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From: bruceb@fai.UUCP (Bruce Bailey)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: CAD/CAM Modeling to manufacturing
Message-ID: <3070@fai.UUCP>
Date: 28 May 91 15:52:27 GMT
References: <1991May24.115748.1246@ecl.psu.edu>
Reply-To: bruceb@fai.fai.com (Bruce Bailey)
Organization: Fujitsu America, Inc
Lines: 17

In article <1991May24.115748.1246@ecl.psu.edu> djm@ecl.psu.edu writes:
>I have used several NC packages:  from Computervision, CADAM, CATIA ("big"
>CAD systems) and from MasterCAM and SmartCAM ("small" pc based systems).
>All require the NC programmer to specify the feature to be cut...
>
>...A number of people are working on automated "generative" process planning,
I used to work at Automation Technology Products where we had a "fully"
functional Generative NC product, which was integrated with a solid modeller,
utilized form feature information, etc...  The company went chapter 11 and 
a spin-off company was formed called Cimplex, Inc.  This technology has 
progressed beyond "research" in that the Cimplex product is currently being
used in production at Boeing.  Last I heard, the types of parts they are
designing and machining are fairly simple (angle brackets with holes).
Apparently, this is not due to any limitation in the modeller or GNC package,
but due to numerical problems within the NC processor.

Bruce Bailey (Dr. OW)