**1. Introduction**

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> As part of an integrated system technology CIM (Computer Integrated Manufacturing), longed for since the 50's, the computational systems known the CAx (Computer Aided specific manufacturing phase) developed to help phases of the manufacturing of a product and its components. In order to complete integration of the chain of manufactures by computer, CAx can be integrated with other computational systems of management and planning of trials and output, such as MRP (Material Resource Planning), ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), EDM (Electronic Document Management)/PDM (Product Dates Management).

> In this context, this chapter discusses the computational CAx systems to aid the activities related to the manufacturing, in special, the manufacturing of free form geometries. Such geometries are frequently found in the industry automobile, industry of moulds and dies, aeronautic and need CAx systems for its making. Machines controlled by Computer Numerical Command (CNC) for making parts and prototypes as well as for aiding geometrical inspection, also take part on the family of CAx systems and are discussed in this chapter.

> This chapter includes: i) a brief definition about free form geometries; ii) main concerns about the manufacturing process of free form geometries; iii) CAx for free form manufacturing; iv) advanced features of CAx for free form design and manufacturing.
