Mixed Deck — All 3D Product Topics Flashcards

What is 'Shore hardness' used to measure in product material selection?

Answer: The hardness and stiffness of rubber and flexible polymers

Shore hardness (A scale for soft rubbers, D scale for harder plastics) quantifies material firmness, used to spec flexible components like grips, gaskets, and seals.

What is 'anisotropy' in 3D-printed parts and why does it matter?

Answer: The directional difference in mechanical properties — FDM parts are stronger along print layers than between them

FDM-printed parts are anisotropic because layer-to-layer bonding is weaker than in-plane strength, meaning part orientation relative to loads must be considered in design.

What does 'Design for Assembly' (DFA) aim to achieve?

Answer: Reducing the number of parts and simplifying assembly steps to lower labor time and assembly errors

DFA analyzes assembly sequences to reduce part count, eliminate fasteners, and simplify joining operations — reducing assembly time and defects.

What is a 'mood board' used for in product design?

Answer: A visual collage of images, colors, textures, and references that establishes the aesthetic direction for a product

Mood boards communicate the intended visual language, style, and emotional tone of a product to align teams and clients before detailed design begins.

What is the purpose of 'sandblasting' in product finishing?

Answer: To create a uniform matte texture and remove surface imperfections by propelling fine abrasive particles at high speed

Sandblasting (or bead blasting) uses high-pressure abrasive media to clean, texture, or prep surfaces — creating consistent matte or satin finishes on metal and plastic.

What does 'bill of materials' (BOM) mean in product design?

Answer: A structured list of all components, parts, and materials required to build a product, with quantities and part numbers

A BOM is the complete list of every part in a product assembly — component names, part numbers, quantities, and specifications — essential for procurement and manufacturing.

What is 'powder coating' and what advantages does it offer over liquid spray painting for metal products?

Answer: Electrostatically applied dry powder cured by heat, offering superior durability, uniform thickness, and no solvent emissions

Powder coating applies charged dry powder particles to grounded metal parts, then oven-cures them into a uniform, tough finish with better chip resistance than wet paint.

What is the purpose of 'simulation' features in CAD software like SolidWorks Simulation or Fusion 360 Simulation?

Answer: To predict how a part will behave under loads, heat, or other conditions before physical prototyping

CAD simulation (FEA — Finite Element Analysis) applies virtual loads and boundary conditions to predict stress, deformation, and failure points, reducing prototype iterations.

What is the primary engineering benefit of incorporating lattice structures into a 3D printed product?

Answer: Significantly reducing mass while maintaining structural stiffness

Lattice structures are open-cell frameworks that remove bulk material from low-stress regions, dramatically reducing weight while preserving the structural integrity demanded by the application.

What is 'first article inspection' (FAI) in manufacturing?

Answer: A thorough dimensional and functional check of the first production parts from a new tool or process to verify conformance before full production

FAI verifies that a new manufacturing process (like a new injection mold) produces parts that meet all dimensional, functional, and cosmetic requirements before committing to full volume production.

What is 'infill' in FDM 3D printing?

Answer: The internal structure printed inside a solid-looking object to add strength while saving material

Infill is the internal lattice or pattern printed inside an object, with adjustable density (typically 10-100%) that balances strength and material usage.

What is 'surface roughness' (Ra) in manufacturing, and why does it matter for product design?

Answer: The average deviation of surface peaks and valleys from the mean line, affecting feel, friction, and coating adhesion

Ra (arithmetic average roughness) is specified on engineering drawings to control tactile feel, tribological performance, sealing capability, and paint/coating adhesion.

What is 'print resolution' and what are typical X/Y values for desktop FDM printers?

Answer: The minimum feature size the printer can reproduce; typically 0.1 to 0.4mm in X/Y on desktop FDM printers

Print resolution defines the smallest reproducible feature; desktop FDM X/Y resolution is limited by nozzle diameter (typically 0.4mm), while Z resolution is set by layer height.

What is 'reverse engineering' in the context of 3D product design, and what hardware is commonly used?

Answer: 3D scanning a physical object to create a digital CAD model, using structured-light scanners or LIDAR

Reverse engineering uses 3D scanning technology to capture the physical geometry of an existing object as a point cloud, which is then processed into a surface or solid CAD model.

Why are chamfers on bottom edges of FDM parts often preferred over fillets in DfAM?

Answer: Chamfers reduce the elephant's foot effect and do not require support material unlike bottom fillets

Bottom fillets create an unsupported curved surface requiring support material, whereas chamfers replace that curve with a flat angled face that is self-supporting and also reduces first-layer spread (elephant's foot).

What is 'PLM' (Product Lifecycle Management) and how does it extend beyond PDM?

Answer: A system managing all product data and processes from concept through end-of-life, including design, manufacturing, and service

PLM encompasses PDM but extends to manage the entire product lifecycle — including requirements, supply chain, quality, compliance, and service documentation.

What is 'golden sample' or 'golden master' in manufacturing and quality control?

Answer: An approved reference product sample against which all production units are compared for visual and dimensional quality

A golden sample is a physically approved, boundary-limit product that manufacturing and quality teams use as a visual and tactile standard for accepting or rejecting production output.

What does 'topology' refer to in the context of 3D product modeling?

Answer: The arrangement and flow of polygons that make up a mesh

Topology describes how polygons, edges, and vertices are organized on a mesh, which directly affects how the model deforms, subdivides, and renders.

What is a 'DFMEA' (Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) in product development?

Answer: A risk analysis tool that identifies potential design failure modes, their effects, and mitigation strategies before manufacturing

DFMEA systematically evaluates how each design element could fail, rates the severity and likelihood of each failure, and drives design improvements to reduce risk.

What is the purpose of a 'normal map' in 3D product visualization?

Answer: To simulate fine surface detail without adding extra geometry

A normal map encodes surface direction data to simulate fine details like scratches and bumps on a surface without increasing polygon count.