Manufacturing Practices (BT-106) - Important Questions

Explain the construction and working of a CNC lathe. Discuss the functions of its main components such as the spindle, turret, feed drives, control unit and feedback devices. List the advantages and typical applications of CNC lathes in modern manufacturing.

Write a complete single-piece CNC part program for turning a shaft from a blank of diameter 60 mm and length 120 mm to produce a finished shaft with diameter 40 mm and length 80 mm. Include facing and turning operations, tool change, spindle speeds, feed rates, tool offsets and coolant on/off using appropriate G-codes and M-codes. Assume appropriate safety lines and datum positions.

Compare manual part programming and conversational programming for CNC machines. State the advantages and limitations of each approach and give examples of situations where conversational programming is preferred.

What is Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)? Describe its main elements and explain the advantages achieved by integrating CAD, CAM, CNC and factory automation under CIM.

Discuss the principles, working, advantages and limitations of the following non-traditional machining processes: Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), Laser Beam Machining (LBM) and Water Jet Cutting (WJC). Provide typical applications for each process and indicate material/process selection criteria.

Explain the working principle of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM). Describe the role of dielectric fluid, electrode material selection, and discuss the advantages, disadvantages and typical applications of EDM.

Describe the principles and applications of Abrasive Jet Machining (AJM) and Ultrasonic Machining (USM). Compare their material removal mechanisms and state typical work materials suited to each process.

What is Group Technology (GT)? Explain the concept of Part Families and coding/classification in GT. Also describe the components and benefits of a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) and how GT supports FMS implementation.

Derive Taylor's tool life equation and explain the significance of each parameter. The Taylor tool life equation is given by $\left(v T^{n}\right)=C$, where $v$ is cutting speed, $T$ is tool life, $n$ is the tool life exponent and $C$ is a constant. Show how to determine the tool life $T$ for a given cutting speed and how to compute the change in permissible cutting speed when tool life is to be doubled.

What are the functions of jigs and fixtures? Describe the types of fixtures used for milling operations and discuss key design considerations for designing a fixture for a simple rectangular component. Mention the benefits of using fixtures in a production environment.