Design is a making profession. In order to tighten the connection between design and fabrication, further integration of the process chain from designing parts to fabricating them on CNC machines is necessary. This paper reviews the state-of-art of current CAD/CAM process chains and computeraided process planning (CAPP) capabilities as well as current manufacturing system approaches for fabricating customized products. Limitations are then mapped to capabilities of cognitive technical systems that have the potential to overcome current barriers. Finally, a framework for a new cognitive design-tofabrication system is described. The system is comprised of cognitive machines and workpieces that are capable of autonomously creating customized parts and fabricating them. An example of producing customized mazes is given. The new capabilities of the fabrication system presented are that it knows what it is doing, can explain itself, gain experience and new skills over time and feedback knowledge of new capabilities to the design process in order to expand design possibilities.     «

Design is a making profession. In order to tighten the connection between design and fabrication, further integration of the process chain from designing parts to fabricating them on CNC machines is necessary. This paper reviews the state-of-art of current CAD/CAM process chains and computeraided process planning (CAPP) capabilities as well as current manufacturing system approaches for fabricating customized products. Limitations are then mapped to capabilities of cognitive technical systems th...     »