Implementing CAD and CAM

Contents Introduction

2

What is CAD? What is CAM?

3

What is expected at Key Stages 3 and 4?

4

What is CAD in food technology at school?

5

CAD at school

6

CAD at school

7

What is CAM in food technology at school?

8

CAM at school

9

CAD in the food industry

10

CAM in the food industry

11

Sources of further information Acknowledgments

12

IMPLEMENTING CAD AND CAM

Introduction Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) are relatively new areas of the National Curriculum for Design and Technology in England and Wales, especially in relation to aspects of food technology. However, both are well exploited by the food industry. The aim of this booklet is to give guidance on the appropriate use and application of CAD and CAM within food technology at school. As with other aspects of ICT, understanding about food and learning practical food handling skills should come first; with design, research, modelling and making being aided by, rather than overtaken by, computer technology. It may be more appropriate to visualise with pencil and paper, or better to make the product physically and handle the ingredients. Key Stages 3 and 4 represent an ideal opportunity for pupils to learn important concepts concerning food, from healthy eating principles to food preparation skills. In addition, pupils learn about the world in which they live, understanding modern food production and processing techniques, consumer issues and dietary changes and challenges. Understanding and implementing CAD and CAM can represent a challenge, but these ways of working can also provide the opportunity for pupils’ creativity to develop and to raise attainment. CAD and CAM represent one new way of working, using aspects of ICT to help design and aid the making of food products, usually in volume.

CAD and CAM in food technology at school can help pupils to: •

Visualise an idea quickly and efficiently (although the reverse is also true, e.g. drawing a slice of tomato with a computer can be time consuming and of little relevance);

•

Modify modelled ideas to record and evaluate the consequences of their action;

•

Model concepts, e.g. nutritional analysis;

•

Represent ideas using real-time simulations, e.g. virtual reality;

•

Use an outline specification proforma to aid product design;

•

Monitor and control production to ensure food safety and a consistent outcome, e.g. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP);

•

Ensure accuracy, especially precise weights and measurements.

This booklet gives guidance on practical and realistic ways to implement CAD and CAM in food technology. It does not set out to show the impossible, nor case study schools with the best equipment. It gives a baseline of examples from which activities can be built, developed and ultimately exceeded. In addition, industrial case studies and sources of further information are provided.

2

IMPLEMENTING CAD AND CAM

What is CAD? Computer Aided Design (CAD) has traditionally been a computer aided system for drafting, creating and communicating a 2D design, or 3D model, for a product or components of a product. Heavily used in electronic and mechanical engineering industries, CAD seeks to visualise a design (concept) before making. This design can then be tested and evaluated (e.g. physical shape, size and volume, aesthetic attributes, fluid dynamics, material suitability and testing and conductivity). The key concept of CAD is the representation of an idea or concept using the most appropriate ICT tools for the product that is being designed. The nature and use of CAD is relative to what is being designed. It is therefore often the terminology and misunderstanding of the wording which excludes CAD work from food technology lessons in school. CAD in food technology means using a computer to aid design, or represent a concept using the most appropriate ICT tools - from nutritional analysis to physical structure. Just because the software is different with food, it does not mean that the same cognitive processes or fundamental reasons for using ICT in designing are not being utilised. What is CAM? Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) is a broad term used when one or more manufacturing processes are carried out at one time aided by a computer. These may include process control, robotics, measuring, monitoring and controlling production. Again, commonly used examples of CAM often refer to engineering examples, such as car manufacture. However, analysis of the key processes used in manufacture indicate that monitoring and controlling different processes during manufacture (whatever these might be) are crucial to produce a consistent and high quality end product. CAM in food technology means using computers to aid making. Although the term CAM is not a widely used term in the food industry, computers are linked to manufacturing lines monitoring and controlling manufacture to produce consistent and high quality end products. For example, ‘dedicated control systems’ monitor single unit operations, e.g. controlling the temperature of a heat exchanger; they do not share the information with other computers. However, ‘centralised control systems’ monitor and control complete operations throughout manufacture; providing feedback about the entire process, e.g. milk processing plant, fish finger production. Other applications of CAM include production line robots deboning meat, decorating cakes, picking mushrooms and packaging chocolates. The term ‘CAD/CAM’ is a system where numerical information is taken directly from CAD drawings and used to control manufacturing. This is not what is required in food technology.

