CADMASTER has over a decade of parametric automation programming. If you are a company involved in "family of parts" manufacturer, you should contact us to see how we can help automate your CAD/CAM processes.

What is a "family of parts" manufacturer?

Any company who designs and custom build the same product over and over, with variations in the design. Here are some common examples:

Sample Family of Part Products

Doors	Windows	Drills	Reamers
Machine Enclosures	Injection Molds	Cutters	Valves
Screws	Connectors	Piping	Elevators
Staircases	Cabinets	Bushings	Pins

or any of hundreds, even THOUSANDS of applications. If you have an application which involves common dimensions that vary, and you can describe the design rules and steps required to design and draft that product, then you proabably are a good candidate for this type of programming!

What exactly do you automate?

That of course depends on your needs. Usually we do the following:

• INTERFACE We design an easy to use interface that allows the user to quickly input the data. (See example below) The data can also be extracted from a spreadsheet or database. Calculations can be used, as well as intelligence. An example of design intelligence would be using either 3, 4, or 5 hinges on a door depending on it's height.

• DRAW PRINTS We completely draw the sheet(s) involved in the process. These can be either automatically sent to a laser printer, or any output device that you currently use.

• BOM: Most companies require a Bill of Materials for each design job. We can also generate that, and print out a copy.

• CNC CODE: If you have CNC machinery we can automatically create the nc code necessary for your manufacturing process.

How much faster will the software make us?

We have taken processes that previously required 4 to 8 hours of manual AutoCAD drafting time, and reduced them to 1 minute or less!

This is hundreds of times faster!!

Are there any other benefits?

Most definitely! These include:

• SPEED: Many companies have a drafting/design  to manufacturing bottleneck. This is often caused by a shortage of experienced designers, short delivery times, putting out engineering "fires", and a myriad of other reasons. By getting design prints to the shop in a fraction of the previous time, this frees up experienced designers to better use their talents, and let the computer do the mundane drafting chores!
• CONSISTENCY: Our software never takes a sick day, a vacation, quits, makes mistakes because he's thinking about the argument he had with his wife, etc.. Since the software uses design rules that you define, each and every design reflects your optimum design.
• QUICK PRODUCTIVITY FOR NEW EMPLOYEES: Many manufacturers find it very difficult to find quality experienced drafting and design personel! The software allows a high school level draftsman to produce the work of a multiyear employee IMMEDIATELY! This is because the software is embedded with design rules learned through years of manufacturing experience!

Which CAD software do you use?

Most of our clients prefer using AutoCAD as the  CAD engine. We have over 12 years experience writing parametric applications for AutoCAD. We can also use a different CAD engine if you wish. If you are contemplating an application where you want to distribute more than a few copies, then you may want to use a less cost per seat CAD engine. Please call to discuss the specifics of your needs.

Is the service expensive?

No! Actually NOT AUTOMATING IS EXPENSIVE!  The complexity of your product design will ultimately determine the investment cost of the software. Typically, our clients spend between $1200 to $3600 to automate a component.

What is the typical return on investment?

This to varies from product to product, but let's run down a quick example. Suppose you spend 4 hours of design/drafting time to design a "widget". You produce just 3 of these a week. At a cost of $15 per hour, you are spending $180 per week, or $9360 per year. If you invested $3600 to automate that product line, then the return on investment would be less than 5 months!

CAN YOU AFFORD TO NOT AUTOMATE?

Is the software hard to use?

No far from it! Look at the example interface screen below. The person simply fills in the blanks presses the green checkmark, then the action begins! What could be easier?

Sample data collection screen.

But we're located on the other side of the world!

No problem. Most of our customers are not local! Between the telephone, Fax, Email, and internet we are able to service a company halfway across the world actually faster than a company located across town!

Where do we start?

Contact CADMASTER to discuss your product. For many of our clients we will typically have them send us a sample print from a product or component that they want to automate first. We then quote a price to design and write the automation software. Once design people and management see what the software does, and it starts paying for itself, we then start working on the next component. This method of step by step automation has many advantages.

1. CONFIDENCE: This approach quickly allows people to see what can be done with the software, and helps everyone understand the powerful possibilities. Employees realize that the software is going to relieve them of mundane work, not replace them. Management sees that it's going to relieve the backlog of design work, and allow orders to ship faster. Accounting is happy because increased business can handled without adding engineering personnel. Engineering is happy because they have time to improve the products, and possibly pursue other product lines. Sales is delighted because the now reduced order to ship time allows them to close more sales. Many companies are also "gun-shy". Having been burned by software promises in the past, there may be a reluctancy to try again. By quickly an inexpensively getting a solution in production, this quickly alleviates such fears.
2. RAPID IMPLEMENTATION: Some software companies promise a huge black box solution that will take a year or more to develop. They promise that once they "throw the switch", your entire operation will be automated. Why wait months for promises, when we deliver results in weeks?

Questions?

Please don't hesitate calling us to discuss the possibilities of automating your product design! CALL CADMASTER NOW (401) 434-2970!