterative process with six key phases. They
are given below:
1. Recognition of need: This involves the realization that a problem or need exists that
may be solved by design. This may mean identifying some deficiency in a current
machine design by an engineer, or perceiving some new product opportunity by a
salesperson.

2. Problem definition: This involves a thorough specification of the item to be designed.

Specifications include physical characteristics, function, cost, quality, and operating
performance.

3. Synthesis: Synthesis refers to the bundling of information that occurs after problem
definition, and concurrently during analysis, and after re-analysis.

4. Analysis and optimization: Analysis is concerned with the investigation of design

specification information, and the optimization of this information, as well as a
synthesis of new information, as required.

5. Evaluation: Evaluation involves measuring the design against the specifications

established in the problem definition phase. This evaluation may require the building
and testing of prototype models to assess operative performance metrics for the
proposed design. This may lead to the re-design of certain or all elements.

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Figure: Product Design Process and Computer Aided Design

6. Presentation: This is the final phase, where the design is documented by means of
drawings, material specifications, assembly lists, and so on. Documentation means that
the design database is created.

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Applications of Computer Aided Design(CAD) in Product Design:

CAD is any design activity involves the effective use of computers to create, modify, analyze,
or document an engineering design. It is most commonly associated with the use of an
interactive computer graphics system, referred to as a CAD system.
The CAD system can facilitate four of the design phases as shown in the figure. They are:

Geometric modeling
Geometric modeling is a special use of CAD data to create a mathematical description of the
geometry of an object. The geometric model, which contains the mathematical description, is
contained in the computer memory; and the CAD system. The operator can create new
geometric models from basic building blocks available in the system. These capabilities allow
the operator to interrogate existing product models, and create new variations on existing
products to cater for a wide variety of needs. There are two types of geometric models used in
CAD; these are:

Two-dimensional modeling

Three-dimensional modeling.

Geometric models in CAD can also be classified as wire-frame models, or solid models.

Figure: Wire Frame model

Figure: Solid model

Engineering Analysis
Once a design has been developed, it must then be subjected to engineering analysis. This
engineering analysis may include various tests, depending on the product, but may include:
stress-strain calculations, heat transfer analysis, or dynamic simulation. These analyses tend to
be quite complex, which has led to the development of computer-aided engineering (CAE)
software packages, so that complicated engineering analysis may be performed by computer.
CAE packages in common use with CAD systems include:

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Mass properties analysis

Interference checking

Tolerance analysis

Finite element analysis

Kinematic and dynamic analysis

Discrete-event simulation

Design Evaluation and Review

Following comprehensive engineering analysis, the proposed design must be evaluated and
reviewed for consistency. Some CAD features that are helpful in evaluating and reviewing a
proposed design include:

Automatic dimensioning

Error checking

Animation of discrete-event simulation solutions

Plant layout design scores

Automated Drafting:
CAD may also be used as a presentation application, in that the CAD system can produce
highly accurate engineering drawings quickly and conveniently, and also provide associated
documentation as necessary. It is estimated that a CAD system increases productivity in the
drafting function by about fivefold over manual preparation of drawings.

CAD System Hardware:

Hardware is used in CAD systems .The relationship between the components are:

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Table: Hardware used in CAD systems

Hardware
Design workstations

Digital computer

Output devices

Secondary Storage

Description
This has the following functions: (1)
communication with the computers central
processing unit; (2) continuously generate a
graphic image; (3) provide digital descriptions
of the image; (4) translate user commands into
operating functions; and (5) facilitate
interaction between the user and the system.
CAD workstation design has an important
influence on the convenience, productivity, and
quality of users output. The workstation
consists of a display terminal and a set of user
input devices, with which the user interacts
with
geometric
model via: entering
alphanumeric data; entering system commands
to perform various graphics operations; and by
controlling cursor position on the display
screen.
This uses a high-speed central processing unit
to process CAD operations. There are several
CAD system configurations, such as host and
terminal; engineering workstation; and a CAD
system based upon a personal computer
These include plotters and printers, which
generate the output from the CAD system.
Plotters include: pen plotters, which are x-y
plotters of various type, used to produce high
accuracy line drawings; and electrostatic
plotters, which are based upon the same
principal as photocopying, and produce lower
quality drawings. Printers used include inkjet
printers, where drawings are produced by highspeed jets
This includes various storage devices attached
to the CAD system to store programs and data
files. The storage mediums used can include:
magnetic discs, magnetic tape, floppy discs,
external hard-drives etc.

