Internet-Based Delivery of CAD/CAM Capability: An Industry Case Study

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a case study in the use of the Internet as a medium for exchange of information and delivery of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) capability. The case study describes a collaboration among researchers and staff at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Thar Designs, Inc., a small business in Pittsburgh, PA that designs and sells high-pressure fluid pumps. The objective of this case study is to identify the needs of small businesses in engineering industry in the area of Internet-based CAD/CAM services. The Internet-based interaction performed in this study encompassed various stages in an iterative product development process, consisting of design, data exchange, manufacturability analysis, and fabrication of a prototype.