Stevens T

Abstract: In the automotive industry, each of the major auto manufacturers uses a different CAD system for its vehicle and component desingn and engineering efforts. The net result is that one automative casting supplier has 10 softwares licences for 13 different CAD/CAM/CAE systems at an extra cost of $235,000/yr. The big three have made it very plain that they have little to no interest in going to a single system.The software supplier also have no interest in losing their identity in a move toward commodity type software. Thus except for some efforts through the Automative Industry Action Group (AIAG) it appears that there will be no changes in the way CAD business is done in the automotive industry.

Keywords: Automotive industry, Castings, CAD, Incompatibility, Manufacturers.