CIMS GLOSSARY

CIMS GLOSSARY

Abrasives: Any type of material or substance used for grinding.

Absolute Coordinates: A coordinate system using the Cartesian coordinate planes (x, y,

z) to draw with. Absolute coordinate values are based on the origin (0,0,0). To enter an

absolute X, Y, Z coordinate, specify a point by entering its X and Y values in the format

X, Y, Z. Use absolute X, Y, Z coordinates when you know the precise X and Z and Y and

Z values of the location of the point.

Accuracy: The accuracy of the prototyping process is dependent on the process and the

media being used. For example, the photopolymer process produces high accuracy

because the media is a liquid which is laser cured in extremely thin layers. This can be

contrasted with the LOM processes that use layers of paper which tend to have less

accuracy because of the stair stepping effect occurring between layers.

Actuator: A motor or transducer that converts electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic energy

to affect motion.

Additive: An additive process builds an object by joining particles or layers of raw

material. The newest rapid prototyping technologies are additive processes. They can be

categorized by material: photopolymer, thermoplastic, and adhesives. Photopolymer

systems start with a liquid resin, which is then solidified by discriminating exposure to a

specific wavelength of light. Thermoplastic systems begin with a solid material, which is

then melted and fused upon cooling.

Address Character: An alphabetic character representation a command in an NC word.

Aligned Dimensions: Linear dimensions that are parallel to the surface being

dimensioned.

Angle Plate: A precision instrument used as a reference 90 degree angle during layout,

machine setup and alignment, fixturing and etc.

Angular Dimensions: Dimensions that are used to describe angles.

Animated Cursor: Provides alternate to keyboard entry for cycling through options and

selecting highlighted geometry. When you apply constraints, a circular arrow shows

when cycle options are available. A sliding arrow shows during flip option only.

Annotations: Notes added to a drawing to explain its features.

Apprenticeship: A training program in which an employee learns a trade under the

guidance of skilled tradesmen. An apprenticeship is set up jointly between sponsoring

company, the Department of Labor and often the trade union. It is typically completed in

a two to four year period along with related theory and class work.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

204

Area Dimensions: Calculates the area and perimeter of objects defined.

Arm Assembly: A set of components that make up a robot’s manipulator.

Array: You can copy an object in polar or rectangular arrays. For polar arrays, you

control the number of copies of the object and whether the copies are rotated. For

rectangular arrays, you control the number of rows and columns and the distance between

them. AMARRAY

Artificial Intelligence: A machines ability through sensors and software to make

decisions.

Assembly Catalog: The means of attaching and cataloging both local and external parts

and subassemblies used in the current assembly. Contents are specified on All and

External tabs and may be instanced, copied, renamed, replaced, externalized, removed,

and sorted. The catalog keeps a running list of all the standard parts in the current

assembly, including local (those created in the current file) and attached (those created in

a different file). Attaches external parts and subassemblies to the current assembly.

Manages renaming, copying, deleting, and replacing parts.

Assembly Constraint: Specifies the relative placement or position of two parts or

subassemblies and defines a geometric relationship or condition between them. There are

four assembly constraints: mate, flush, angle, and insert. Like part modeling constraints,

assembly constraints eliminate degrees of freedom.

Assembly Drawing: An exploded drawing containing a set of number parts combined to

make a completed product.

Assembly Tree: A graphical hierarchy that illustrates the order in which parts are

combined in an assembly. The assembly tree is managed in the Desktop Browser.

Assembly Scene: An exploded view of an assembly. Multiple scenes for a single

assembly are possible and may be named. Each may be used to create drawing views.

ASRS: Automated Storage and Retrieval System (acronym) The retrieval of

manufacturing and management data with the use of a computer.

Automatic Tool Changer: A device that allows for quick tool change in a machine

process.

Automation: A manufactured product that is made through a series of machines all

controlled through sensors, electronics, and computer control.

Auxiliary View: Shows the true size and shape of slanted surfaces and features.

Axis: A line or a linear solid edge, an axis of an arc, a cylinder, cone, or torus, a work

axis, or two point entities. AMWORKAXIS: The reference line of a coordinate system

based on two axes: X and Y.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

205

Axis of Motion : The movement of the joints of a robot about where they are coupled

together.

Ball End Mill: Used for milling fillets or slots on a radius bottom.

Balloon: A label on a drawing view, often containing a symbol that corresponds to a bill

of materials.

Base: The section of the robot that holds the manipulator in place.

Baseline Dimensions: Continues a linear, angular, or ordinate dimension from the

second extension line of the previous or a selected dimension.

Base View: The first view you create and the view from which other drawing views are

derived.

Blended Surface: Creates a surface between two, three, or four wires or surfaces.

AMBLEND creates a surface that fits smoothly between two to four input objects. The

new surface is tangent to each input object and effectively joins the input objects.

