Re: OT: I wonder...

cable@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
On Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:53:40 -0700, Rufus<not@xxxxxxxx> wrote:


Most of the heavy-duty CAD, fluids, and manufacturing stuff I've ever
worked with still run on mainframes - CATIA, CAFD, etc.


Sorry, what is "CAFD"? Must have been a while. The leading
engineering applications run on a PC (eg Mastercam, Surfcam, Gibbscam)
Not a mainframe. The PC based applications have been doing CAD and CNC
machines for over 3 decades. No macs involved.


Actually, there is a version of Autocad for Mac, but nobody at my home plant uses it on PC, so why would I even care about it on a Mac?

CAFD is a finite element fluids package for doing internal aerodynamics. I used to use it back when I was a jet engine component designer. Very specialized, I'm not surprised you never heard of it. But that was my point about the use of PC based CAD packages in heavy industry. Most of the real heavy hitters are still mainframe based...at least in aerospace.

The PC based
stuff can get you started, but really doesn't cut it for volume
manufacturing and production at a large company. Useful for one-offs
and pop-ups, though. To an extent.

Whaaaa...?
Almost every mechanical thing you touch today were PC programmed in
CNC. This has been the case since 1970. From plastic extrusion, molds,
petroleum processing, military defense, etc. Where and when were macs
ever involved....?

Nothing my company makes (and it's one of the HUGE ones...) has much of anything to do with a PC. We use PCs mainly as terminals, and for interoffice connectivity. Most other computing devices are purpose built to interface with specific hardware - test benches and such. But on our manufacturing floor pretty much nothing gets touched by a PC based input.

Out here in the field I know of *one* guy that uses Autocad to do one-off stuff on quick-turn of prototyping or repair illustration...just one guy. And that's just because our connectivity with the main plant is limited, and he's got an interest in doing it that way.

--
- Rufus
.