Nippon Steel Corp is teaming up with the Precision Mechanics Engineering Department of Tokyo University to develop an intelligent computer-aided design system which will incorporate design expertise as well as the standard computerised drafting functions of a standard CAD system: the project has a planned lifespan of six year life, and in the initial phase, the researchers will study the theory of design, moving on in the second phase to the development of a product, followed by a third, testing phase; Nippon Steel is the second steelmaker to announce its intention to become involved with computerised design, following Nippon Kokan’s plan to set up research centres in Japan and the US to do research into intelligent automation.