Block: A word or group of words making up one line of an NC program.

BOM: Bill Of Materials. A list of parts or items used to assemble a product. The

creation of an assembly drawing with Mechanical Desktop enables the automatic

generation of a BOM.

Break: Erases part of an object or splits an object in two.

Browser Editing: The process of modifying the part model and resultant drawing views

by interacting with the part construction history available from the browser window

found on the left side of the drawing screen.

Bull Nose End Mill: Also know as a Ball End Mill, it has a ground rounded end that

makes it specially adapted for cutting center milling, fillet milling, tracer milling, and

other processes requiring a radius (ball) to be formed.

CAD: (Computer Aided Drafting) Rapid prototyping systems depend on CAD data to

produce the parts. This is a critical requirement. The rapid prototyping system creates a

physical duplicate of the CAD Model. Any lack of precise geometric description in the

design will show up in the physical model. The 3D, CAD solid or surface model is the

starting point of the rapid prototyping process.

Caliper: A precision measuring instrument with a movable jaw capable of reading

external and internal dimensions to an accuracy of .001 inches or .02 mm.

CAM: An irregularly shaped disk that, when, rotated imparts a rocking motion to any

contiguous part.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

206

CAM Package: (Computer Aided Manufacturing) A software solution capable of

generating NC code from assigned tool paths applied to part geometry.

Cartesian Coordinate System: A system for locating and measuring points in space

based on a three dimensional axis labeled X, Y, Z.

Career: An occupation or profession followed as one’s life work.

Case Study: A written account of an engineering activity as it was actually carried out;

it’s a true story, narrative, with detailed backgrounds such as: calculations, drawings,

budget, and schedule elements.

Center Cutting End Mill: A two flute end mill that has center cutting end teeth. These

end mills are primarily used for plunge and traverse cutting.

Chamfer: One of the placed features available in Mechanical Desktop. Chamfer bevels

the edge of an existing solid. AMCHAMFER

Chronological: An ordered sequence of events that follows a time base.

CIM: Computer Integrated Manufacturing (acronym) is the total integration of such

individual concepts as CNC, CAD, robotics, and material handling into one system.

Closed Loop Control: Control achieved by feedback, i.e., by measuring the degree to

which actual system response conforms to desired system response and utilizing the

difference to drive the system into conformance.

CNC: An acronym for computer numerical control, which is a form of numerical control

that uses a dedicated computer as the tool controller.

Code: In NC programming, the same word, typically used for G and M words, also a

general term for a set of programming instructions.

Collet: A type of chuck that holds very tightly and does not mark the workpiece. Collets

are made in every standard bar stock size and are designed for holding round, square, or

hexagon stock.

Combine: In the Part/Assembly environment, you can parametrically combine two

parts, a base part (active part) and a toolbody part, by cutting, combining, or intersecting.

Before combining two parts, you position one instance of the toolbody part relative to the

base part using assembly constraints, Move, or Rotate. AMCOMBINE

Compressive: A compressive process forces a semi-solid or liquid material into a

desired shape in which it is then induced to harden or solidify.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

207

Constraints: Defines how a sketch can change shape or size. Geometric constraints

control the shape and relationships among sketch lines and arcs. Dimensional constraints

control the size of sketch geometry.

Contact Sensors: A sensor that identifies when the manipulator on the robot comes in

contact with an object.

Continuous Dimension: Continues a linear, angular, or ordinate dimension from the

second extension line of the previous or a selected dimension.

Continuous Path: A method of programming a robot that will move the manipulator

through a constant path. Example applications are caulking, gluing, welding and spray

painting.

Contouring: The process of removing material completely outside of a line or region.

Controller: A system of hardware and software that controls the operation of a machine,

such as a robot or NC machine tool. For motion control, it may use either non-serve

techniques, which control end points only, or a servo control of the path and speed.

Controller Box: Computer hardware that houses the electronics to interpret part

programs and send them to the CNC machine.

Control Program: The software program that controls the CNC machine.

Conventional Prototyping: Most conventional prototyping processes fall into the

subtractive category. These would include machining processes such as milling, turning,

and grinding. Machining methods are difficult to use on parts with very small internal

cavities or complex geometry. Some advances have been made in this area, such as the

introduction of the three-axis tabletop CNC milling machine by companies like Light

Machines Corporation and Roland Digital Group. These systems machine a block of

material secured to an x-y table. The vertical spindle controls the z-axis. It machines

materials such as ABS, polycarbonate, composite, wax, wood, aluminum, and brass.

Copy: Copies sketched and hole features or feature sets from within the same part or

from one part to another. Copy displays a temporary image of the feature being copied

each time a location is selected on the active sketch plane of the active part.

AMCOPYFEAT

Corner Fillet: Is produced when a blended surface has been applied to three or four

intersecting surfaces.

