37.

CAD &NECESSARY HARDWARE EMBEDDEDSYSTEM DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION

37.1INTRODUCTION:
An embedded system is a computer system designed for specific control functions within a
larger system often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device
often including hardware and mechanical parts. Presented in three parts, Embedded Systems:
Hardware, Design, and Implementation
37.2CAD(computer aided design ):
Computer Aided Design-CAD is defined the use of information technology (IT) in the Design
process. A CAD system consists of IT hardware (H/W), specialised software (S/W) (depending on the
particular area of application) and peripherals, which in certain applications are quite specialised. The
core of a CAD system is the S/W, which makes use of graphics for product representation; databases
for storing the product model and drives the peripherals for product presentation. Its use does not
change the nature of the design process but as the name states it aids the product designer. The
designer is the main actor in the process, in all phases from problem identification to the
implementation phase.
The role of the CAD is in aiding him/her by providing: n Accurately generated and easily
modifiable graphical representation of the product. The user can nearly view the actual product on
screen, make any modifications to it, and present his/her ideas on screen without any prototype,
especially during the early stages of the design process. n Perform complex design analysis in short
time. Implementing Finite Elements Analysis methods the user can perform: n Static, Dynamic and
Natural Frequency analysis, Heat transfer analysis, Plastic analysis, Fluid flow analysis, Motion
analysis, Tolerance analysis, Design optimisation n Record and recall information with consistency
and speed. In particular the use of Product Data Management (PDM) systems can store the whole
design and processing history of a certain product, for future reuse and upgrade.
The technique initiated in the MIT from Ian Sutherland, when the first system the Sketchpad
was created within the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) research project. The
automotive and aerospace industries were the first users and the forerunners of development of CAD
technology. The first system were very expensive, the computer graphics technology was not so
advanced at that time and using the system required specilised H/W and S/W which was provided
mainly by the CAD vendors. The first CAD systems were mainframe computer supported systems,
while today the technology is for networked but stand alone operating workstations (UNIX or
WINDOWS based systems). AUTODESK was the first vendor to offer a PC based CAD system the
AUTOCAD (beginning of 1980). Today WINDOWS is the main operating system for CAD systems.

The first applications were for 2D-Drafting and the systems were also capable of performing
only 2D modelling. Even today 2D-drafting is still the main area of application (in terms of number of
workplaces). Later, (mid-1980), following the progress in 3D modelling technology and the growth in
the IT H/W, 3D modelling systems are becoming very popular. 3D modelling are at the beginning
wire frame based. Aerospace and automotive industries were using surface modelling systems for
exact representation of the body of the product. At the same time solid modelling was recognised as
the only system, which could provide an unambiguous representation of the product, but it was
lacking adequate support for complex part representations. Today we are experiencing a merge of
solid and surface modelling technology. Most solid modelling systems are capable of modelling most
of industrial products. Systems sold today (especially for mechanical applications, which are the
majority of systems sold world-wide) are characterised as NURBS (Non Uniform Rational B-Sline)
based systems, employing solid modelling technology, and they are parametric and feature based
systems.
The use of CAD systems has also been expanded to all industrial sectors, such AEC,
Electronics, Textiles, Packaging, Clothing, Leather and Shoe, etc. Today, numerous CAD systems are
offered by several vendors, in various countries.

37.3 Objectives of the technique:

Originally the technique was aiming at automating a number of tasks a designer is performing and in
particular the modelling of the product. Today CAD systems are covering most of the activities in the
design cycle, they are recording all product data, and they are used as a platform for collaboration
between remotely placed design teams. Most of its uses are for manufacturing and the usual name of
the application is CAD/CAM. The areas of application of CAD related techniques, such as CAD,
CAEngineering and CAManufacturing is shown in Fig.1. On the left side of the figure we have a
simplified representation of the design cycle and on the right side the use of IT systems. Each of the
above functions is not accomplished by a single system and it is quite often for a company to use
more that one system, especially when we have CAD and CAE applications.
CAD systems can shorten the design time of a product. Therefore the product can be introduced
earlier in the market, providing many advantages to the company. In fig.2,there is a representation of
the product development time and of the product useful life span. The shortest the development time,
the earliest the product is introduced into the market and it may give a longer useful life span, if the
built in quality is correct.
As mentioned above, the first applications of CAD were 2D drafting applications, while now most of
them are 3D solid and parametric representations of the real part. Complete assemblies can be
modelled and a full analysis of a virtual prototype can be performed. The 3D representation can be
exported to other platforms and it can be the communication medium between groups of people from
various departments of a company-organisation.

CAD systems enable the application of concurrent engineering and can have significant
influence on final product cost, functionality, and quality.

Fig.37. (A) The traditional generalised design process, and (B) IT applications in the
Design process

37.4 Implementation procedure:

37.4.1 Steps/ phases:
The successful introduction of a full range CAD/CAM system is a lengthy procedure. It starts, as with
every IT application, with the evaluation of needs, the technical specifications of the system, the
selection of the most suitable system and the implementation.
During the evaluation of needs there must be a phased implementation of the full system. Certain
steps must be followed prior to the implementation of several modules. Existing IT systems or
equipment, which require data exchange with the CAD system must be taken into consideration in
drawing the specifications. Also, current trends in CAD development must also be considered.
The technical specification of the system should cover most of user needs. In certain applications
these should not be independent from the vendor. In developing countries, like Greece, where the
number of sophisticated systems users is limited, the local support is very important. Existing
customer base must be taken into consideration and a number of local visits must be undertaken.

