Short Answer Questions

CAD/CAM
UNIT-1
1. How do you specify a plotter for graphics application?
It is usually used for large printing requirements of CAD drawings of houses, buildings,
cars, airplanes and others. It is also used for vinyl and plastic used for billions and
posters.
It comes in 2 types: pen plotter and electrostatic. Pen plotter is a vector graphics printing
device which operates by moving a pen over the surface of paper.
2. Can you list the types of transformations which are used to change the geometry?
Translation: To Move the object from one position to another position
Scaling: To change the size of the object
Rotation: To change the orientation of the object with reference to origin
Reflection: to generate the image of an object with reference to an axis
3. Discuss the steps in product cycle.
Draw product cycle diagram
4. Explain the role of computers in manufacturing.

5. How does a CRT work?

A beam of electrons (cathode rays), emitted by an electron gun, passes through focusing and
deflection systems that direct the beam toward specified positions on the phosphor coated screen.
The phosphor then emits a small spot of light at each position contacted by the electron beam.
Because the light emitted by the phosphor fades very rapidly, some method is needed for
maintaining the screen picture. To keep the phosphor glowing is to redraw the picture repeatedly
by quickly directing the electron beam back over the same points. This type of display is called a
refresh CRT.
6. Can you explain the need of Concatenation of transformations?

7. How would you classify the storage devices in CAD? Or Briefly describe the types of
storage devices used in computer.
There are basically two types of Storage devices.
Optical Storage Devices
Compact disks are known as optical storage devices. Data is burned onto the surface of the disk
using a laser beam in the CD drive. A laser beam is also used to read the data stored on the disk.
 Magnetic Storage Devices
Floppy Disk
Floppy disks are one of the oldest types of portable storage devices still in use.
Solid State Devices:
Flash memory card &Memory stick
Flash memory storage devices are typically small, lightweight, removable and
rewritable.
8. Write short note on: (i) Translation (ii) Rotation
9. What do you understand by the CPU?
 Central Processing Unit consists of two Subsections:
 Control Unit and Arthematic Logic Unit
 Control units coordinates the operations of other components
 Controls the i/p and o/p of information between the computer and
outside world
 The ALU carries out the Arthematic and logic manipulations of
data.

10. Write the advantage of UCS over WCS.

11. Describe the elements of product cycle.

Explain-Need, Design, Manufacturing etc., in product cycle
12. How would you classify the Output devices?

OUTPUT
DEVICES

DISPLAY
HARD COPY
DEVICES
DEVICES

FLAT PALNEL
CRT PRINTERS PLOTTERS
DISPLAY

NON
EMMISSIVE
EMMISSIVE
DEVICES
DEVICES

13. How would you explain homogeneous transformation matrices?

14. Write the matrix representation of top view.
• The top view can be obtained setting Z=0
• The transformation matrix is

UNIT-2
1. How would you classify the types of surfaces that CAD/CAM systems use?

Classification of Surfaces

Planar surface Curved Surface Free Form Surface

Plane Single curved Double Curved Coons Surface

Polygon Cylinder
Sphere B- Spline
Polyhedra Cone
Ellipsoid Bezier Surface
Paraboloid Nurbs
Torus Fractals