Cross Slide: A moveable support that the workpiece is secured to for milling.

Cutter: The cutting tool.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

208

Cutting Line/Plane: In Model mode, use AMCUTLINE to create parametric cutting

lines for an offset section view. Sketch the cutting line on the current sketch plane using

the LINE or PLINE commands. Cutting lines may be at any angle but segments must be

at 90 degrees to one another.

Cycle Time: The time it takes to complete the handling and machining process of a part,

start to finish.

Cylindrical Configuration System: A robot design that is based on a robot that will

move about a cylindrical axis.

Data Storage: Information stored electronically to be used at a given time.

Degree of Accuracy: Being free from errors within a specified tolerance.

Degree of Freedom: (Directions and rotations at which an object can move about its

axes.) In Mechanical Desktop each time you add a constraint between two parts, one

DOF (or more) is eliminated. A fully constrained part cannot move in any direction. The

degrees of freedom symbol is displayed on the screen with one or two numbers in the

circle. For example, you might see 3-2 or 2-1, etc. The first number indicates the order in

which the part was instanced into the assembly. Thus, if the number is a 3, it means that

this was the third part instanced into the assembly.

Derived Surface: Generating a surface from existing surfaces, for example, a fillet or

round between two other intersecting surfaces.

Desktop Browser: The desktop browser provides an assembly tree illustrating the

history of the part model. The process of modifying the part model and resultant drawing

views is made possible by interacting with the assembly tree available from the browser

found on the left side of the drawing screen.

Design Cycle: How the complete process is laid out, from start to finish.

Detailed Views: A set of drawings developed from the model that include those views

and annotations necessary to produce the product.

Dial Indicator: A comparison instrument that is used to compare sizes and

measurements to a known standard; commonly used for the alignment of machine tools,

figures and work pieces.

Displace: To move or butt out of the usual or proper place. As in a job or position.

Distance: Space between two entities.

DNC: Direct Numerical Control – A process of controlling a number of CNC equipped

machines from a mainframe computer handling the scheduling or work and downloading

complete programs into the machine’s memory.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

209

Drawing Template: A standard drawing screen used to start a drawing. It often

contains a title block and border with a company logo. A template drawing is a drawing

file that you can use as a starting point for new drawings. It stores all the settings for a

drawing and may also include predefined layers, dimension styles, and views.

Drilling: The operation of producing a hole by removing material from a solid mass

using a cutting tool called a drill.

Drive Constraint: An assembly constraint that simulates mechanical motion by moving

about a degree of freedom. An example would be constraining an angle between a flat

spot on a shaft to a flat surface on a pump housing. The angle constraint could then be

driven by incrementing the angle between 0 and 360 degrees to simulate the rotation of

the shaft. All other parts in the assembly will also move as permitted by the applied

constraints.

DXF: Data Exchange Format – A format that allows users to transfer geometry from a

CAD program to another CAD program or a CAM program.

EDM: Electrical Discharge Machining (acronym) A process that uses a fine, accurately

controlled electrical spark to erode metal. The cutting electrode is made of carbon or a

wire feed system.

Efficiency: The ability to accomplish a job in the minimum amount of time.

EIA RS-274D Standard Format: A standard for NC programming established in 1979

by the electronics Industries Association, also called G & M programming.

Engraving Tool: A small bevel ended end mill usually having one flute. Used for fine

surface cutting at minimal depths.

Elbow: A robotic joint that moves similar to the human elbow.

lectric Motor: Motor that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.

Electronic Digital Caliper: A precision measuring instrument used to make accurate

internal and external measurements, displaying the units in decimal format.

Emergency Stop: A switch that immediately shuts down the CNC machine.

End Effector: The end of the robotic arm that does the work. Ex. Gripper, Vacuum,

Special tool.

End-Of-Arm Tooling: Special tooling designed for the end effector to do specific jobs.

English System: A standard of measurement using inches, feet, yards and miles as units.

Engraving: The process of removing material while the cutting tool follows a piece of

geometry.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

210

Explode: Breaks a block, polyline, or other compound object into its component parts.

Exploded Assembly: Separates parts and subassemblies to show how they fit together.

Automatically updates if the assembly or one of its parts change.

Explosion Factor: A numeric value that controls how far apart the components of an

assembly drawing are displayed.

Export File: The process of exporting a file to a usable format for a given process.

Externally Referenced Part: A part that resides in a separate file from the assembly. To

use in an assembly, the part is referenced into the assembly. Multiple assemblies can

reference the same part; when the part changes, all assemblies that reference the part are

updated.

Extrude: This is a function available from the sketch features icon. Use AMEXTRUDE

to create an extruded solid feature from the selected profile. Before you create an

extruded feature, you must create a sketch profile. Sketches must be demonstrated with

closed boundaries, using any combination of new sketch geometry, existing model edges,

work planes, or work axes. Your profile cannot contain internal islands. AMEXTRUDE

Facing: The process of machining the ends of a work-piece square to the axis or

centerline of the lathe.