The evaluation of alternative solutions and the selection of the most suitable system should not be
based only on desk evaluation. Benchmarking of three to four candidate systems must be made, based
on one or two parts, representative of the product spectrum a company is producing. Desk evaluation
of the various systems is not easy to be performed, unless the company is already a CAD user, has a
very good knowledge of CAD systems and follows developments within the CAD systems.
Sometimes the type of work a company is performing directs the selection of a CAD system. Large
manufacturers with many subcontractors are forcing them to acquire the same CAD system as the one
they are using. They aim at avoiding data translation problems from one CAD system to another. The
implementation is the most difficult phase. It requires a strong support from the management, time to
pay back and it should not be a temporary task for some designers. The problems that must be
addressed include, training, organisation of the CAD team, operation of the system and procedures
that must exist. Each of them will be presented next.

37.4.2 Training:
Training is the most important step for the successful implementation of a CAD system. For new
installations, personnel selection and training success is critical because setbacks may be very hard to
overcome. Emphasis should be placed on building a solid level of user expertise and confidence rather
than production goals that will be difficult to achieve.
After initial system set-up and training, productivity should pick up and will probably approximate
the production levels existing before CAD was introduced. However, many times setbacks caused by
loss of data, operator errors or lack of proficiency will clobber productivity and frustrate management
and the users. Causes of these setbacks must be determined and corrected. Each problem encountered
should be used to represent a selfteaching opportunity.
Operators have the tendency to use familiar commands instead of trying to learn new and faster ways
to do their work. The task will usually fall on the manager to identify operations that can be
accomplished more productively and to research and develop new methods to be used.
Training should include:

Initial training for new operators as well as on-going training for experienced users
Cross-training within the group. It is particularly important that all CAD personnel
help new members of the group learn efficient techniques and procedures
nRegular meetings for the purpose of demonstrating new commands, programs,
menus, or other time-saving techniques
Documentation of specific programs and procedures to enable the personnel to find
and use them easily
Personnel must develop their own problem-solving abilities. Therefore they must be
assigned challenging responsibilities.

As training is not just a one-time activity, we provide the following checklist of training
activities:

Every new user must be given a regular course of instruction in how to use CAD

software. A user moving from 2D to 3D must also receive a course. Courses can be

bought from the vendors or, in case of large companies, they can take place in-house.
Training must be provided with new releases. Usually this is a short training (one
day the most)
The team must hold productivity meetings at least every two weeks, where new
procedures, bugs, etc. can be discussed
n Develop WEB site for each CAD SW brand. On it post
Company procedures
Answers to frequently asked questions
Ways to overcome known software bugs
Bug reporting form
Attend user group meeting and have a report from them
One person must be assigned to develop and document design-automation tools
specific to company procedures
Budget for training and productivity-building activities.

37.4.3 Organisation:
It is important to make CAD work on the first attempt. This can be done by selecting people who have
the best chance of making the system work, and by clearly defining their authority and
responsibilities. If the department is properly organised, the manager will be allowed to dedicate more
time on production and technical problems. On the other hand, if the department is disorganised, or if
too many people or disinterested operators are on the system or operators don't know what is expected
of them, no work will get done and the CAD program will be a disaster. Co-operation between
departments is crucial to the future development of CAD/CAM within the company. By anticipating
future applications of the CAD/CAM equipment, the group will be better prepared to handle this
growth in an organised manner. Future expansion plans should be considered before making
substantial investments in facility layout or design. In large installations, forming a graphics
committee will help to determine the direction of CAD/CAM within the company, and identify areas
where new equipment can be applied. Problems with incompatible computer systems can be avoided
with proper planning and communication between the departments that will use the CAD/CAM
database.
Organisational matters are crucial to the effective management and development of the system. CAD
managers can benefit from properly organising their departments so that they can dedicate more time
to technical and operational matters.

37.4.4 Operations:
At the beginning, the CAD system should be used for simple projects in order to check out the system
and to gain confidence. If the system is for drawings generation, then drawings that may have a lot of
revisions are ideal because revising data in a CAD system is faster and neater than changing paper
drawings. Even if it first takes longer to create the job or the drawings on the CAD system than with
manual methods, the time saved on the repetition or revision cycle should provide a net savings over

traditional method or manual drafting. Furthermore, inserting pre-checked parts, details, notes or
other data into a product or a drawing can also save some checking time.
The success of CAD is not automatic. A lot of study, training, and perseverance are required to make
the system work successfully. Attempts to automate will certainly fail if operators are not capable in
programming the system, or if planning is insufficient. A company must learn how to use library parts,
menus, and basic system commands fluently before attempting to program the system. In case a user
is selecting projects to automate, he/she must be sure that there is enough work to offset both training
costs and software development costs, especially if extensive programming is required.It is
recommended to first automate tasks which will save the largest amounts of money and which have
the best probability of successful completion on the system. Remember that no work will be done if
assignments are beyond the abilities of the operators. Schedules must include time for system
development or capabilities will level off quickly. Development should be applied to areas that will
most benefit the bulk of group responsibilities. All members of the CAD team should participate in
analysing work in order to find "the better way to do it" on the CAD system.The CAD manager must
be versatile enough to make CAD work in the department and to direct its evolution within the
company.

37.5 Procedures:
Written procedures are important because they provide clear, indisputable instructions to CAD
personnel and CAD users know what is expected of them in specific terms. If users become confused
concerning task requirements, they can communicate their complaints more clearly by referring to
parts of the procedure that need embellishment or revision. Procedures should be updated as needed to
simplify and streamline operations, and provide the best integration with other departments using the
CAD database. Procedures are also valuable because once they are finalised they can be reused. They
help train new users and refresh casual users, and information is not lost when key people leave the
company. Good procedures will provide a sound basis for productive CAD development in the
company.