Britain was at the forefront of the original Industrial Revolution, which began in the 18th Century, and also the period of rapid industrialization dubbed the Second Industrial Revolution in the final stage of the 19th Century and the early part of the 20th – think railways, mass production, and electricity.
The advent of computers and digital technologies is widely considered to have been the Third Industrial Revolution. Many think we’re now on the verge of a Fourth Industrial Revolution that builds on digital innovations and incorporates elements such as automation, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, the Internet of Things (IoT) and 3D printing.
Computer Aided Manufacturing, or CAM, is another important part of this new wave of technologies — and it’s already starting to have an impact on manufacturing, construction, and other sectors.
What is CAM?
Siemens says: “Computer aided manufacturing (CAM) commonly refers to the use of numerical control (NC) computer software applications to create detailed instructions (G-code) that drive computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools for manufacturing parts. Manufacturers in a variety of industries depend on the capabilities of CAM to produce high-quality parts.”
A broader and simpler definition would be: any manufacturing process that uses computer software to facilitate, assist or automate parts of the manufacturing process.
How does CAM work?
Computer aided manufacturing typically uses software to translate drawings and data into detailed instructions that can drive some sort of automated tool. As an example, a 2D digital drawing can be used to guide a laser or physical cutting tool to cut cladding or other components to fit an architect’s design.