Lofted surfaces
Ruled Surface

2. Can you explain the significance of solid primitives?

A primitive solid is a ‘building block' that you can use to work with in 3D. Rather than extruding or
revolving an object, AutoCAD has some basic 3D shape commands at your disposal. From these
basic primitives, you can start building your 3D models. In many cases, you get the same result from
drawing circles and rectangles and then extruding them, but doing it one command is generally
faster. Using these with Boolean operations can be a very effective way of drawing in 3D. There are
eight different primitives that you can choose from and are on the Home > Modeling Tool Panel
(when in the 3D workspace).
3. What are the basic geometric commands?
Line, poly line, circle, arc, ellipse, spline etc., (Explain in one line)
4. What is meant by convex hull property? Or How do you ensure convex hull property in
 Bezier surface?
A Bezier curve will always be completely contained inside of the Convex Hull of the control points.
For planar curves, imagine that each control point is a nail pounded into a board. The shape a rubber
band would take on when snapped around the control points is the convex hull. For Bezier curves
whose control points do not all lie in a common plane, imagine the control points are tiny balls in
space, and image the shape a balloon will take on if it collapses over the balls. This shape is the
convex hull in that case. In any event, a Bezier curve will always lie entirely inside its planar or
volumetric convex hull.
5. Can you state the limitations in utilizing the sweep method for geometric construction?
 Only closed surfaces are used to generate solid,
 Volumetric properties cannot be included
6. What is meant by geometric modeling?
Geometric Modeling is an important role that used in product design and also in manufacturing.
This is helpful in avoiding duplication work. This is used to stores the model database which
performance on CAD. This database is used for design optimization, but for engineering analysis
this modeling needed. This is used to modify according to the requirements needed, like cost, raw
materials etc.
7. Write the characteristics of Bezier curves. (* Write any 4 properties)
Bezier curves have the following properties −
 They generally follow the shape of the control polygon, which consists of the segments
joining the control points.
 They always pass through the first and last control points.
 They are contained in the convex hull of their defining control points.
 The degree of the polynomial defining the curve segment is one less that the number of
defining polygon point. Therefore, for 4 control points, the degree of the polynomial is 3,
i.e. cubic polynomial.
 A Bezier curve generally follows the shape of the defining polygon.
 The direction of the tangent vector at the end points is same as that of the vector determined
by first and last segments.
 The convex hull property for a Bezier curve ensures that the polynomial smoothly follows
the control points.
 No straight line intersects a Bezier curve more times than it intersects its control polygon.
 They are invariant under an affine transformation.
 Bezier curves exhibit global control means moving a control point alters the shape of the
whole curve.
8. What do you say about boundary representation?
BREP—is a method for representing shapes using the limits. A solid is represented as a collection
of connected surface elements, the boundary between solid and non-solid.
The main topological items are: faces, edges and vertices. A face is a bounded portion of a surface;
an edge is a bounded piece of a curve and a vertex lies at a point. Other elements are the shell (a
set of connected faces), the loop (a circuit of edges bounding a face) and loop-edge links (also
known as winged edge links or half-edges) which are used to create the edge circuits. The edges
are like the edges of a table, bounding a surface portion
9. What is a layer? can you explain the significance of layers?
• A layer can be thought of as a large piece of clear plastic, as infinitely large as the
drawing area in AutoCAD.
• When drawing in AutoCAD, everything is drawn on the default layer which is set
current. Only the objects you are drawing are visible on the layer, the layer itself can
never be seen - it is invisible.
10. What are Boolean operations in solid modeling?
ADD or UNION, SUBSTRACT, INTERSECTION, (*Explain with Example)

UNIT-3
1. Can you list the nature of jobs that are suitable for NC manufacturing?
(l) machine tool applications, such as drilling, milling, turning, and other metal working;
and
(2) non machine tool applications such as assembly, drafting and inspection.
2. List the different types of NC motion control systems.
These different types of movement are accomplished by the motion control system.
Point-to-Point Versus Continuous Path Control. Motion control systems for NC can be
divided into two types: (1) point-to-point and (2) continuous path.
Point-to-point systems, also called positioning systems, move the worktable to a
programmed location without regard for the path taken to get to that location.
Continuous path systems: Generally, refer to systems that are capable of
continuous simultaneous control of two or more axes. This provides control of
the tool trajectory relative to the workpart.
3. Can you make a distinction between absolute and incremental coordinate systems?
Absolute Versus Incremental Positioning: Another aspect of motion control is concerned
with whether positions are defined relative to the origin of the coordinate system or relative
to the previous location of the tool. The two cases are called absolute positioning and
incremental positioning. In absolute positioning, the workhead locations are always
defined with respect to the origin of the axis system. In incremental positioning, the next
workhead position is defined relative to the present location.
4. Describe the features of machining center.
FEATURES OF MACHINING CENTERS IN CNC ARE AS FOLLOWS:
 This is used to do Two or more works at a time, this reduces the time in changing
tool, loading work piece etc.
 This is a type of automatic tool changing.
 In this there are identical types of parts which are used to make machining the parts
by using one-by-one, this is control by the help of the program.
 It has an Automatic Position of work material.
 FEATURES OF CNC TURNING CENTERS:
 In this it uses different types of tool, it can hold up to 12 tools in it to perform the
different type of operations.
 There is a high advantage to it because this has a different axis turning center, this
can be used to perform different operations at the different axis.
 There is also a multi-spindle turning by this work can done as fast as possible, due
to the object transformation from one spindle to another spindle is speed.
 In this by horizontal turning centers the work on large components is not possible
for this purpose vertical turning centers are used to make work on large objects.
5. What are the advantages of CNC over NC?
Storage of more than one-part program.
Various forms of program input .

Program editing facilities at the machine tool.

