Computer Aided Design, Possibilities, Necessities and Applications in the Design Process.
Abstract
While some of the largest aerospace companies within the NATO community have already installed very complex, but nevertheless modulized software and hardware configurations for computeraiding the design process in its different fields, other companies apply only specialized and/or isolated modules of software and hardware configurations. This situation is caused not only by the engineering capacity and amount of money involved, but stems also from the lack of criteria by which the benefits of money invested may be estimated. The latter holds true especially because design directly causes only a small proportion of costs, whereas up to 80 percent of total product costs may be influenced by the design process. Thus much of the benefit of introducing more effective means and methods into the design process have to come downstream from material supply and manufacturing of a product. From this it follows that each isolated module of software and hardware must not only fit into a general concept for the design process of one company, but must have a well defined interface with manufacturing facilities of the same company. This point becomes its special feature if cooperative programs between two or more aircraft companies in different countries are concerned. The pilot papers contained in this publication will help to define the present possibilities, needs and applications of CAD in the design process, bearing in mind that design is not an aim in itself, but only one step towards manufacturing and selling a product. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA049379
Entities
Organizations
- AGARD