CAD simply means computer-aided design, while CAM means computer-aided manufacturing.
To better explain, from the word "design" in CAD, CAD is basically a computer software that helps textile designers to make garments, and the M in CAM means manufacturing, this means that CAM takes the designs from CAD and produces the actual garments or textile patterns. Textile firms use CAM to handle all aspects of the manufacturing process.
<u>Advantages of CAM and CAD.</u>
1) CAD creates designs and patterns with better accuracy and less chance of mistakes.
2) CAD systems save time and help designers to be more efficient, it eliminates the long procedures of having to redraw designs when there is a mistake.
3) CAD makes it easier and faster to adjust colors or resize a garment.
4) CAM handles mass production of garments, it makes production faster by cutting several garment parts and sewing them in a timely manner. And, if a client wants to order a particular design again, it's easier to do because all the information are stored in files in the system.
<u>Disadvantages of CAM and CAD</u>.
1) Software Complexity makes it more complicated for first-time users to learn the software, coupled with the cost of training personnel in the CAD/CAM system.
2) CAD software uses a massive amount of computer processing power, this requires high-quality computer hardware which is often costly.
CAM, on the other hand, requires advanced manufacturing devices that are also very expensive, these are some of the biggest disadvantages of using CAD/CAM technologies, they are costly to have and to maintain.