3

IMPLEMENTING CAD AND CAM

What is expected at Key Stage 3? The National Curriculum Design and Technology Programmes of Study for England expect pupils to: ‘use computers, including computer-aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM) and control software, as an integral part of designing and making.’ Developing, planning and communicating ideas 1h) use graphic techniques and ICT, including computer-aided design (CAD), to explore, develop, model and communicate design proposals Working with tools, equipment, materials and components to produce quality products 2a) to select and use tools, equipment and processes, including computer aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM), to shape and form materials safely and accurately and finish them appropriately 2d) to make single products and products in quantity, using a range of techniques, including CAD/CAM to ensure consistency and accuracy What is required at Key Stage 4? The National Curriculum Design and Technology Programmes of Study for England expect pupils to: ‘use ICT, including computer-aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM) software, control programs and ICT-based sources for research.’ Developing, planning and communicating ideas 1g) use graphic techniques and ICT, including computer-aided design (CAD), to generate, develop, model and communicate design proposals Working with tools, equipment, materials and components to produce quality products 2d) use computer aided manufacture (CAM) in single item production and in batch or volume production 2e) simulate production and assembly lines, including the use of ICT Progression The following table highlights some aspects of progression in CAD and CAM in food technology. Although not exhaustive, it provides a framework on which to support or stretch pupil attainment.

KS3

Pupils: • use simple CAD software to develop their designs, e.g. spreadsheet for costing, DTP for physical shapes; • follow a recipe/production plan to make single products or small batches, sometimes with the aid of equipment that can be electronically set, e.g. microwave oven or electronic weighing scales; Pupils: • develop their own products using more sophisticated aspects of CAD, e.g. nutritional analysis, sensory work, simple modelling of ideas using a spreadsheet • use additional CAM equipment to manufacture their own products, e.g. develop a flow chart, use datalogging devices or set temperature and cooking times to monitor and control consistency and accuracy; • show an increased awareness of industrial aspects of CAD and CAM through making realistic suggestions as to how their own product may be designed or manufactured;

KS4

4

Pupils: • use CAD to explore the interaction of food ingredients, using an array of modelling techniques to test theories and confirm assumptions, e.g. assess mould free shelf-life; • select the most appropriate CAM equipment to manufacture their product to ensure consistency, e.g. data logging, desk-top machines, flow-charts which include HACCP; • can identify uses of CAD and CAM in the food industry from case study material, highlighting the advantages in use; • consider that product design may need to be modified in relation to the operations performed by CAM.

IMPLEMENTING CAD AND CAM

What is CAD in Food Technology at School? CAD stands for ‘Computer Aided Design’, not ‘Computer Aided Drawing’. Therefore, when designing food products all aspects need to be taken into account, with the most suitable ICT tools being used to aid the design. It is clearly not enough, or appropriate, to use graphic, orthographic or 3D drawings to represent a food product. CAD in food technology at school can enable pupils to: •

model the energy and nutrients provided by a product using nutritional analysis packages;

•

calculate costing and portion size of ingredients using spreadsheet programs;

•

design the physical appearance of the product, if appropriate, using graphic packages;

•

communicate the intensity of different sensory characteristics of a product by constructing star profiles/diagrams;

•

model the mould-free shelf-life of a product, thereby investigating microbiological considerations;

•

explore the interaction of ingredients, leading to a better understanding of the functional properties of food;

•

generate packaging and label prototypes using integrated DTP packages. Nutritional Analysis

model the energy and nutrients provided by a product using nutritional analysis packages Nutritional analysis packages allow pupils to consider the consequences of their actions when selecting and quantifying different ingredients for their design. This allows pupils to model the ‘what if?’ question, exploring and testing different designs to arrive at the best possible solution.

