A CAD/CAM system for die design and manufacture

The manufacture of directionally solidified cast turbine blades relies on the precise casting of wax patterns of the actual turbine blade. This, in turn, requires the design and manufacture of a complex die. A CAD/CAM system is presented specifically for producing manufacturing information for dies based on basic data defining the shape of a turbine blade. The system is based around a UNIX graphics workstation which forms part of a CIM system being developed as part of an SERC Teaching Company based at Rolls-Royce plc, Derby.