The development of industrial technology today and why we need CAD-based systems in the manufacturing process

Today, we know that information and communication technologies represent the great trend in telecommunications at many levels of our lives. The impulse in the increase in the use of these in industrial environments seems, despite this, that it still has not enough force. Perhaps due to the lack of experience in the integration of this type of technologies by the companies dedicated to the automation of systems, more focused on systems and traditional forms of work of the hand of large manufacturers anchored in a recent past and that, clearly , you should adapt your forms and methods.

Implementing the use of ICT technologies in the industry would help achieve greater productive and organizational control, improving the quality of the processes and the product, with a clear decrease in associated costs. The integration of all the systems of the organization, while in certain areas is something admitted and already fully operational, it is not in the parts directly corresponding to the process.

But, what would be the concrete advantages of this implementation in an industrial environment? We can extend a lot on this point, but by dint of being concrete, we will cite only a few examples:

• Increase in information, with the consequent reduction in costs. A smooth flow of information can cut production costs as long as many traditional companies spend too much on internal information flows.


  • Possibility of offshoring production. Now many industrial processes can be held separately to be merged into a single unit. This can certainly facilitate the series of processes that may have been run with traditional approaches.
  • Better knowledge of the environment, improvement of the effectiveness of decision making.

    • Less hierarchical organization, systematic and practical distribution of information. The convoluted hierarchy commonly encountered in traditional industries has now been replaced by technological developments that can trim the flow of information so that every command in the industry can be directed in a more effective way.

  • Better management of human resources.

    • Extension of the potential market (electronic commerce).

    • Decrease in logistics costs. Logistics is an industry sector that spends a lot of money and the development of logistics and transportation technology can cut the cost of traditional logistics. That way most modern industries in the world today can grow and market their products faster.

  • Development of innovations in services and responses to consumer needs.

    • Improvement of the brand image of the company. Today, brand image can even “replace quality”, meaning that the brand image of a company sometimes masks “some flaws” so that it can compete with similar producers.

The industrial world is expanding and since the early twentieth century, the world’s industry has been increasingly moving toward automation and since the early 21st century, robot-based industries have become increasingly dominant. Modern industries depend on systems that enable them to produce products of high accuracy. They need CAD, short for Computer Aided Design.

But why?

CAD is one of the general requests or more precisely the mandatory requirement for any provider of Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS). This design is required before an assembly process is executed. For your information, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) is confidential information that acts as the core of design. The design core here means the essence of your product design and therefore you need to submit it to your EMS partner. This surrender is better done in the early stages of the new relationship.

Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs)

This is something to think about before starting everything. We have to understand that things have changed in the last few years and have passed the days where PCBs are laid with masking tape. Years have passed also when the surface loader (SMT) engine is manually set, step by step. You may, in the past, be familiar with PCB digitization or x-y placement adjusted to the list of components used. Of course all of these techniques can be useful even for today’s industry but what if you can replace their function with more accurate modern tools? I, personally, will choose modern tools or systems that allow me to do the production process more accurately and also faster. An increase in the accuracy and speed of production will increase our production levels to new, more significant levels.

The importance of CAD in various industry formats

Modern software manufacturing systems are what every factory owner needs to ensure they can stay competitive to provide the best. Today, electronic CAD software is a must. CAD-based systems allow operators to extract relevant data or be adapted to the target machine so as to produce better accuracy outputs for both surface mount programming and creation of test-based documentation. This, of course, can trim manual process chains which usually take a long time and produce outputs with a lower level of accuracy. With CAD-based systems your EMS partner will have more options to meet your expectations.

Why should we not rely on manual processes alone?

The manual process of course is the essence of all our understanding of an automated process and process is basically the development of the manual process. Anyhow all sides have weaknesses and advantages. Manual processes often produce inaccurate outputs or with less precise accuracy. Not only that, the manual process of course is very dependent on human capability and condition of the operator (human) can change rapidly in every changing condition experienced by the operator also affect the condition of the production process undertaken. The instability of the production process is very influential in decreasing the quality of output. More precisely the decline in product accuracy.

You can take a silkscreen (on a solid surface mount assembly) as an example. You can certainly imagine a condition where the silkscreen with reference components is pinched at various angles (between components). You certainly can not convince yourself that you have placed the marker on the right components. You also can not submit the condition to your EMS party in order for them to make such inaccurate information-based costly equipment. Anyone will not be crazy enough to hand over production processes on the part of EMS to capitalize only inaccurate data.

Why CAD programming can replace manual processes

For information, CAD programming works by taking original design data and making changes to the data directly. Directly here means the original design data directly adjusted to the production machine format, without any human intervention. In recent years, the use of CAD systems has become increasingly dominant in large industries. What’s interesting is the way the CAD system is not so challenging to computer standardization as it basically just changes the design from one format to another.

Arguments against Intellectual Property protection

Many people are concerned about the use of CAD-based systems because they are considered vulnerable to abuse of Intellectual Property. Reasonable allegations are true but it is worth noting that the electrical design software required in the production process is usually just an output only and not in its original form. For a more detailed explanation, you are advised to understand about using CAD output first. You will have provided Gerber for the empty PCB manufacture base and with the addition of BoM components, you basically only need an output. In a series of productions that involve making blank PCBs you are required to convey valuable information and at the end of the production phase you must have done it.

If you are dealing with mechanics and electrical assemblies then you need the provision of CAD files that can be transferred from one system to another easily. These files will be useful for assembly guides in the future and this opens the possibility for your EMS team to make modifications at some point.

When an operator produces the details of a design drawing (in the assembly industry), a CAD-based system can ensure the transition of assistance to a manufacturing center at a lower cost. Electrical schemes can be changed in accordance with the wish, which is to be a “cutting list” with the aim of reducing the time of manufacture. For information, EMS provider updates must be agreed upon and approved, all done so that the output image can remain consistent.


If you have a PCB product created within the last 20 years then you can actually get CAD data. By having CAD data you can reduce unnecessary errors, which may be done by an EMS provider. Before you submit the details of the design data to the EMS provider you should check and audit each document control process and as information, a good EMS provider will manage all data and is happy to guide you through each process with the aim of keeping the client manufacturing data is in a secret state.

Hopefully this article will help you in understanding what you need to improve the quality and speed of production so that you can compete in the world of modern industry.