Thursday, January 12, 2017
Everything but the kitchen sink
MANUFACTURING - The story of making the most beautiful kitchens with a computer.
The problem
Computer aided design (CAD) and drafting has replaced manual drafting and is pretty much used to design everything now. Kitchen manufacturers use CAD software to calculate dimensions and tolerances, and design curves, surfaces, and solids in two dimensions or in a three-dimensional space. CAD designers not only design every aspect of a kitchen but also have to correctly identify and link with the appropriate machine in the factory to ensure every single feature is correct for the part to be produced.
The solution
This famous family manufacturer has developed software that automatically analyses the part model and identifies machinable features based on the part's geometry (the shape of the feature) and topology (how the features are related to each other). It includes a database with machining parameters such as speeds and feeds that match the operation, the selected tool, and the workpiece material. It has drastically increased quality and efficiency in the factory and given more capacity to the CAD department.