The Applicability of CAT tools in industry – boundaries and challenges in tolerance engineering practice observed in a medical device company

While the capabilities of computer-aided tolerancing (CAT) tools are increasing continuously, their compatibility with design processes in industry is not necessarily a given. This paper seeks to examine potential method barriers and challenges that limit the applicability and general uptake of CAT software in industry, through interviews with practitioners ranging from tolerance engineering specialists to project managers. The study identifies several issues met by practitioners that limits or prevents their use of CAT software, pointing to several unmet needs.