INTEGRATED COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF MECHANICAL SYSTEMS

ABSTRACT This article presents an in-depth study of the practical application of the essential topics relating to computer-aided engineering. These topics include interactive computer graphics, computer-aided design, computer-aided analysis and computer-aided manufacture. The author brings all these seemingly specialised topics together and demonstrates their integration in the design process through the practical application to a real engineering problem. The problem involves the design of a fluid coupling in a drive system for an auxiliary feed pump in a nuclear power station, which will only be used in the event of a breakdown in the main boiler feed pump system. Throughout this study, interactive two-dimensional draughting and three-dimensional solid modelling have been fully utilised in the development of efficient, economical and speedy solutions to the many problems encountered in the current designs. The study also addresses the structural integrity of the critical components and the dynamic response of the assembly using three-dimensional finite element analyses. This was followed by developing cutter location source files for the critical components.