§ 54. Mr. McNamaraasked the Minister of Technology if he will make a statement on the £2½ million computer aided design project at Cambridge.
§ Dr. BrayWe are establishing at Cambridge, under Ministry management, a Centre to develop the use of computers in engineering design. Equipped with an ICT Atlas II computer it will enable numbers of designers simultaneously to use the facilities offered, from a distance. When fully developed the Centre should provide a model for the establishment of a nation-wide computer-aided design facility for industry. This facility will make more readily available to the engineer up-to-date design information and techniques and also make it possible for him to attempt several alternative solutions to a problem in less than the time hitherto required for one. This should lead to an improvement in the speed and quality of engineering design, with a consequent reduction in manufacturing costs.
45WWork on evolving the new techniques will be carried out by Government establishments, industry and Cambridge and other universities, under Ministry contract when appropriate, and will be co-ordinated by an advisory committee under the chairmanship of the Director, National Engineering Laboratory.
About £2½ million will be required for initial and running costs over the first five years. The facility will eventually be available to industry on a commercial basis.