Programming Technology: How Does CAD Design Eliminate Production Errors?

Computer-aided design (CAD) is employed in numerous industries, including spare part manufacturing. Over the past several decades, CAD design and programming has revolutionised the production process by improving precision, reducing human error, and increasing manufacturing speed. CAD didn’t just change the approach to design. It moved it to a new level. How Is CAD Used In Product Design? The use of CAD in product design dates back to the 1950s and 1960s when Sketchpad first appeared. The first generation of design software evolved into the complex programs we use today. A product is designed using software which, at a later stage, becomes part of the program that gives “orders” to the manufacturing equipment. Today, designers use CAD software to produce 3D wireframes and analyse virtual models without manufacturing a physical prototype. The program allows temperature, pressure, and other condition testing. CAD offers the chance to test the product before it’s manufactured and create a part with a higher degree of accuracy. Reducing Production Errors Here are a few ways CAD software can eliminate production errors: 1) Reduce Human Error When working with a computer program, the chance of human error is much reduced. If you enter the wrong parameters, the software alerts you of the impossibility of creating such a product. 2) Eliminate Material Waste After the product is designed with the assistance of CAD software, the computer model is transferred to the manufacturing equipment, such as CNC machines. Since the program doesn’t allow any errors to slide through, the equipment produces a perfect part, thus eliminating material waste. 3) Faster Prototyping Without CAD, the design process is slow. Designers don’t just need to draw a model, they must create a physical prototype and test it. CAD eliminates the need for physical prototyping and testing by allowing the designer to run all the necessary checks on the computer model. 4) Cut Costs Automating the production process by using CAD software and CNC machining allows you to cut costs that inevitably arise due to production errors. Wasted materials caused by measurement mistakes Extra equipment and time for testing the prototype Botched deadlines due to mistakes made at the testing stage 5) Allow Changes Changes during the production process are inevitable. While making changes, human error is hard to avoid because they need to be inputted manually for each view of the product. CAD updates multiple views simultaneously after the designer makes one change. At Woodley Engineering, we work with the latest CAD software and CNC equipment to bring you precision products with a fast turnaround. For more information about our services, please download our free e-book: The Woodley Engineering Precision Engineering Guide.