Computerization aids in the design of products, their fabrication, and the planning of manufacturing processes. Computerization of manufacturing began with the advent of computers after World War II, mainly in military-related applications. Now it is common in many commercial applications as well. The aerospace, automobile, chemical, electronics, and biomedical industries are among many that rely on computerized manufacturing.

Computer-Aided Design

In contemporary applications of computerized manufacturing, the process often begins with computer-aided design, more commonly known as CAD. In CAD, instead of drawing with pencils and a few drafting tools on paper, an engineer uses lines and curves stored in computer memory to produce a drawing that appears on a screen. The finished drawing can also be stored in computer memory.

Sometimes it is not faster to produce a drawing with CAD than it is to draw it by hand, especially when the drawing...