CAD/CAM applications: status and impact in Nigerian industrial sector

Abstract

This research assessed, among others, the current status and the impact of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and

Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) applications in the Nigerian industrial and technological sector. Two prominent

cities Lagos and Ibadan were selected as centers of case studies to establish the level of the applications. Data was

collected from industries within the 2 cities in the areas of manufacturing, design, production, construction and

consultancy service units during a year long study. From the survey, 56% of companies visited in Lagos metropolis

apply Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) activities in their operations. Also 60% of the companies considered in

Ibadan metropolis apply CAE, of which 75% are into CAD, 12.5% are applying CAM whereas 12.5% are utilizing

Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machines. Conclusively, the commonest CAD techniques employed by the

industries surveyed are Auto CAD and Archi CAD representing 55.6% and 33.3% of the total packages being used in

the visited companies respectively.