At present, the application of computers can be summarized as the following aspects.

1. Scientific calculation (or numerical calculation)

Early computers were mainly used for scientific calculation. At present, scientific computing is still an important field of computer application. Such as high-energy physics, engineering design, earthquake prediction, weather prediction, aerospace technology, etc. Because computers have high computing speed, accuracy and logical judgment ability, new disciplines such as computational mechanics, computational physics, computational chemistry and biological cybernetics have emerged.

2. Process detection and control

A computer-based system is called a computer detection system, which automatically detects some signals in the industrial production process, stores the detected data in the computer, and then processes the data as needed. In particular, the intelligent instruments formed by the introduction of computer technology have pushed industrial automation to a higher level.

3. Information management (data processing)

Information management is the most widely used field of computer at present. Use computers to process, manage and operate any form of data, such as enterprise management, material management, report statistics, account calculation, information retrieval, etc. In recent years, many domestic institutions have built their own management information systems (MIS). Manufacturing resource planning software (MRP) has also been adopted by manufacturing enterprises, and electronic information exchange system (EDI) has been gradually used in the field of commercial circulation, that is, paperless trade.

4. Computer-aided system

1) Computer-aided design (CAD) refers to the use of computers to help designers carry out engineering design, so as to improve the automation of design work and save manpower and material resources. At present, this technology has been widely used in the design of circuits, machinery, civil architecture, clothing and so on.

2) Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) refers to the management, control and operation of production equipment by computers, so as to improve product quality and reduce production costs. Shorten the production cycle, and also greatly improve the working conditions of manufacturing personnel.

3) Computer-aided testing (CAT) refers to the use of computers to carry out complex and massive testing work.

4) Computer-aided instruction (CAI) refers to an automated system that uses computers to help teachers teach and help students learn, so that students can easily learn what they need.