CAM-i is an international organization set up by many American, Japanese and European companies. Member companies sponsor projects in the c.a.d.-c.a.m, field with the objective of improved efficiency and resource usage. The seminar provided an opportunity for both members and non-members to hear and discuss how best to solve problems in design linked to manufacture.
About 100 delegates from all over the world attended the seminar and the papers ranged from tackling the problems of planning in manufacturing through NC program systems to the more difficult and seemingly yet unsolved area of truly 3D-shape representation.
Gordon Adshead, ICL, England, gave the keynote address. He believes that any manufacturing industry with a turnover of more than £1M can profitably use a computer in manufacturing and design. Files, models or databases are seen as central to the whole process. Microfilm output is being used increasingly but COM usage demands accuracy because the output cannot be changed manually.
Robert Carlson, McDonnell Aircraft, USA, and President of CAM-i, outlined his company's extensive use of direct n.c. The configuration currently being developed consists of a shared file accessed by an IBM 360 linked to four IBM 1800 Process Controllers. Each IBM 1800 controls four System 7's, the System 7 has a small control board and gives lower operating costs and reduced cabling. Mr Carlson suggested that a microcomputer based control unit is the next development and he named this concept 'smart n.c.' or SNC.
The need to avoid duplication in development effort when introducing n.c. and c.a.m, was emphasized by A. H. Montgomery, Western Electric. We must avoid the horrendus waste of resources and technological innovation. Technology expands and changes very rapidly and 90% of today's products were not even conceived five years ago. He estimated the half-life of engineers to be between 5-8 years with ensuing problems of re-training to keep pace with the developments.