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CIMdata shows efficiency, effectiveness are industry goals
The NC or CAM software market remains viable, the underlying technologies employed continue to evolve, and users are able to effectively support more complex and advanced machine tools, increase their productivity and produce higher quality parts. NC programming systems date back to the 1960s and are relatively mature.
However, based on interviews conducted by CIMdata at the recent IMTS trade show in Chicago, many of the vendors providing this software are expanding their business focus, acquiring other vendors, and experiencing double digit revenue growth in 2008.
The fundamental driving force for the growth in the industry is the intense worldwide competitive environment being faced by manufacturers. It commands continuous improvements in processes, operations, methodology, technology, and a culture that meets and exceeds expectations.
There are also demands on producers for product innovation and aesthetic appeal; increased product functionality, performance, and usability, and a longer useful maintenance-free life for products.
Concurrently, the number of skilled and experienced workers is on the decline, and at the same time, owners and shareholders insist on steadily increasing revenues and profitability. Manufacturers are caught in this confluence of forces that places an onerous squeeze on owners, managers, planners, and workers to effectively compete in a global economy.
One approach producers are taking is to increase their purchases of more advanced and complex machine tools to lower costs, improve quality and shorten turnaround times. In 2007, worldwide machine tool purchases increased by 16 percent over 2006.
The primary objective in CAM software is to improve user productivity and product quality by producing software that is easier to learn and use, more automated, more process-oriented, and more tightly integrated with other elements of PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) such as product design, PDM (Product Data Management), digital manufacturing, and factory automation software.
Ten of the key industry trends, as observed by CIMdata, are summarized below:
Trend 1
Greater use of multi-task machines Machine tools are now often multi-functional, multi-spindle, multi-turret, and/or multi-axis. CIMdata is aware of machines in production with as many as 22 axes. These tools are becoming increasingly complex to program and utilize. The introduction, acceptance and support of this type of machine tool is viewed by most NC software vendors as...