The worldwide market for commercial coffee machine systems is increasing in size all the time, as cafes and restaurants everywhere realise the importance to providing their customers with good quality coffee products. Along with this demand for large professional coffee machines in coffee shops and restaurant environments, there is also an increasingly growing market in domestic espresso coffee machines and related coffee accessories. Some of the reasons why this industry has managed to grow so fast is due to the production techniques that are used in the construction of coffee machines, along with advances in the technologies used during their design and manufacture. Computer aided design (CAD) applications are normally used during the design stage of any modern electrical applicance, and coffee machines are no exception.

Computer software is a great way to realise initial design sketches and drawings, and is being used more often as a design tool for a number of different products. More and more home applicances are being designed exclusively in the digital domain, making computer systems an integral part of the appliance development and manufacture cycle. CAD software varies from simple 2D applications to complex 3D modelling environments that are packed with different features, with different manufacturers finding specific software titles useful in different situations. Designs are often stored on computer media during the design process, as a way to back up important data and transfer it to manufacturing plants for analysis and decision making. While digital design can be a very powerful and comprehensive tool, any designs that are produced in a virtual environment need to fit with existing manufacturing technologies and techniques in order to be ultimately successful.

The growth in the coffee market has affected all kinds of coffee related businesses, from those selling coffee beans and coffee pods, to those selling espresso machines and coffee related gadgets. While computer tools and digital media are useful for any modern business, they are especially integral in the process of coffee machine design, development, and manufacture.