1.7 Digital design and manufacture

Question 1

CAD

Answer 1

Using computers to draw in 2D or 3D and develop products

Question 2

Advantages of CAD

Answer 2

Speeds up design and developments
Easier for collaboration
Designs can be transferred to CAM equipment (e.g Laser Cutter)

Question 3

Disadvantages of CAD

Answer 3

High initial setup cost (including staff training)
Software has to be updated
Not easy for quick sketches

Question 4

CAM

Answer 4

Using computer controlled equipment to machine materials

Question 5

Laser cuting

Answer 5

Using a high energy laser beam to cut or vaporise materials and compressed has or ait to blow waste material away.

Question 6

Routing

Answer 6

2D and 3D drawings from CAD can be used to cut sheet materials too thick for laser cutting to make moulds or 3d moulds.

Question 7

Milling

Answer 7

Similar to routers but can be fitted with tools to drill holes, cut slots or shape edges of a range of materials. Milling machines can move the bed in the x and y-axes.

Question 8

Turning

Answer 8

Use of lathes usually to machine metal in bar form or plastic rods to reduce the diameter and length of a bar or for thread cutting and boring.

Question 9

Plotter cutting

Answer 9

Convert 2D CAD drawings into CNC program that uses x and y coords to cut out the design onto sheet materials such as self-adhesive vinyl for graph applications.

Question 10

Virtual Modelling

Answer 10

Used to test a product before they are made by creating 3D drawings. Can be used to simulate the manufacturing process. Equipment is highly specialised and could cost millions

Question 11

Computer fluid dynamics

Answer 11

Using software to virtually tests products in liquid or gas (e.g wind tunnel for vehicles)

Question 12

Finite Element Analysis

Answer 12

Using software to test components and products to identify potential areas of stress or weakness

Question 13

Rapid Prototyping processes

Answer 13

Process of downloading a 3D CAD file to a machine that will produce a 3D model of the drawing quickly. Decreased costs and time. An example is stereolithography, which can produce plastic models of products with a high level of accuracy and surface quality.

Question 14

Fused deposition modelling

Answer 14

A common type of 3D printer which prints a 3D model from 3D cad drawings by using software which slice the drawing and guides an extruder in paths to build the product from the bottom up.

Question 15

Master production schedule

Answer 15

A plan used to determine how many products will be made in a given time period

Question 16

Kanban

Answer 16

A system used to control the movement of materials and components from suppliers and through a factory.

Question 17

Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV’s)

Answer 17

Robots, similar to forklift trucks used to carry materials and finished around a factory

Question 18

Radio frequency identification tags (RFID)

Answer 18

Small electronic devices that can be scanned and used to track items as they move through a factory and into dispatch

Question 19

Just in time production

Answer 19

A system that relies on materials and components arriving at the point of manufacture just in time for production

Question 20

Electronic point of sale

Answer 20

Shop tills that use barcodes or computer entry to transmit customer orders to suppliers and manufacturers. This means stock numbers can be controlled by setting limits and marketing teams can also have access to this information.

Question 21

Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC)

Answer 21

Using a program to convert CAD drawings to drive CAM equipment