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Flip to reveal answersSurface, solid and virtual models — what does each know?
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All 4 Flashcards — CAD
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Question
Surface, solid and virtual models — what does each know?
Answer
Surface knows only the skin. Solid knows the whole enclosed volume, so it can report mass and sections. Virtual knows geometry plus behaviour — motion, loads and materials.
Question
Why can a surface model not give a mass?
Answer
It has no inside — only a skin with no thickness — so there is nothing for a density to act on.
Question
What is the real advantage of parametric CAD?
Answer
The model is built from editable dimensions, so changing one updates every dependent feature. A variant costs minutes rather than a rebuild, which is what makes iterating affordable.
Question
What is the key limitation of CAD?
Answer
It cannot tell you what a product feels like to use — weight, balance, grip, fatigue or fit in a cluttered real space. Those need a weighted physical model.
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Topic 6.2 hub
Modelling and prototyping
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