Feed Rate: A multiple-character code containing the letter F followed by digits. It

determines the machine slide rate of feed.

Feed System: A system that conveys products to a machine or robot.

Fillet: Creates a specified fillet type and shows an example of each fillet type: constant

radius fillet, variable cubic or variable linear radius fillet, and fixed width fillet. Select as

many edges as you want for each execution of AMFILLET. If the selected edge ends at a

point where the endpoints of two objects join and are tangent continuous, the fillet is

automatically extended until it reaches a non-continuous end.

Fixed Automation: An automated manufacturing system set up to manufacture one

product in large quantities.

Fixture: A stationary mechanical device used to steady and hold a part in a precise

manner.

Flexible Automation: An automated manufacturing system made of different work

cells that is designed to be reprogrammed and reconfigured to manufacture different

products.

Flush Constraint: Makes two planes coplanar with their faces aligned in the same

direction.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

211

FMS: Flexible Manufacturing System (acronym)

Gauge Block: A set of blocks that are accepted as a physical standard and can be used

for making precise comparison measurements as well as adjusting precision measuring

instruments.

G-Codes: Preparatory commands that refer to some action occurring on the x, y, and/or

z axis of a machine tool.

Gear: A moving part receiving or imparting force by means of teeth engaging with teeth

of a similar or corresponding part.

Grid: This command puts a pattern of dots on the drawing screen making it easier to

locate points.

Grinding: To wear smooth, or sharpen. A grinder is a person or device that grinds.

Grippers: An end effector on a robot that is designed to pick up objects just as a

humans fingers do.

Grounded Part: The first part instance is called the grounded part. Each instance

following the grounded part moves relative to the grounded part after you apply

positioning constraints.

Handshake: The electrical connection between the computer and the interface. The

ability to communicate.

ardware: A term used to identify computer parts, processor, and other devices

controlled by the computer.

Height Gauge: A precision instrument used in tool rooms and inspection rooms to lay

out and measure vertical distance to an accuracy of .001 in. or .02 mm.

ome Position: A programmed position for a robot that the computer uses to base all

other positions from.

Hydraulic Motor: An actuator consisting of interconnected valves and pistons or vanes

that converts high pressure hydraulic fluid into mechanical shaft translation or rotation.

Insert Constraint: Aligns center points and planes of two circles in a specified

direction. Solves translation degrees of freedom. Used to constrain a bolt in a hole, for

example.

Inside Caliper: A precision measuring instrument with a vernier scale used to

accurately measure internal dimensions.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

212

Instancing: A reference copy of the original part instanced into the local assembly.

All information about the part, including its name and attributes, is stored in the original

drawing file where the part was created.

Integration: The organization of the constituted elements; the ability to communicate or

connect with other elements.

Interface: An electronic device that allows mechanical equipment to communicate with

a computer.

Interference: This function allows checking the fit between two or more parts in an

assembly thereby detecting design problems before manufacturing starts.

Interpolation: Moving from one coordinate point to another along a defined tool path.

Isometric View: A drawing of an object with a X, Y, and Z axes spaced 120 degrees

apart in which the Z axis is projected vertically.

Jet Cutter: A machine that uses water mixed with an abrasive. This mixture is

propelled at a high rate of speed to cut different types of materials.

Jointed Arm Configuration: A configuration of a robot that has two monitors

connected in either a rotary or linear manner. (ex. Human Arm)

Journeyman: A qualified workman who has finished an apprenticeship, but has not

become an employer or master workman.

Laser: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (acronym) A beam of

light that is highly focused, used for cutting, carrying messages, and performing other

kinds of work.

Lathe: A machine that works a piece of material such as wood or metal against a tool by

rotating it.

Lead Through: A term used to describe a continuous path type of robotic programming.

Limits: This is the area on the drawing screen covered by grid dots.

Limit Switch: A device used to restrict the movement of a component of a robot. These

devices are normally electrical in nature but could be optical also.

Linear Dimension: Creates linear (vertical or horizontal) dimensions.

Linear Slide: A device that attaches the base of the robot. This allows the robot one

extra degree of freedom. The movement allowed is straight-line movement (linear).

Locate Point: Locates objects in reference to the Cartesian Coordinate system.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

213

Lofted U Surface: Creates a lofted surface from one set of wires, each with similar

attributes, such as having approximately the same direction. You must select the lines in

consecutive order. A lofted U surface is stretched between any number of wires that

share similar characteristics.

Lofted UV Surface: A lofted UV surface is stretched over two sets of wires. Each wire

in one set crosses every wire in the other set. Two sets of wires can accurately describe a

complex surface.

