Industrial CAM — Full Manufacturing Study

Context

This project was carried out in industrial partnership within the Arts et Métiers framework for industry-academic collaboration. The objective: produce a complete CAM-based manufacturing study for a real mechanical component, from technical specifications to a production-ready file that could be handed directly to a machinist.

Functional Analysis

The project opened with a structured functional analysis of the part within its assembly: identifying primary and constraint functions, interfaces with neighbouring parts, and the tolerances that matter for function. This determined which surfaces were critical (tight tolerances, Ra requirements) and which could be less controlled.

Isostatism — Fixture Design

A rigorous isostatism analysis was performed for each machining phase:

• Phase 1: 3-2-1 scheme — three points on the primary face, two on a perpendicular face, one on an orthogonal stop. This eliminates all 6 degrees of freedom.
• Phase 2: the part is re-referenced from machined surfaces produced in Phase 1, ensuring the tolerance chain from Phase 1 features propagates correctly to Phase 2 outputs.

For each setup: contact point positions, clamping direction and force, verification that clamping force does not cause elastic deformation on thin walls.

CAM Program (FAO)

The machining was programmed in two phases in a CAM/FAO software environment:

Phase 1

• Surface facing (fraisage surfacique) — D12 end mill
• Pocket milling (usinage de poche) — 3D pocket
• Centre drilling + drilling D15 and D10

Phase 2

• Pointing and drilling (D15, D10.5)
• Pocket operations — D6 and D12 end mills
• Circular milling (fraisage circulaire)
• Contour milling

Each tool change was defined with the correct tool geometry, cutting parameters (Vc, fz, ap), and approach/retract strategy. The program tree was validated by 3D simulation — verifying tool paths, checking for gouges, and confirming cycle time — before any metal was cut.

Industrial Deliverables

The project produced a complete manufacturing dossier:

• Part drawing with full GD&T annotation
• Process plan (gamme d'usinage) — both phases
• FAO files and cutting conditions by operation
• Quality control plan — which dimensions, which instruments, at what frequency

What This Demonstrates

This is not a simulation exercise. The part is real, the tolerances are functional, and the machining program runs on a real CNC machine. This project demonstrates the ability to take an industrial brief from functional analysis through to a validated, executable CAM program — the full workflow expected of a manufacturing engineer.