An industry that makes extensive use of CAD/CAM techniques, the automotive industry gives many opportunities for master's projects. Consider designing a new and interesting car with unique body styles. Alternatively, create a visual of a working hydrogen engine using a CAD/CAM program or alter an existing program to accommodate a particular automotive design more easily. Mechanical engineering, design and automotive engineering students may choose a car design project for their master's project.
Develop a project to show that an existing manufacturing robot can create a new or different product, or to show how an existing robot can be altered to improve a current process. Current CAD/CAM software shows construction views from every side a product and can replicate any robotic tools. These projects may address cutting, bending or forming aspects of robotic movement. It may also deal with putting products on pallets for shipping, a complex task for robots that necessitates addressing collision prevention and trajectory. Students in manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering or logistics may choose robotics as a project focus.
It may surprise some students to realize that CAD/CAM techniques are used extensively in metals and jewelry design. A fine arts, graphic design or CAD/CAM graduate student may find developing a series of jewelry designs to be an excellent master's project. In addition to designing the pieces, a Master of Fine Arts student using CAD/CAM for a project will likely need to not only design unique pieces, but also create the finished pieces.
There are some interesting projects that can be done in the hard sciences using CAD/CAM. For example, model the hydrological, or water-related, systems of a particular area in the wilderness for a wildlife or land-management project, or look at how new construction will affect water runoff in a construction, architecture or civil engineering project. Create a route map drawing project to suggest the optimal travel flow for a developing country or a city looking at revamping their road infrastructure. This would be a solid choice for an anthropology, civil engineering or math master's student.