Computer-Aided Manufacturing (3rd Edition) (英文原版进口)

　　the paradigm of engineering is undergoing a major evolution throughout the world. the use of computers and the internet has changed the way that we engineer and manufacture products. among the recent trends in manufacturing are trends in which products are subject to a shorter product life, frequent design changes, small lot sizes, and small in-process inventory restrictions ("lean manufacturing"). the result of these trends is that today more than 90% of our products are manufactured in lots of less than 50 parts. these low lot quantities have eliminated many applications of dedicated production lines that were so effective in producing the inexpensive goods of the 1950 and 1960s.
　　 the first step the nation employed to remain competitive with our international counterparts was the application of computer-aided design (cad) and computer-aided manufacturing (cam) to design and manufacture sophisticated products. today, we routinely employ cad to design products and flexible or programmable manufacturing systems to produce low- to medium-volume batch quantities. the internet provides us with the connection to share design, marketing, and manufacturing information. we now look toward the advent of distributed design and manufacturing using agile networking as a means to produce products for the twenty-first century.