Prep Library

CAD & Mechanical Design

Core competencies for mechanical-design and CAD interviews — modeling discipline, tolerancing, assemblies, and design-for-manufacture.

Modeling

Overview

Modeling covers how parts are built in CAD — parametric feature trees that capture design intent, fully constrained sketches, and surfacing for complex organic geometry. Solid modeling fundamentals here make every downstream step editable and robust.

Parametric modeling

Feature trees & design intent.

Core

Sketching & constraints

Geometric + dimensional control.

Core

Surface modeling

Complex organic geometry.

Advanced

Manufacturing & assemblies

Overview

Manufacturing & assemblies covers making designs real and making them fit together — GD&T to communicate allowable variation, tolerance stack-up analysis, assembly mates, design for manufacturability, and FEA validation. This is where a model is proven to be producible and functional.

GD&T & tolerancing

Communicate allowable variation.

Advanced

Tolerance stack-up

Worst-case vs statistical.

Advanced

Assemblies & mates

Constrain parts into mechanisms.

Core

Design for manufacture (DFM)

Design for the process.

Advanced

FEA & simulation basics

Validate before you cut metal.

Advanced

Where this content comes from

For full transparency, this library's content is curated and verified from these sources:

ASME Y14.5 GD&T standardParametric CAD vendor documentationOppZen-authored CAD design guides