1. STL and FDM are two popular RP methods. Compare these two methods in terms of advantages and disadvantages.

2. What is global optimization? Explain why the traditional optimization methods cannot solve the global optimization problems. Give the name of one global optimization method and explain why the global optimal solution can be achieved by this method.

3. Both SOLIDWORKS SimulationXpress and SOLIDWORKS Simulation are used for structure analysis. Explain the major differences between SimulationXpress and Simulation in SOLIDWORKS for structure analysis.

4. Explain what a haptic device is and give an example.

5.. Three major methods to develop customized CAD/CAM/CAE systems have been introduced in our class. Give one application example to show how a customized CAD/CAM/CAE system should be developed. (a) Give detailed functions of your customized CAD/CAM/CAE system. (b) Explain what functions in your customized CAD/CAM/CAE system are not provided in the commercial CAD/CAM/CAE systems. (c) Explain why a particular method is selected from all three methods for development of your customized CAD/CAM/CAE system.

6.. Reverse engineering introduced as a popular method in CAD area. Give one application example to show what reverse engineering is. (a) The objective (or purpose) of your application (b) Details of steps in the process of reverse engineering for your application (c) Justify why reverse engineering, not other processes, is selected for your application

7.. An optimization problem is usually defined by an objective function, design variables, bounds on the design variables, equality constraints and inequality constraints. Give one example to show how an optimization problem is defined by all these elements.

8. SOLIDWORKS SimulationXpress and SOLIDWORKS Simulation are implemented based on FEA and used for structure analysis. Give one application example to show how a structure analysis model can be built using either SOLIDWORKS SimulationXpress or SOLIDWORKS Simulation. (a) The objective (or purpose) of this structure analysis (b) Details of steps in the structure analysis modeling

9. Many commercial CAD/CAM/CAE systems have been developed for supporting various product development activities. Suppose you are a manager responsible for developing new functions for future commercial CAD/CAM/CAE systems. Identify one function that is currently missing from the CAD/CAM/CAE systems you have known so far, and explain why such function is required with examples and/or applications.