Fixed cycles and programming subroutines.
Interpolation. Some of the interpolation schemes described in Table 6.1 are normally
executed only
 Positioning features for setup.
Cutter length and size compensation.
Acceleration and deceleration calculations,
Communications interface.
Diagnostics.
6. Can you state what a machining center is?
Modern CNC machines have expanded capabilities with additional accessories.
They are called Machining Centers or Manufacturing Centers, where a variety of
operations can be performed.
7. How would you explain the concept of cutter offset in NC machining?
in contouring motions, it is almost always desirable that the path followed by the center of
the tool be separated from the actual surface of the part by a distance equal to the cutter
radius. For a three-dimensional surface, the shape of the end of the cutter would also have
to be considered in the offset computation. This tool path compensation is called the cutter
offset.
8. What can you say about components of NC system?
Program of Instructions on punched Tape:
• Step by step set of directions, to tell the machine tool what to do.
• Called Part program
• Generated by a part programmer either manually or Automatically
Control Unit:
• Consists of electronics and hardware to interpret data on the program of
instructions and convert into mechanical actions for the machine tool
• Main components: Tape reader, data Buffer, signal output channels to
machine tools, feed back channels from machine tools, sequence controls
to coordinate over all operation
Machine Tool or Other Process: Performs Useful Work
9. What is production flow analysis (PFA)?
Production flow analysis (PFA) is a method for identifying part families and
associated machine groupings that uses the information contained on production
route sheets rather than on part drawings.
10. What are the steps in APT?
1. Define Part Geometry
2. Specify the tool path
3. define post processor statements and auxiliary statements
11. Define NC.
Numerical control (NC) is a form of programmable automation in which the
mechanical actions of a machine tool or other equipment are controlled by a
program containing coded alphanumeric data.
12. Write the meaning of the codes M03, M04 and M06.
M03- Spindle Start Forward
M04- Spindle start Reverse
M06- Auto Tool Change
13. What can you say about various types of NC systems?
Point-to-Point Versus Continuous Path Control. Motion control systems for NC can be
divided into two types: (1) point-to-point and (2) continuous path.
Point-to-point systems, also called positioning systems, move the worktable to a
programmed location without regard for the path taken to get to that location. Once
the move has been completed, some processing action is accomplished by the
 workhead at the location, such as drilling or punching a hole. Thus, the program
consists of a series of point locations at which operations are performed
Continuous path systems: Generally, refer to systems that are capable of
continuous simultaneous control of two or more axes. This provides control of the
tool trajectory relative to the workpart. In this case, the tool performs the process
while the worktable is moving, thus enabling the system to generate angular
surfaces, two-dimensional curves, or three-dimensional contours in the workpart.
This control mode is required in many milling and turning operations. A simple
two-dimensional profile milling operation is shown in Figure to illustrate
continuous path control.
14. What are different applications of CNC.

15. How would you classify different coding methods in Manual part programming?
1. Word address format: a letter precedes each word and is used to identify the word type
and to address the data to a particular location in the controller unit
2. Tab sequential format: words are listed in a fixed sequence and separated by depressing
the tab key (TAB) when typing the manuscript on a Flexo writer.
3. Fixed block format: Not only must the words in each block be in identical sequence, but
the characters within each word must be the same length and format.
If a word remains the same from block to block, it must nevertheless be repeated in each
block.

UNIT-4
1. Can you state the benefits of implementing group technology?
2. How would you list the non-contact non-optical inspection methods?
3. What are the applications of computers in quality control?
4. List 3 advantages of group technology.
5. How would you explain about computer aided testing?
6. Can you explain the significance of parts classification and coding system?
7. Write any two contact and non-contact inspection devices.
8. Write the function of probe used in CMM.
9. What is the main idea of forming part family?
10. How would you explain CAQC?
11. Write a short note on CAPP.
CAPP is the use of computer technology to aid in the process planning of a part
or product in manufacturing. CAPP is the link between CAD and CAM in that it
provides for the planning of the process to be used in producing a designed part.
Process planning is a production organization activity that transforms a product
design into a set of instruction (sequence, machine tool setup etc.) to manufacture
machined part economically and competitively. CAPP is the method of
automatically generating the sequence of manufacturing operations

UNIT-5
1. What are the benefits of CIMS? (Or) List out the benefits of CIMS.
• Increased machine utilization
 • Reduced direct and indirect labor
• Reduced manufacturing lead time
• Lower in-process inventory
• Scheduling flexibility
2. Define computer integrated manufacturing.

3. Explain the applications of CIM systems

4. What is the role of human labor in the manufacturing systems?
5. Can you list the various control systems used in CIM systems?
6. How would you state the principles of material handling system?
7. Can you state the advantages of CIM in manufacturing industry?
8. What is CIM wheel? (Or) How would you draw the CIM wheel? (Or) Can you
list the various elements of CIM wheel?
9. What is a computer control system?