Integrated Digital Manufacturing: CAD/CAM and Generative Design in Advanced Process Planning

The use of computers in the field of design, manufacturing, and process planning is increasing day by day. Computer-aided Design (CAD), Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAM), and Computer-aided Process Planning (CAPP) are gaining huge importance across the world. This paper scope encompasses the Design for Manufacturability (DFM) process through the use of computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), as well as generative design. IENG 405 Group 3 worked within Autodesk Fusion 360 to create a simple, easy to manufacture, and functional CAD design (named DeskNote) which was then used in the analysis of overall manufacturability. To do this, the team created two toolpaths for an aluminum part - one for a 3-axis milling machine and one for a 5-axis milling machine within Fusion 360’s Manufacture Workspace. The 5-axis design for manufacturing approach was similar to that of the 3-axis, but only contained one centralized setup, a facing operation, and a decreased cutting speed for toolpaths 1-6 by 100 sfpm. The team’s purpose in reducing cutting speed for the 5-axis process was to investigate the result - longevity in tool life. Setup and tool data are used ultimately to display the cost per unit of manufacturing DeskNote on a 3-axis milling machine versus a 5-axis milling machine. The results obtained from the process plans were ultimately compared. Those results then rivaled against the produced outcomes of the generative design (from the Fusion 360 Generative Design Workspace), which used Aluminum 6061 and Stainless Steel AISI 304 materials. The team concluded that the 5-axis machining process with a 100 sfpm reduction in toolpaths 1-6 produced an over 48% reduction in cost per DeskNote.