Machine Position: CNC machines have two ways of positioning themselves with respect

to their coordinate systems. These two systems are called Absolute positioning and

Incremental positioning.

Machinist: A skilled worker who can efficiently operate all standard machine tools, read

drawings, use precision measuring instruments and use hand tools.

M-Codes: Codes that are used to turn on or off different functions that control certain

machine tool operations.

Manipulator: A mechanism (usually mechanical) consisting of links which are jointed

for the purpose of holding or grasping an object.

Manufacturing: The process of taking raw material and converting them into a finished

product, usually by means of a large scale industrial operation.

Mass Property: Lists the mass properties for a selected part. AMPARTPROP lists the

mass properties for the active part. You can change the density of the part by entering a

new value under Density in the dialog box. In Density, enter the material density for the

part you are analyzing. The values in the dialog box are not displayed in units. You

determine the units for these calculations by the units you used when modeling the part

and the units for the density. To keep the calculations meaningful, use the same units of

measure in the density as you used during part modeling. For example, if you modeled

the part in inches, enter the density in mass per unit inch. Use AMASSMPROP to

calculate mass property for parts in assemblies.

Mate Constraint: Causes a plane or axis on one part to be coincident with a plane or

axis on another part in a specified direction. Removes a translational degree of freedom.

Mechanism: An assembly of moving parts performing a complete functional motion.

Micrometer: A precision measuring instrument that is accurate to the nearest .001 of an

inch or .01 mm.

Mill: An abbreviated term for milling machine. A machine tool, usually numerically

controlled, capable of automatically drilling, reaming, tapping, milling, and boring

multiple faces of a part.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

214

Milling Machine: A horizontal or vertical device that uses a cutter to remove

material in the X, Y, or Z axis to a precision measurement.

MRP: Material Requirement Planning (acronym) Process for identifying the amounts

and types of material required for future manufacturing projects using bill of material,

master production schedules, and inventories.

NC: The method of accurately controlling the operation of a machine tool by a series of

standard coded instructions consisting of numbers, letters and symbols that the machine

control unit can understand.

Nodes: Are temporary displays of indicators at edges of the selected surface. The nodes

mark the beginning and end of each of the individual edge lines that make up one or more

closed loops. The nodes and lines are displayed in the GRIPCOLOR. Indicators are

displayed on both the base and the face edges. The indicators disappear when the display

is redrawn.

Non-contact Sensor: A sensing device that detects the absence or presence of an object

within a certain distance. Sometimes called a Proximity Sensor.

NURBS: Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline. This term defines a class of curves and

surfaces that are widely used in CAD systems, including AutoCad and Mechanical

Desktop.

Off-line: Programming a robot’s motion at a computer terminal that is not connected to

the robot.

Offset Surface: Creates a surface offset from a selected surface. AMOFFSETSF places

a copy of a surface an equal distance at every point from the original surface in the

positive or negative direction of the surface normals. Offset surface fulfills a common

manufacturing requirement in the consumer product industries needed to place surfaces

parallel and some distance away from each other during the design of complex free form

shapes.

Open Loop Controller: A control system that controls the servo motors of a CNC

machine tool but does not have the capability of verifying that the machine accurately

performed its function.

Ordinate Dimension: Creates ordinate point dimensions.

Ortho: Constrains cursor movement to the horizontal or vertical directions.

Orthographic Views: The views of an object that are drawn in perpendicular planes to

one another, typically the front, top, and right side views of an object.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

215

Palletize: The process of filling a pallet. A pallet is a common type of portable

container designed to hold and move parts in factories. These pallets usually have

individual compartments for each piece and normally conform to the shape of the part to

be held.

Parameter: Numbers that describe movement or distance; used with an address

character command in an NC word.

Parametric Dimensions: Automatically size a model and update associated drawing

views. May be modified in both Modeling and Drawing modes. Parametric dimensions

that appear during the creation of the drawing views. Parametrics define the geometric

and dimensional values of a design.

Parent View: A view on which to base another drawing view. For example, the base

view is the parent view for auxiliary and orthographic views. Any view may be the parent

view for a detail view.

Part Program: A list of numerically coded instructions.

Path: A sketched line, polyline, arc, etc. that is constrained and used as a path for a

sweep feature. AMPATH is used to create paths for sweep features. AMPATH solves

the 2D geometry and dimensions on the active sketch plane and is nearly identical to

AMPROFILE except that the geometry may be open. Paths are used in sweep features to

describe the trajectory that the profile sweeps along. To create a sweep feature, create a

path, place a sweep profile work plane on the path, and place the sketch plane on this

work plane. Then sketch a profile on the sketch plane. The AMSWEEP command

prompts you for the path and profile, and then sweeps the profile along the path.

Payload: The amount of weight that a robot can safely handle at the end effector. The

robot’s capability to repeat a motion is affected by this factor normally because of the

laws of physics.

