INDU 411 - Midterm Practice Questions

Lecture 1: Introduction to CIM

1. What is Manufacturing ?
The application of physical and or/ chemical processes to alter the geometry, properties,
and/or appearance of a given starting material to make parts or products.
2. What is a Production System?
A collection of people, equipment, and procedures organized to perform the
manufacturing operations of a company
3. Name two major components of a production system:
● Facilities (which consist of manufacturing systems and factory and plant layout)
● Manufacturing support systems which consist of product design, manufacturing
planning, manufacturing control, and business functions.
4. What three categories are manufacturing systems divided into ?
● Manual Work systems
● Worker-Machine systems
● Automated systems
5. What are the two categories of Automation in a production system?
● Automation of manufacturing systems in the factory
● Computerization of the manufacturing support systems
6. What is fixed automation?
Manufacturing system in which the sequence of processing (or assembly) is fixed by the
equipment configuration.
7. What is programmable automation?
Manufacturing system designed with the capability to change the sequence of operation
to accommodate different product configurations.
8. What is the order of product rates for automation types?
Fixed Automation > Flexible Automation > Programmable Automation
9. What is the order of flexibility of automation types ?
Programmable Automation > Flexible Automation > Fixed Automation
10. In what situation is manual labor preferred over automation ?
● Customized Products
● To Cope with ups and downs in demand
● Reduce risk of product failure
11. What is the meaning of USA ?
Understand Simplify Automate
12. What are the three phases of a typical Automation Migration Strategy ?
● Manual Production, using single-station manned called operating independently
● Automated Production, using single-station automated cells operating
independently
● Automated Integrated Production, using multi-station automated system with
serial operations
13. Name the four Manufacturing support systems.
● Business Functions (Sales and Marketing, order entry, cost accounting, customer
billing)
● Product Design ( Research and development, design engineering, prototype shop)
● Manufacturing Planning ( Process planning, production planning, Master
Production Schedule, Capacity Planning)
● Manufacturing Control (Shop Floor Control, Inventory Control, Quality Control)
14. Name six examples of Automated Manufacturing Systems.
● Automated Machine Tools
● Transfer Lines
● Automated Assembly Systems
● Industrial Robots that perform processing or assembly operations
● Automated Material handling and storage systems to integrated manufacturing
operations
● Automatic inspection systems for quality control
Lecture 2:Automation and Control Systems

1. Name the five work cycle programs.

● Set Point Control (Process Parameter value that is constant during the work cycle)
● Logic Control (Process Parameter value that is constant during the work cycle)
● Sequence Control (Process Parameter value which depends on the values of other
variables in the process)
● Interactive Program (Interaction which occurs between a human operator and the
control system during the work cycle)
● Intelligent Program (The control system which exhibits aspects of human
intelligence as result of the work cycle)
2. What is a program with instructions and control systems ?
It is a basic element of an automated system. The program of instructions is a set of
commands that specify the sequence of steps in the work cycle and the details of each
step (ie. to direct the process)
3. What does the control system accomplish ?
Its defined function (ie. it is to accentuate the instructions)
4. Give three examples of process parameters.
● Temperature settings of a furnace
● Coordinate Axis Value in a position system of a coordinate axis
● On or off of a motor

5. Give three examples of process variables.

● Actual temperature of a furnace
● Actual Position of a coordinate axis
● Actual rotational speed of a motor
6. What is a Closed Loop System?
It is a system where the output variable is compared with an input parameter, and any
difference between them is used to drive the former agreement with the latter.
7. What is an Actuator ?
 It is a hardware device that converts a controller command signal into a change in a
physical parameter.
8. Why is an actuator considered a transducer ?
Because it changes one type of physical quantity, such as electric current, into another
type of physical quantity such as rotational speed of an electric motor.
9. How do conventional AC/DC motors rotate ?
Continuously based on their power
10. How does a stepper motor rotate ?
Discreetly in an angular displacement called step angles which are actuated by discrete
electrical pulses
11. How is the total rotation of the stepper motor determined by ?
The number of pulses received by the motor
12. How is the rotational speed of the stepper motor determined by ?
The frequency of the pulses
13. In the axis movement, what is control resolution defined as ?
The distance separating two adjacent addressable points which are located along the axis
to which the work table can specifically be directed to go.
14. True or false, is it desirable for the control resolution to be as small as possible ?
TRUE
15. How much memory (number of bytes) does it need to have a control resolution (CR)
of 1 um for an axis 100 m long ?

