PLTW CIM UNIT 1-3

Electrochemical Machining (ECM)

A process in which a stream of electrolyte (typically salt water) is pumped at high pressure through a gap between the positively charged work and the negatively charged tool (electrode).

Sand Casting

A process of pressing moist sand around a pattern to make a mold. The pattern is removed, leaving a cavity in the sand. The cavity is the mold that will be filled with liquid metal. The result will be a casting that is identical in shape to the original pattern.

Forming Process

A process that changes the size and shape of a material by a combination of force and a shaped form.

Separating

A process that removes excess material to change the size, shape, or surface.

Water Jet Cutting

A process that uses a high speed jet of water emitted from a nozzle under high pressure (10,000-60,000 psi or greater). The advantage of water jet cutting is that it does not create a burr and it is a low temperature process.

Stereolithography

A rapid prototyping process that fabricates a part layer-wise by hardening a photopolymer with a guided laser beam.

Simulation

A representation of a situation or problem with a similar but simpler model or a more easily manipulated model in order to determine experimental results.

Manufacturing

A series of interrelated activities and operations that involve product design and the planning, producing, materials control, quality assurance, management, and marketing of that product.

Block

A single line of code in an NC part program.

Incremental

A system in which each position is taken from the one prior. Also called relative.

Control System

A system in which one or more outputs are forced to change in a desired manner as time progresses.

Closed Loop

A system that uses feedback from the output to control the input.

Potentiometer

A variable resistor.

Dependent Variable

A variable whose value depends on the value of another variable.

ABS

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene. A thermoplastic with rubber added for high toughness.

Design Flaws

An imperfection in an object or machine.

Grinding

An operation that removes material by rotating an abrasive wheel or belt against the work.

Metals

Any of a category of electropositive elements that usually have a shiny surface, are generally good conductors of heat and electricity, and can be melted or fused, hammered into thin sheets, or drawn into wires.

Ceramics

Any of various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing a nonmetallic mineral, such as clay, at a high temperature.

AGV

Automated Guided Vehicle. A computer-controlled system that uses pallets and other interface equipment to transport work pieces to NC machine tools and other equipment in a flexible manufacturing system.

ASRS

Automated Storage/Retrieval System. A system that moves material either vertically or horizontally between a storage compartment and a transfer station or within a process.

Raw Materials

Basic substance in its natural, modified, or semi-processed state, used as an input to a production process for subsequent modification or transformation into a finished good.

Renewable Resources

Biological materials that can be replaced.

CAD

Computer Aided Design. The use of computers in converting the initial idea for a product into a detailed engineering design.

CAM

Computer Aided Manufacturing. The use of computers in converting engineering designs into finished products.

CIM

Computer Integrated Manufacturing. A company-wide management philosophy for planning, integration, and implementation of automation.

CNC

Computer Numerical Control. A numerical control method in which one computer is linked with one machine tool to perform NC functions.

Rapid Prototyping

Computer-controlled additive fabrication. Commonly used synonyms for RP are three-dimensional printing, additive fabrication, freeform fabrication, solid freeform fabrication, and stereolithography. Note that most of these synonyms are imprecise.

Kaizen

Continuous improvement that involves all participants.

Economics

Dealing with production, distribution, and consumption of products or wealth.

JIT

Just in Time. A system that eliminates work-in-process (WIP) inventory by scheduling arrival of parts and assemblies for an operation at the time they are needed and not before.

LOM

Laminated Object Manufacturing. Rapid prototyping process in which sheet stock is cut and bonded into a stack.

Build Time

Length of time for the physical construction of a rapid prototype, excluding preparation and post-processing time. Also known as run time.

Photopolymer

Liquid resin material that utilizes light (visible or ultra-violet) as a catalyst to initiate polymerization, in which the material cross-links and solidifies. This technique is used by various rapid prototyping technologies.

Post Processing

Liquid resin material that utilizes light (visible or ultra-violet) as a catalyst to initiate polymerization, in which the material cross-links and solidifies. This technique is used by various rapid prototyping technologies.

Finishing Process

Machining a surface to size with a fine feed produced in a lathe, milling machine, or grinder.

Industrial Material

Material that has been changed from raw material so that it is ready to be used in manufacturing. Also referred to as standard stock.

Plastics

Materials that undergo a permanent change in shape or size when subjected to a particular amount of stress.

Sequential

Occurring in regular succession without gaps.

Process Block

Part of a flowchart that tells the program what action to take.

Variable Cost

Periodic cost that varies, more or less, in step with the output or the sales revenue of a firm. Such costs include raw material, energy usage, labor (wages), distribution costs, etc.

Concept Model

Physical model intended primarily for design review and not meant to be sufficiently accurate or durable for full functional or physical testing.

PLA

Polylactic Acid. A thermoplastic formed using organic material.

Iterative

Process flow that may repeat or skip steps until some condition is satisfied.

Conditioning Process

Process in which the properties of a material are changed using mechanical, thermal, or chemical means.