Photo Optics: A device that varies its conductivity according to fluctuations in light.

Several examples of Photovoltaic devices are solar cells, infrared sensors, ultraviolet

sensors, and opto-electronic position sensors.

Placed Feature: Well-defined mechanical shapes that do not require sketches, such as

holes, chamfers, and fillets. They are constrained to the feature on which they are placed

and are geometrically dependent.

Planar Surface: A surface that is defined by lines, arcs, splines, polylines, or two

locations, with the selected objects being closed and on the same plane.

Plane: The term plane has two applications for Mechanical Desktop. A sketch plane

(AMSKPLN) is a temporary drawing surface that corresponds to a real plane on a

feature. It is an infinite plane with both X and Y axes on which you sketch or place a

feature. A work plane (AMWORKPLN) is an infinite plane parametrically attached to a

part on which to sketch.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

216

PLC: Programmable Logic Controller (acronym) A control device designed specifically

for industrial machines that perform logical operations compatible with traditional relay

logic.

Plunge: The depth that a cutting tool is introduced into a material during successive

machining passes.

Pneumatic Motor: An actuator consisting of interconnected valves and pistons or vanes

that converts high pressure pneumatic fluid into mechanical shaft translation or rotation.

Pocketing: The process of removing all material inside of a specified line or region.

Point to Point: Programming a robotic device, teaching or programming a series of

points in space for the robotic device to follow.

Polar Configuration: A robot that pivots around a central point or pole. Its arm tilts to

reach out above or below the level to which it is mounted.

Polar Coordinates: Polar coordinates (or Distance and Bearing) draw a line that will be

a specified distance length at some specified angle from a given start point

Polygon: Creates an equilateral closed polyline.

Polyline: Creates two-dimensional polylines.

Preferences: Displays the Preferences dialog box. You can customize many of the Auto

CAD’s settings by using options on tabs.

Preparatory Code: NC words (G address character plus a parameter) that tells the

machine tools what type of interpolation and programming mode to use.

Process Flow: How a part moves around a CIM system. Example: Conveyor System

Profile: A profile may include 2D geometry such as model edges, sketch planes, work

axes, and dimensions. You may combine newly sketched geometry and existing part

edges, or use only model edges to create a profile. The sketch you select to profile must

be closed. Profiles are used to create solids by extrusion, revolution, or a sweep.

Prototype: An original or model that something is based on or formed.

Proximity Sensor: A device that responds to the closeness of an object to itself, without

contact.

Primitives: The building blocks of solids modeling, such as box, wedge, cone, sphere,

torus, and cylinder.

Punch Press: A machine used to shape materials under pressure or by heavy blows.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

217

Quality Control: A formal program of monitoring product quality by applying

statistical process control methods.

Rapid Prototyping: In the manufacturing arena, productivity is achieved by guiding a

product from concept to market quickly and inexpensively. Rapid prototyping was

commercially introduced in 1987 with the development of Stereo Lithography. Rapid

prototyping technology automates the fabrication of a prototype part from a threedimensional

CAD drawing. This physical model conveys more complete information

about the product earlier in the development cycle. The turnaround time for a typical

rapid prototype part can take a few days. Conventional prototyping may take weeks or

even months, depending on the method used. Other terms applied to rapid prototyping

technology include Desktop manufacturing, Automated fabrication, Tool-less

manufacturing, or Free-form fabrication.

Rapid Traverse: A rapid movement of a CNC machine. Used to quickly maneuver the

cutting tool while not cutting.

Reference Dimensions: This method of dimensioning is necessary to add sizes to

features needing further explanation beyond the parametric dimensions that appear as the

drawing views are being produced. Reference dimensions are not parametric. They

represent dimensions not needed to create a part but are required for manufacturing and

more complete human understanding.

Relative Coordinates: A coordinate system using a start point in the Cartesian

coordinate plane that adds specified distances to the original point. Use relative X,Y

coordinates when you know the position of a point in relation to the previous point.

Reliability: The extent to which an experiment, test or measuring procedure yields the

same results on repeated trials.

Repeatability: The ability of a robot to continually return to the programmed point,

though sometimes confused, with accuracy (which is the ability of a robot to be

programmed to a target point). This point may not be able to be met due to limitations of

the control resolution.

Repetitive: The act of duplication.

Resolution of a Robot: The smallest increment of movement of which the robot is

capable of moving. This is controlled by factors such as motor resolution, arm length,

gear resolution associated in joints and base.

Revolve: Creates a revolved solid feature from the selected profile. If you have multiple

unconsumed sketches (not yet incorporated into a feature), pick the one you want to

revolve. You must specify an axis about which to revolve the profile. An axis may be a

model edge, a work axis, or a sketched line included in the profile.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

218

RPM: Revolutions Per Minute – The number of times that an object completes a 360

degree revolution in one minute. Used to set the spindle speed for a cutting tool or part.