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Different CAD Software:

There are many CAD vendors for the various applications. The following table
summarizes some of them:
Mechanical CAD Software

Alias/Wavefront Surface Studio

Applicon Bravo
Autodesk AutoCAD
Autodesk Mechanical Desktop
Baystate Technologies Cadkey
Bentley Systems MicroStation
CoCreate SolidDesigner
CoCreate ME10
Dassault Systemes CATIA
IBM CATIA
Matra Datavision Euclid3
MCS Anvil Express
Micro CADAM Helix
PTC Pro/DESKTOP
PTC Pro/ENGINEER
SDRC Artisan Series
SDRC I-DEAS Master Series
SDRC Imageware Surfacer
SofTech (Adra) CADRA
SolidWorks
Think3 (CAD.LAB) Eureka Gold
Unigraphics Solutions Solid Edge
Unigraphics Solutions Unigraphics
Varimetrix VX Modeling
Visio IntelliCAD
Visionary Design IronCAD

Mechanical CAE (Analysis) Softwares:

Algor Algor
ANSYS DesignSpace
MacNeal Schwendler (MSC)
NASTRAN, Etc.
MARC Mentat & MARC
Mechanical Dynamics ADAMS
LMS CADSI DADS
PTC Mechanica
SRAC COSMOS/M

AEC(Architecture,
Engineering
Construction) CAD Software

& Autodesk Architectural Desktop

Cadcentre PEGS
IBM CATIA/CADAM
Intelligent Computer Solutions
OpenPlant
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CAD Kernels

CAD Verification Tools

Electrical CAD Vendors
Clothing and Shoes Industry
Rapid Prototype

Intergraph Imagineer
Matra Datavision CAS.CADE
Ricoh Designbase
Spatial Technology ACIS
Unigraphics Solutions Parasolid
XOX Shapes
ITI CAD/IQ
Prescient DesignQA
Cadence Alta
Mentor Graphics Inter-Connectix
Lectra Systemes - Lectra (clothing &
shoes)
3d Systems - SLA
Cubital - Solider

Major Areas of Application:

CAD has been applied to many industrial sectors.
Mechanical Sector: The mechanical sector is the largest user of CAD systems. Applications are
usually coupled with manufacturing, forming a CAD/CAM system. The applications cover all
types of manufacturing operations, such as milling (2 , 3 5 axis of control),turning, wire
EDM, punching, etc. The user can test the part program on screen prior to the transfer to the
machine tool and accomplish collision detection, undercuts, etc. Most of the systems have a post
processor integrated to communicate with the machine tools.

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Architecture, Engineering & Construction: The AEC sector is the second largest application
areas of CAD systems. Applications range from single a simple building design, to large scale
projects, interior design, static and dynamic analysis, etc. These applications are beyond the
scope of this report. A number of large projects examples are shown in Figure:

Electronics Sector: The electronics engineering is the third largest application. The computer
performs all IC designs. It is the complexity of the designs that imposes the usage of CAD
systems. Current systems also include in their software a number of designs in order to offer
some assistance to the users for their new designs.
Apparel Industry: The apparel industry is also a large user. The number of systems on offer is
limited. A small number of companies are offering systems for the apparel sector worldwide,
while on a national base there is a number of companies offering such systems. Systems for
clothing are rather expensive, because they are using specialized equipment, such as large
plotters, cutters for patterns, and automatic machines for cutting the fabric. Their application
ranges from fashion design to manufacturing. The largest usage of the systems is for pattern
design and lay planning, where most of the savings are achieved. It is absolutely necessary today

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for all companies subcontracting a large supplier to be able to handle electronic data (pattern
designs).

Benefits Of Application of CAD in Product Design:

CAD provides the following benefits:
Increased design productivityCAD reduces the time required to conceptualize and physically
draw product designs;
Increased available geometric forms in the designCAD allows the design to choose from a
range of geometrical shapes that would normally be outside the manual drawing process.
Improved quality of the designthe use of a CAD system with appropriate hardware and
software capabilities permits the designer to do a more complete engineering analysis and to
consider a larger number and variety of design alternatives. The quality of the resulting design is
thereby improved.
Improved design documentationthe output of a CAD system results in better documentation
of the design than what is usually seen as practical in manual drafting.
Creation of a manufacturing databaseby creating product design documentation, much of
the required database to manufacture the product is also created.

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Design standardizationdesign rules can be included in CAD software to encourage the

designer to utilize company-specified models for certain design features.

Conclusion:
In this assignment, the discussion and definition of product design and CAD are given, where an
analysis of the design process and the actual application of computer-aided design principles are
highlighted. CAD system hardware is reviewed and different CAD Software is shown. After
finding huge application areas of CAD in Product Design, we can say CAD software certainly
give Product design a whole new dimension.

Glossary:
AEC- Architecture, Engineering and Construction
CAD- Computer Aided Design
CAE- Computer Aided Engineering
CPU- Central Processing Unit
PD- Product Design

References:
1. Roy L. Wysack, Effective CAD Mangement A Mangers Guide, CAD/CAM
Publishing, 1985.
2. H. Zeid, CAD/CAM Theory and Practice, McGraw Hill, 1990.10.
3. The CAD Report, CAD/CAM Publishing Inc., Vol.19, No 2, 1999.
4. En.wikipedia.com
5. www.google.com
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