Status Study Of Cad/Cam/Cnc Integration In South Texas Technical Colleges

The CAD/CAM/CNC system is an advanced technology widely used to manufacture an array of products. The CAD system is both the hardware and software components that extract 2D or 3D CAD information. This information is then used to generate the desired Computer Numerical Control (CNC) program for milling, drilling, lathe, and other manufacturing processes. 5 Recently, the CAD/CAM/CNC system has extended its applications in medical technology. The benefits have been exploited in dentistry to fabricate crown and bridge substructures. Furthermore, medical capabilities are used to generate 3D models of organs for medical observations. 3 Significant measures have been taken by South Texas technical colleges to implement CAD/CAM/CNC technology within their programs. However, a regional study has not been conducted to determine the nature and potential to implement CAD/CAM/CNC programs in South Texas.