Vacuum Forming

Process to heat a thermoplastic sheet until it softens and then force the hot and pliable material against the contours of a mold using vacuum pressure.

Subtractive Process

Processes that remove material to change the size, shape, or surface of a part. There are two groups of separating processes: machining and shearing.

PLC

Programmable Logic Controller. A solid-state control system that has a user-programmable memory to store instructions.

G & M Codes

Programming code used to control CNC machines.

Competent

Properly or sufficiently qualified; capable or efficient.

RP

Rapid Prototyping. Computer-controlled additive fabrication.

Exhaustible Resources

Resources of which there are a limited supply.

Morality

Rules relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior.

SLS

Selective Laser Sintering. A rapid prototyping process that used a moving laser beam to sinter heat-fusible powders one layer at a time.

Die Casting

Similar to permanent mold casting except that the metal is injected into the mold under high pressure.

Non-Value Added (NVA)

Typically generates a zero or negative return on the investment of resources and usually can be eliminated without impairing a process.

Molding

A manufacturing process in which the industrial material is made into a liquid. The liquid is then introduced (poured or forced) into a prepared mold of proper design.

Mass Production

A manufacturing process that can include specialized and single-purpose machines to produce a great many identical parts.

Workcell

A manufacturing unit consisting of a group of work stations and their interconnecting materials-transport mechanisms.

Fixed Costs

A periodic cost that remains (more or less) unchanged irrespective of the output level or sales revenue of a firm.

Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)

A process by which an electrode spark is used to erode small amounts of material from a work piece.

Forging

A process by which metal is heated and shaped by plastic deformation by suitably applying compressive force.

Injection Molding

A process during which plastic is heated in a machine and forced into a cavity by a screw or ram. The material solidifies and is then ejected.

Open Loop

A control system that has no means for comparing the output with input for control purposes. An open-loop system often requires human intervention.

Schematic

A diagram that uses special symbols in place of actual pictures. In a wiring schematic, for example, a squiggly line is used to represent a resistor.

Prototype

A full-scale working model used to test a design concept by making actual observations and necessary adjustments.

Input/Output Block

A function that makes information available for processing or that records processed information.

Flow Chart

A graphical representation of the progress of a system for the definition, analysis, or solution of a data-processing or manufacturing problem.

Bench Grinder

A grinding machine with both a coarse and fine wheel that has been mounted to a table. The grinding wheels mount directly onto the motor shaft.

Six Sigma

A highly structured methodology that incorporates techniques and tools for eliminating defects and variability from a process. To achieve this, a process must not produce more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities.

Milling Machine

A machine that removes material from work by means of a rotary cutter.

Lathe

A machine tool used for turning cylindrical forms on work pieces. Modern lathes are often equipped with digital readouts and numerical controls.

Additive Process

Fabrication of a part by adding material.

FMS

Flexible Manufacturing System. A flexible group of CNC machine tools that are highly automated and integrated capable of producing a family of parts.

FDM

Fused Deposition Modeling. Rapid prototyping process in which a filament of wax or polymer is extruded onto the existing part surface from a workhead to complete each new layer.

Defective

Imperfect in form or function.

Primary Processing

The first step in manufacturing where raw materials are processed into a usable form for further manufacture.

SLA

Stereolithography. A rapid prototyping process that fabricates a part layer-wise by hardening a photopolymer with a guided laser beam.

Absolute

System in which positions are given with respect to a fixed point, usually the origin.

Functionality

The ability of a product to do the job for which it was intended.

Tolerance

The acceptable amount of dimensional variation that will still allow an object to function correctly.

Flow Lines

The connecting line or arrow between symbols on a flow chart.

Interface

The connection between the computer and the control system.

Independent Variable

The controlling factor between variables, on which the value of the other variable depends.

Decision Block

The diamond-shaped block used for YES/NO questions. These blocks have two outputs: 1 (for yes) and 2 (for no).

Value-Added

The difference between the price at which goods are sold and the cost of the materials used to make them.

Feed

The distance advanced by the cutting tool along the length of the work for every revolution of the spindle.

Overhead

The general, fixed cost of running a business, such as rent, lighting, and heating expenses, which cannot be charged or attributed to a specific product or part of the work operation.

Profit

The monetary surplus left to a producer or employer after deducting wages, rent, cost of raw materials, etc.

Casting

The process in which a solid material is made into a liquid, poured into a mold, and allowed to harden in the shape of the mold.

Quality Control

The process of making sure that products or services meet consistently high standards.

Assembling

The process of putting a product together out of separate parts.

Durability

The quality of equipment or goods of continuing to be useful after an extended period of time and usage.

Robotics

The science and technology of robots, their design, manufacture, and application.

Ethics

The standards for moral behavior of a particular group.

Lean Manufacturing

The systematic elimination of waste.

Automation

The use of technology to ease human labor or extend the mental or physical capabilities of humans.

Purpose

What one intends to do or bring about.

WIP

Work-in-Process. Materials or parts that are actually being processed into final products.