Where CAD/CAM costs were once prohibitively high, they have since fallen to manageable levels for most businesses. Indeed, it appears CAD/CAM has largely overcome many of the early prejudices which hampered its adoption both in Australia and overseas. Jewellers benefit by viewing CAD/CAM as another tool at their disposal to save time, money and simplify the process in manufacturing.”Ībove: A selection of resins from Formlabs. He adds, “Handmade will always have a place, but it is important to utilise advances in technology. “For Chemgold, it’s fantastic to see traditional bench and new technology being used side by side. Similarly, at Chemgold, Larry Sher observes, “It’s interesting to note handmade jewellery is still going strong as our stockgauge and solder sales have increased. “That’s why we say that a bench jeweller makes the best CAD designer, because they can visualise how a piece is to be made before clicking away at the software,” Tok explains. However, the skills of the master jeweller are still needed – they are just utilised differently and at different stages. “Our feedback shows that there are relatively few jewellers still hand-making pieces out there compared with the past. “So it very much depends on the individual jeweller.”Ībraham Tok, operations manager at Tok Bros, estimates “at least 75 per cent of the industry is using CAD/CAM in some way, shape or form”. “Others are doing their own CAD and then sending the files to us for printing and casting, while others simply brief us and allow our team to do the design, print and cast. He adds, “Many have jumped all the way in and are doing their own design, have purchased small resin printers and send their resins to us for casting. “The number of jewellers that are now using CAD is massive it’s probably easier to put a figure on those who are not using CAD – I’d say that fewer than 10 per cent of jewellers are not using it.” To account for the increasing demand for its manufacturing services, Chemgold has significantly invested in staff training and customer service systems over the past three years.ĭavid Gabriel, director Lenrose, says the CAD/CAM sector is expanding “exponentially almost by the month”. Larry Sher, director Chemgold, points to the increasing number of jewellers and retailers investing in CAD software for ‘in-house’ use, explaining that Chemgold’s customers “take advantage of CAD-based libraries they can order, such as our JewelMount collection.” It’s incredible to see, and to see it happening so quickly.” “We have seen a shift in our casting cycle, from approximately 30 per cent CAD and 70 percent wax injections or customer- supplied material. “Now there are many more user-friendly, lower-cost options available for users.”īotha notes that the upward trajectory of CAD/CAM has gathered pace since Jeweller’s last CAD/CAM Report, more than three years ago: “There has been a substantial increase in jewellers using CAD and CAM technology since 2018,” he explains. Only a few years ago, CAD required extensive training and practice. Reflecting on the evolution of the technology, he tells Jeweller, “CAD and CAM technology has evolved from a volume production tool to a fundamental production tool in any sized jewellery business. The financial limitations that once confined CAD/CAM to larger companies rapidly fell away as technology evolved, and new, jewellery-specific products and programs entered the marketplace, leading jewellers of all stripes – the pure retailers, outsourced-manufacturing, and in-house manufacturing – to embrace the benefits.Ĭhris Botha, operations manager at Palloys – part of the Pallion Group – was a vocal early proponent of CAD/CAM. Today, nearly a decade later, the answer is assuredly yes.īy the time Jeweller published its 2014 Report, the “CAD/ CAM revolution” had well and truly begun, and four years later, the technology was “synonymous with jewellery design”, while 3D printers had entered the market. Indeed, when Jeweller published its first CAD/CAM Guide in 2012, it asked the question, ‘Is CAD/CAM here to stay?’ Once, the words ‘CounterSketch’ and ‘3D printer’ might have been met with a confused or dismissive look. Perhaps the most significant change in the jewellery industry in recent decades has been the adoption of CAD/CAM - computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing. Computer-aided design and manufacturing have become an almost intrinsic part of the jewellery industry – especially given the demand for custom makes and personalisation, writes ARABELLA RODEN.
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