Robotics and computer aided manufacturing.

A General introduction to Computer Aided Manufacturing and to one major component used in such systems, robotics, is given. CAM is described in terms of a four level hierarchy with robots representing one possible machine at the lowest level. Definitions and terms describing robots are given. The paper concludes with a brief review of areas where current research is likely to yield significant results. (Invited paper for the April 84 IEEE Centennial Issue of COMPUTER).