COMPUTER-ASSISTED EVERYTHING - TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

This article discusses applications of computer-assisted technologies in both product design/development and manufacturing. The intent is to explore the capabilities - and limits - of computer-automated enginee ring and manufacturing, and examine the impacts on international compe titiveness. The conclusions in brief: 1. Computer-assisted everything, or CAX, will prove to be a receding goal for the foreseeable future. Many technical limitations, typically associated with computational co mplexity, must still be overcome; as one set of problems is solved, ot hers will appear. No end is yet in sight. 2. Although the United State s has led for many years in the development of CAX technologies, Ameri can firms have not been able to use the resulting capabilities to esta blish substantial competitive advantages. There are two primary reason s. On the product side, computer-aided engineering remains mostly a ma tter of analysis (that is, solving complicated mathematical problems) rather than conceptualization and design, while it is design decisions that largely determine both product performance and manufacturing cos ts. Second, effective application of CAX in manufacturing requires eff ective integration of people and machines; US capabilities in computer applications do not extend to making the best use of people's skills and abilities on the factory floor.