Robotics: The technology developed to combine software, mechanical manipulators,

sensors, controllers and computers to provide programmable automation.

Ruled Surface: The process of removing material based on a polygon mesh

representing the ruled surface between two geometric shapes. The ruled surface

represents a series of straight lines (like a ruler) that connect the two geometric shapes.

Ruled surfaces created on a CAD system are straight element surfaces between two wires

made up of a line, arc, spline, polyline, circle, ellipse, augmented line, or surface.

AMRULE creates a surface consisting of non-curving elements in the V direction. It

constructs surfaces from only two wires, such as those commonly found in 3D wireframe

models.

Safety Shield: A clear plastic shield which is used as a safety guard on the CNC

machine.

Save As: In the Save Drawing As dialog box, enter a file name and type. This command

allows the renaming of a drawing or saving as a drawing format from earlier versions of

AutoCad.

Scale: Enlarges or reduces objects equally in the X, Y, and Z directions.

Science Fiction: A form of fiction that draws imaginatively on scientific knowledge

and/or speculation.

Section View: A view of the internal features of a part model by the use of a cutting

plane.

Sensors: Devices that are electronic or electromechanical and are used to detect and

supply either physical or environmental information.

Shelled Part: Creates a thin walled feature on the active part with an assigned wall

thickness or multiple thickness. (AMSHELL)

Shoulder: A pivot point on a mechanical arm robot between the base and the elbow

Sketching: In the part modeling, sketching entails using lines, polylines, circles, arcs,

and rectangles. The sketch is the basic design element that defines the approximate size

and shape of features in your part. Part model precision is obtained by profiling,

applying geometric constraints and dimensioning.

Simulation Software: A program that allows the user to observe an operation through

simulation without actually running the program. Simulation software is used widely to

design equipment so that the final product will be as close to design specs as possible

without expensive in process modification.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

219

Slice File: A CAD file that is used to operate a stereolithogaphy machine.

SLS: Selective Laser Sintering starts with a thin, evenly-distributed layer of powder. A

laser is then used to sinter only the powder that is inside a cross-section of the part. The

energy added by the laser heats the powder into a glass-like state and individual particles

coalesce into a solid. Once the laser has scanned the entire cross-section, another layer of

powder is laid on top and the whole process is repeated.

oftware: A computer program, composed of lines of code, designed to accomplish a

task. This program is installed in a computer to be utilized by the computer or may be

interactive with the user.

Solid: Solid modeling is the easiest type of 3D modeling to use. With AutoCAD's

Mechanical Desktop, you can create solids by sweeping a 2D object along a path or

revolving it about an axis. Mechanical Desktop can also define solids parametrically and

maintain associatively between 3D models and the 2D views that you generate from

them.

Snap: The snap command locks your cursor to user specified points. Usually you set the

snap to your grid spacing or some multiple thereof. Then your mouse will jump from one

grid point to the next.

Specialty systems: A Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) system which

specializes on one part manufacturing with little flexibility and usually high volume

production.

Stereolithography: A process that uses a CAD model to guide a laser through a

polymer solution. The laser hardens the solution within the boundary of the part, one thin

layer at a time, to produce a real, three-dimensional mockup.

Spindle: The portion of the spindle assembly to which the cutter is secured.

Spindle Speed: The rate at which the spindle turns in Rpm’s.

Spindle Speed Control: Controls the rate at which the spindle on the CNC machine

turns in RPMs.

Steel Rule: A flat, steel, linear measuring instrument with varying levels of graduations:

¼, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 and 1/64 for standard inch and 1 or .5 mm for metric.

Stepper Motor: An electric motor whose windings are arranged in such a fashion that it

allows the motor to rotate a minimum of 1/200 of a revolution upon command from the

drive circuitry.

Straight Line: Uses straight line motions between coordinate points, the end points of

one line segment being the start point of the next line segment.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

220

Sub Assembly: A group of parts constrained together. Can be used as a single object

in a larger assembly. A subassembly may be created in the current assembly or

referenced from an external file.

Subtractive: In a subtractive process, a block of material is carved out to produce the

desired shape. Conventional prototyping processes fall into this category.

Surface Plate: A rigid block of granite or cast iron used as a reference plane for layout,

setup and inspection work.

Sweep: AMSWEEP creates a solid feature defined by a planar cross section swept along

a planar trajectory. Before you use AMSWEEP, you need a path and profile from which

to create the swept feature. The profile sketch plane depends on the path sketch plane. If

the path changes, causing the endpoint on which the profile was sketched to move, the

profile moves also.

Swept Surface: An advanced milling operation in which a profile shape is swept or

moved perpendicular to a line or path, removing material.

Tactile Sensor: A device that responds to contact forces. These devises are usually

mechanical in composition and because of this tend to wear out more frequently than

other types of sensors.