16. What is Numerical Control (NC)?

 It 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.
17. What is Computer Numerical Control (CNC)?
It is an NC system having a machine control unit that is a dedicated microcomputer rather
than a hard-wired controller, as in conventional NC.
18. What is Distributed numerical control (DNC) ?
It is a distributed computer system in which a central computer communicates with
multiple CNC machines.
19. What did it evolve from ?
Direct numerical control in which the part programs are downloaded one block at a time.
Lecture 3 : NC Part Programming

1. How does a point-to-point system function ?

This system moves the worktable to a programmed location without regard for the path
taken to get to that location.
2. How does a continuous path system function ?
This system is capable of continuous simultaneous control over two or more axes, thus
providing control of the tool trajectory relative to the workpart.
3. In manual part programming what type of NC code does the programmer prepare ?
Low-level machine language
4. In computer-assisted part programming, how is the part program written ?
English-like statements that are subsequently converted into one above.
5. In computer-assisted part programming and CAD/CAM part programming what
does post processing do?
It converts the cutter location data and machining commands in the CLDATA file into
low-level code that can be interpreted by the CNC controller for a specific machine tool.
6. What is the output of part processing ? Give an example.
The output of part processing is a part program, ie. G-codes with X-, Y- and Z-
coordinate, S, F, M and other functions in word address format.
7. True or False, a unique postprocessor must be written for each machine tool system
?
True
8. What is manual data input ?
It is when the machine operator does part programming at a machine.
9. How does the operator manually enter data ?
They manually enter program data and motion commands directly into the MCU prior to
running the job. It is usually for relatively simple parts
10. What is linear interpolation?
It is the capability to machine along a straight-line trajectory that may not be parallel to
one of the worktable axes.
11. Why is it important ?
 Because in NC, many workpiece geometries require cutting straight edges and flat
surfaces, and the line has an angle from any of the axes in the coordinate system.
12. In absolute positioning, how are the workhead locations defined?
They are defined with respect to the origin
13. In incremental positioning, how are the workhead positions defined ?
They are defined relative to the previous position
14. If a tool of 2-mm diameter is used, what is the x-coordinate of the offset point for
point B?
1.2
15. What does cutter radius compensation allow?
It allows programmers to forget about the radius of the milling cutter as the program is
written, and program only workpiece coordinates.
16. When is it used ?
It is only used when you are milling on the side of the cutter and it is not used for drills,
tapes, reamers, face mills,ect.
17. In a milling operation, what is the G-code moving to a location (5,5) with the
required feed rate? Given that a 20-mm diameter end mill with four teeth is used,
the cutting speed is 60 m/min, and the feed per tooth is 0.01 mm/tooth

