Developing and Using CAD/CAM/CAE Systems in Boeing

Application programs to improve the quality and performance of its aerospace products are a critical part of Boeing’s computing environment. This article focuses first on how the company developed its own modeling, manufacturing, and engineering programs and also built custom software to address shortcomings in commercial, off-the-shelf systems. The second part details Boeing’s attempt to produce its own computer-aided design system. That system was intended to meet the company’s internal needs and eventually become marketable to external companies. Ultimately, Boeing abandoned the new system, despite technological advances, because it failed to meet functionality, scale, and performance requirements.