Teach Pendant: A hand held control device, which is used by a human to move a robot

through a series of points. This device is used to teach or program the robot to follow a

path designed to accomplish a task.

Tolerance: The amount of variation, over or under the required size or dimension,

permitted on a piece of machined work.

Tool & Die Maker: A highly skilled craftsperson who must be able to make different

types of dies, molds, cutting tools, jigs and fixtures.

Tool Holder: Spindle-type toolholders essentially hold and drive the entire tool

assembly, which is made up of the basic cutting tool, adapters or collets, and the

toolholder itself. Tool holders conform to the ANSI industry standard and are used to

quickly and accurately fasten a tool to the machining center.

Tooling: A specialty end effectors that performs a specific task that would normally

require a tool; e.g. drilling, screwing, etc.

Tool-less Manufacturing: Any prototyping process that does not use a cutting tool to

produce the part. All of the additive processes would fall into this category.

Tool Path: A path that the center of a cutting tool follows during a CNC operation.

Torus: A donut shaped figure generated by the revolution of a circle or ellipse around a

point. This is one of the surface primitives available in surface modeling.

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

221

Trails: In an exploded view, they are lines that show how parts in an assembly are

assembled.

Transfer Lines: Sometimes referred to as “Detroit Automation” consisting of several

workstations linked together by materials handing devices that transfer work pieces from

station to station. The first station holds the raw material and the last station delivers the

finished product to a bind.

Trim: Trims objects at a cutting edge defined by other objects.

Tubular: Creates a tubular surface around a selected wire that becomes the axis of the

tube. AMTUBE is used to model piping, wiring, and other tubular objects. It constructs a

surface around a wire that represents the axis of the tube. Around a line, AMTUBE

creates one cylindrical surface, but around a polyline, it creates a cylindrical surface at

each segment and toroidal surfaces at each vertex.

Turret: A pivoting attachment for holding tools.

Turret Tool Changer: A device used to automatically remove and insert a tool and

toolholder into a machining center. The changer may hold 60 or more tools at a time and

is used to minimize and manage the time needed to convert from one cutting operation to

another.

Tweak: Adjusting the position of parts in an assembly scene to avoid overlap in some

views or to make some parts more visible.

Units: A standard quantity or amount. The smallest whole number. Examples include

inches, feet, meters, miles, Newtons and etc.

Update: Regenerates the active part and drawing with values, dimensions and

constraints, updating all geometrically dependent features identically.

Vacuum Cups: A device (normally cup shaped) made of a flexible material that, when

placed against an impervious surface and a negative pressure is applied to the cavity

formed by the union of the two entities.

Vernier Caliper: Precision measuring instrument with a vernier scale mounted on its

movable jaw. Used to make accurate internal and external measurements in thousandths

of an inch or hundredths of a millimeter.

Vernier Micrometer: A precision measuring instrument similar to a Micrometer but

having an additional scale on the sleeve providing an additional degree of accuracy to

.0001 of an inch for standard units and .002 mm for metric verniers.

Vernier Protractor: A precision instrument capable of measuring angles to within 5

min. (.083 degree).

Project Lead The Way, Inc..  Computer Integrated Manufacturing

222

Vice: A clamping device usually consisting of two jaws closed or opened by a screw

or lever; used to secure a workpiece to the crossslide.

Vision: A system capable of viewing a work area and interpreting what is in that area. A

camera is connected to a computer that interpolates X and Y coordinates to image or

identify an item contained in the viewing parameters.

Work Cell: A complete working center. Stand alone.

Wireframe: The basic framework of a part model constructed of wires and surface

parts. Wire is the general term for a line, arc, circle, augmented line, spline, ellipse, or

polyline.

Wizard: If you want to set up a drawing using a dialog box, choose Use a Wizard. You

can choose from two wizards: Quick Setup and Advanced Setup.

Quick Setup-Choose the Quick Setup wizard to set up the drawing area and

change settings, such as text height and snap spacing, to an appropriate scale.

Advanced Setup-Choose the Advanced Setup wizard to set up the drawing area

and change settings, such as text height and snap spacing, to an appropriate scale.

You can also establish basic layout features.

Word: A combination of an address character (the command) and a parameter (the

distance or movement).

Work Features: Are comprised of work planes, work points, and work axes.

Work Axis: An axis at the centerline of a cylindrical, conical, or toroidal surface.

Cylindrical, conical, and toroidal surfaces are those created by revolved arcs and lines,

extruded circles and arcs with and without draft, holes, and fillets on straight line edges.

(AMWORKAXIS)

Work Point: Creates work points on the active sketch plane. Work points are useful for

placing holes in parts, and serving as the center of a polar array.

Wrist: A pivot point on a mechanical arm robot between the end effector and the elbow.