Costing and Portion size calculate costing and portion size of ingredients using spreadsheet programs Pupils can use spreadsheet programs to model, explore and communicate the impact of different ingredients and portion sizes on the overall economic and physical design of their food products. This type of activity allows pupils to model the ‘what if?’ question, exploring and testing different designs to arrive at the best possible solution.

These templates can be found at www.nutrition.org.uk/education.html

5

IMPLEMENTING CAD AND CAM

Physical Appearance design the physical appearance of the product, if appropriate, using graphic packages Sometimes it is important to use 2D graphic, orthographic or 3D drawings to represent the design of a food product, e.g. a novelty shaped biscuit or layered dessert. It is dependent on the food product in question. Where a pupil has limited visualisation skills, a pre-drawn image, which can be technically annotated, may be beneficial. A variety of different pieces of software could be used, each with their own particular tools and features. Depending on the Key Stage, ability and result required to communicate the design clearly, it may be better to opt for a program already familiar to pupils, remembering that the vital information is the technical detail, not the image. Paint

Publisher

ProDesk Top

Note: Rather than drawing individual ingredients, which could be time consuming, it may be more appropriate to use shapes to represent their position, dimension and number.

Sensory Evaluation communicate the intensity of different sensory characteristics of a product by constructing star profiles/diagrams

Sensory evaluation templates can be found at www.nutrition.org.uk/education.html

Microbiology and Food Functions model the mould-free shelf-life of a product, thereby investigating microbiological considerations

explore the interaction of ingredients, leading to a better understanding of the functional properties of food 6

IMPLEMENTING CAD AND CAM

Packaging and Labels generate packaging and label prototypes using DTP packages Some awarding bodies require the generation of packaging and labels in food technology. Although, arguably, this type of work relates more to graphic design and typography, this activity can be useful for introducing packaging types (and their interaction with the food they contain) and food labelling requirements. Some software allows the user to enter information and then receive a standardised food label automatically.

Some software allows the user to design their packaging and label using a ready-made template. The DATA CAD/CAM in Practice CD-ROM provides templates for food labelling, which reflect those found on packaging. Cake The BNF Interactive Food Facts CD-ROM incorporates Balance, a piece of industrial CAD software used in the bakery industry (developed by Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association). This allows the user to model the functional properties, shelf life, physical appearance and nutritional properties of a cake product that they design on screen.

7

IMPLEMENTING CAD AND CAM

What is CAM in Food Technology at School? CAM in the food industry monitors and controls automated processes during the manufacture of a food product. This may include: • planning; • measuring; • monitoring; • controlling. One constraint for working with CAM in food technology at school is lack of affordable and appropriate equipment. Therefore, CAM at school is currently not universally viable due to financial outlay and accommodation of specialist equipment. While some desktop devices do exist, e.g. tunnel ovens and pasteurisers, equipment cost needs to be considered in relation to usefulness and pupil demand. Essentially, CAM in schools is about using a computer or equipment that can be electronically set to aid the manufacturing process. It is not about building robot arms from Lego to ice wedding cakes or having conveyor belts installed. CAM in food technology in school includes: • using a word processor, DTP or drawing package to develop a flow chart to aid logical and consistent manufacture; • setting temperature and cooking times using electronic equipment to ensure consistency and accuracy, e.g. microwaves/oven timers; • measuring ingredients to precise tolerances to ensure a consistent product which meets its original specification accurately, e.g. electronic scales; • datalogging food mixtures, using pH and/or temperature probes; • monitoring and controlling time and temperature to ensure effective pasteurisation, or time, temperature and belt speed for a conveyor oven to ensure even and consistent baking; • setting and monitoring electronic bread making machines, where time (proving and baking), temperature and speed (kneading) are monitored and controlled centrally to shape and form the product safely and accurately.

)RRG7HFKQRORJ\²)ORZ3URFHVV'LDJUDP )/2:352&(66)2575$',7,21$/*5((.6$9285