G1 G94 X5 Y5 F38
Lecture 4: Product Design and CAD/CAM

1. What are the six phases of the general design process ?

● Recognition of need
● Problem definition
● Synthesis
● Analysis and Optimization
● Evaluation
● Presentation
2. What is iterative design ?
It is a design methodology based on a cyclic process of refining/redesigning a product
after analyzing the concept and testing it to compare the design against the original
specifications. This process is intended to ultimately improve the quality and
functionality of a design.
3. In computer-aided design (CAD) what design activities does the computer do to an
engineering design ?
● Create
● Modify
● Analyze
● Optimize
● Document
4. What are some examples of engineering analysis softwares commonly used on CAD
systems?
● Mass Properties Analysis
● Interference Checking
● Tolerance Checking
● Finite Element Analysis
● Kinematic and Dynamic Analysis
● Discrete-event simulation
5. What does virtual prototyping involve ?
 It involves the use of the CAD geometrical model to construct a digital mock-up of the
product, enabling the designer and others to obtain the sensation of the real physical
product without actually building the physical prototype.
6. What does Computer-aided manufacturing consist of ?
It is the effective use of computer technology in manufacturing planning and control
7. What is CAD/CAM and what does it do ?
It is the integration of design and manufacturing activities by means of computer systems.
It automates the transition from design to manufacturing.
8. What can the ideal CAD/CAM system do ?
The ideal CAD/CAM system can automatically convert the product design into the
process plan for making it.
9. What does Computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) include ?
It includes all the engineering functions of CAD/CAM and also includes the firm’s
business functions that are related to manufacturing.
10. What would an ideal CIM system consist of?
It applies computer and communications technology to all the operational functions and
information processing functions in manufacturing, from order receipt, through design
and production, to product shipment.
11. What does full implementation of CIM result in ?
It results in the automation of the information flow through every aspect
12. What is quality function deployment (QFD) ?
It is a systematic procedure for defining voice of the customer (VoC) and interpreting
them in terms of product features, process requirements, and quality procedures.
13. What does the relationship matrix in QFD show ?
It shows how well the collection of product features is fulfilling individual customer
requirements.
14. What does the comparative evaluation help identify ?
The possible weaknesses in competing products that might emphasize in the new design.
Lecture 5: Process Planning and Concurrent Engineering

1. What is process planning ?

It consists of determining the most appropriate manufacturing and assembly processes
and the sequence in which they should be accomplished to produce a given part or
product according to specifications set forth in the product design documentation.
2. What are the decisions and details included within the scope of process planning ?
● Interpretation of design drawings
● Selection of processes and sequence
● Selection of equipment
● Selection of tools, dies, molds, fixtures, and gages
● Analysis of methods
● Setting of work standards
● Selection of cutting tools and cutting conditions
3. What is a route sheet ?
It is the document that lists the process sequence in the process plan.
4. What are the four types of operations in a typical process sequence for a
manufactured part ?
● Basic process (it determines the initial geometry of the work part
● Secondary process (which transforms the work part into the final geometry)
● Property-enhancing operations (which improve the mechanical and physical
properties)
● Finishing operations (which usually provide a coating on the part surface)
5. What is a make-or-buy decision ?
It is an act of choosing between making a part internally and purchasing it from an
outside vendor
6. What can happen to the total number of units required over the life of the product
and what would it tend to favor in those cases?
● If it increases , it tends to favor the make decision
● Lower quantities favor the buy decision
● Longer product life tends to favor the make decision
 ● Standard catalog items favor the buy decision
7. What are the two basic approaches in computer-aided process planning ?
● A retrieval CAPP system is based on the principles of group technology and parts
classification and coding; in this type of CAPP, a standard process plan (route
sheet) is stored in computer files for each part code number and then used for new
parts that have the same or similar code numbers
● A generative CAPP system creates the process plan based on systematic
procedures similar to those used by a human planner, but the computer plans the
process sequence without human assistance and without a set of predefined
standard plans.
8. What does concurrent engineering involve ?

It involves the manufacturing engineering department and other functions in the product
development cycle to reduce the elapsed time required to bring a new product to market

9. What are the two aspects in Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM/A) ?
● Organized changes
● Design principles and guidelines
Lecture 6: Design for Assembly and Disassembly

1. What is an Assembly ?

The assembly is part of the production system and it is the aggregation of all processes by
which various parts and subassemblies are built together to form a complete,
geometrically designed assembly or product either by an individual, batch or a
continuous process.

2. What are the two tasks included in the basic categories ?

● Part mating
● Part Joining
3. What is mating ?

Parts are brought together into contact or alignment with each other

4. What are parts joining ?

It means that after parts are mated, fastening is applied to hold them together

5.
G-CODE COMMANDS