1. A method for converting a vertically structured CAD/CAM model to a horizontally structured CAD/CAM model, comprising: identifying and establishing a base feature; establishing a parent coordinate system; identifying a parent modeling element; identifying each dependency for each feature from said parent modeling element; restructuring each dependency for each said feature for placement, such that each feature exhibits a direct associative relationship with a reference feature; and restructuring each dependency for each said feature for positioning, such that each feature exhibits a direct associative relationship with another reference feature.