INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, BOMBAY

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Course : ME-617 Rapid Product Development L-T-P-C : 3-0-0-6

Instructor : K.P. Karunakaran I Semester 2010-11
Date : November 13, 2010 (Saturday) 9:30AM Duration : 3 Hrs.
Instructions: Roll No
Answer all the questions; answer as briefly as possible.
Use figures/ sketches wherever possible. Marks /130

Question No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Max Marks 10 17 12 17 16 14 12 14 18
Marks Obtained

End Semester Examination

1. a. Distinguish between a spatial decomposition modeling and a B-Rep modeling. [1]

b. Distinguish between a surface model and B-Rep model. [1]

c. Name two distinguishing aspects between Product Design and Industrial Design. [1]

d. Distinguish between CNC machining and RP. [1]

e. Give the expansion of the acronyms in [CSG, B-Rep, FBM, V-Rep]. Give two
rearrangements of this list, one in the increasing order of user-friendliness and the
other in the increasing order of system-friendliness? [2]

f. Compare, in the form of a table, the vector and raster types of computer devices in
terms of their principle of operation, accuracy, rendering capability, complexity in
space and time domains. Which one of these is popular and why? [4]

2. a. How many optical markers and cameras are required to track a 3D object? [1]

b. Give human latencies for vision and touch in ms. [1]

c. List at least three purposes of providing multiple spindles in huge machines. [1]

d. How many d.o.f. become redundant in wire EDM machine and why? [1]

e. Compare an electric vehicle with individual disc motors for each wheel and the drive
system of a CNC machine. [1]

f. List the three types of data embedded in the NC post-processor. [1]

g. What is registration? What is its purpose in VR? What is its additional role in AR?
Which one between VR and AR requires more precise registration and how is it
achieved? [4]

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 h. The eyes of a Fish do not have overlapping scenes. Can they have depth cuing (i.e.,
3D vision) or not? Explain your answer either way. [2]

i. What type of representation is used in VeriCUT? Explain this representation along

with its advantages and limitations. [5]

3. a. Compare between registrations used in RE and AR. [2]

b. Compare contact and non-contact scanning systems in the context of accuracy, speed
and feature limitation. Also give three examples for each. [2]

c. Distinguish between White Light Scanning and Handiscan. [3]

d. Arrange [X-ray, CT scan, MRI, Ultrasonic scan] in the order of decreasing risks. [1]

e. Name the instrument you will use for measuring each of the following manually. Note
that these are not standard dimensions that can be measured with Go - No Go
gauges: [4]

1. External diameter in the range of 30-40mm within a resolution of 0.02mm.

2. External diameter in the range of 30-40mm within a resolution of 0.002mm.
3. The distance between two parallel flat surfaces of a component in the range of
300-350mm with a resolution of 0.02mm.
4. Circular hole in the range of 30-40mm within a resolution of 0.002mm.
5. External threads
6. Width and depth of a straight key way
7. Radius of a spherical surface
8. Surface finish.

4. a. Present the comparison between powder-bed and deposition technologies in the form
of a table. Give two examples each for both these technologies, one for metallic and
non-metallic objects. [3]

b. Which one between powder-bed (pre-laid powder) and deposition (co-laid powder)
technologies does use finer powder? Explain, in this context, the powder dispensing
methods adopted in both these groups of processes. [3]

c. How many axes of motion are typically required in RP? Which RP process has just
one axis? How are the missing axes of motion compensated? [2]

d. Which is the most suitable commercial RM process for Ti bone implants? Which one
does it belong among the six RM groups. [1]

e. Explain the four bottlenecks to be overcome for RP to evolve into RM. [3]

f. Name at least three strategies adopted in RP to improve its speed. [2]

g. Explain the possible modifications to slicing that would enhance build speed and
quality. [3]

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5. a. Distinguish between Functionally Gradient Materials (FGMs) and composites. [1]

b. Which characteristic of RP is exploited in making FGM objects? [1]

c. What drug has material gradience? Explain how Therics manufactures them. [2]

d. Explain how ZCorp RP machine produces FGM objects. [2]

e. Powder-bed technologies are less amenable to FGMs than deposition technologies.

Agree or disagree with suitable reasoning along with exceptions if any. [2]

f. Which one between SLS and 3DP is amenable for FGMs? Which distinct feature of
the process is responsible for this capability? [2]

g. What is LENS? Briefly explain LENS how it can make gradient metallic objects. [3]

h. Why are we not able to design FGM objects? How is it to be overcome? [3]

6. a. List all the RM processes for non-metals. [1]

b. Explain Vacuum Casting process including the special nature of its parting surface.
What is its more formal name? What are its significant advantages and limitations
with respect to the other RM processes for non-metals? [6]

c. How do the polymerization methods differ in both the direct RP processes and the
indirect RM process? [3]

d. Which operation is common between 3D KelTool and SLS? What is the connection
between 3D KelTool and Silicon Rubber Molding? [4]

7. a. Present the six groups of RM for metals in the form of an inverted tree. [5]

b. Reproduce the following table and fill the empty boxes choosing from [high, ok]. [4]
Quality of
Process Category
Material Geometry
Subtractive RM
Additive RM
Hybrid RM
Indirect RM

c. For a metallic component, when the quantity required is one or two,

_______________________ can be used; when the quantity is little larger,
_______________________ can be used; for mass production,
_______________________ is preferred. Choose your answers from [(i) RP for
metallic objects (DMLS/LENS/Arcam ), (ii) Investment Casting, (iii) Die Casting,
(iv) Injection Molding]. Justify your answer in a few lines. [3]

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8. a. Argue in favor of arc-based metal build up over laser or EB beam based systems. [4]

b. Reproduce the table and fill the empty cells with as many examples as we have
studies. [2]
Laser-based RM EB-based RM
Powder-bed Technologies
Deposition Technologies
c. Explain the significant features of slicing and support handling in Shape Deposition
Manufacturing. [2]

d. Explain the principle of Hybrid Layered Manufacturing. [3]

e. What are the benefits of cooling channels in an injection mold? Explain how RP
influences their manufacture. Name any one package that helps in their design and
assessing their effectiveness. [3]

9. a. SLS for sand is mostly limited to only core making. Why cannot an entire sand mold
be made using it? [2]

b. Explain briefly the three approaches of investment casting. [6]

c. What is the primary reason for using quasi-hollow acrylic patterns in QuickCast? [1]

d. Why is QuickCast no longer popular? [1]

e. What is visible slicing? Name at least two processes capable of this. [3]

f. Explain ice prototyping. How will it possibly impact casting. [5]