CLAIMS OF OUTSTANDING BENEFITS FROM CAD/CAM ABOUND FROM THE VENDORS OF SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE. MANY COMPANIES, THOUGH ARE UNCERTAIN ABOUT THEIR NEED AND THE RESULTS AVAILABLE FROM THE SYSTEMS. TRYING TO REALIZE THE POTENTIAL IS OFTEN A TRIAL AND ERROR EXPERIENCE WHICH LEAVES AN AIR OF CONFUSION AND DISTRUST. THE ONE KEY ELEMENT THAT IS MOST OFTEN OVERLOOKED IS THE END USER WHO IS THE CRITICAL LINK IN REALIZING THE BENEIFTS OF CAD/CAM/CAE. THE END USERS OF CAD/CAM SYSTEMS ARE NOT ONLY THE KEY IN OBTAINING GOOD RESULTS BUT THEY ARE ALSO THE BEST ORGANIZED GROUPS. INPUT AND DIRECTION FROM THE USERS ARE ONE OF THE VAST UNTAPPED RESOURCES AVAILABLE. FORMAL USERS GROUPS HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR CLOSE TO 20 YEARS AND HAVE ACCUMULATED A GREAT STOREHOUSE OF RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES THROUGH EXPERIENCE. WHILE SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE HAVE CHANGED GREATLY, SOME OF THE CORE RECOMMENDATIONS