CAM
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Computer-aided manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Science & Engineering, Sports, Business & Finance |
CAM has four meanings. The most common are Computer-aided manufacturing (engineering) and Central attacking midfielder (soccer (Association football)); it can also stand for Crassulacean acid metabolism and Common area maintenance.
Meanings of CAM at a glance
| # | CAM stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer-aided manufacturing | Science & Engineering › Engineering |
| 2 | Central attacking midfielder | Sports › Soccer (Association Football) |
| 3 | Crassulacean acid metabolism | Science & Engineering › Biology |
| 4 | Common area maintenance | Business & Finance › Real Estate & Mortgage |
1. Computer-aided manufacturing
Science & Engineering · Engineering Abbreviations · also used in technology
Software that turns CAD models into instructions for manufacturing machines, most often toolpaths and G-code for CNC mills, lathes and routers. CAM programmers choose cutting tools, speeds, feeds and machining strategies, and simulate cuts to avoid collisions.
Example: The CAM program generated a five-axis toolpath for the turbine blisk in about ten minutes.
CAD and CAM are often combined in one package, written CAD/CAM. French engineer Pierre Bézier developed the UNISURF CAD/CAM system at Renault in the 1960s and 1970s, and the Bézier curves used in design and graphics software bear his name. In biology CAM refers to a type of plant photosynthesis.
2. Central attacking midfielder
Sports · Soccer (Association Football) Abbreviations
Playmaker positioned behind the striker, creating chances with passes, dribbles and shots from the edge of the box. The role is often called the "number 10".
Example: As a CAM, he leads the league with 14 assists.
Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane and Kevin De Bruyne are famous attacking midfielders, although De Bruyne often started deeper. The abbreviation CAM spread mainly through the FIFA and EA Sports FC games. Coaches also use AM or "the ten".
3. Crassulacean acid metabolism
Science & Engineering · Biology Abbreviations
Form of photosynthesis in which plants open their pores at night to take up carbon dioxide, store it as malic acid, and use it during the day with pores closed. The strategy saves water and is common in cacti, agaves, pineapples, orchids and succulents such as jade plants.
Example: Pineapple uses CAM photosynthesis, so its stomata open mainly at night.
Named after the stonecrop family, Crassulaceae, in which it was first studied. CAM is one of three photosynthetic pathways alongside C3, used by most plants, and C4, used by maize and sugarcane. In engineering CAM means computer-aided manufacturing.
4. Common area maintenance
Business & Finance · Real Estate & Mortgage Abbreviations
Charges commercial tenants pay for their share of maintaining shared areas, such as parking lots, lobbies, landscaping, security and snow removal, typically billed monthly as estimates and reconciled annually.
Example: Our CAM went up 18% after the landlord repaved the parking lot.
Tenants often negotiate caps on annual CAM increases and audit rights, because disputes over which costs belong in CAM are common.
Related abbreviations
More engineering abbreviations
- BIM – Building information modeling
- BOM – Bill of materials
- CAD – Computer-aided design
- CAE – Computer-aided engineering
- CFD – Computational fluid dynamics
- CNC – Computer numerical control
- COP – Coefficient of performance
- CTE – Coefficient of thermal expansion
See all 79 engineering abbreviations →