Knowledge-based parametric design of mechanical products based on configuration design method

doi:10.1016/S0957-4174(01)00030-6

Expert Systems with Applications

Volume 21, Issue 2, August 2001, Pages 99-107

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0957-4174(01)00030-6 Get rights and content

Abstract

Parametric modeling and configuration design methods are key technologies for mass customization in manufacturing. This paper describes the parametric modeling process of machine tool, and proposes a framework which parametrically models a machine tool assembly based on a design expert system. The concept of design unit, which is one level higher than functional feature, and the parametric modeling concept with functional features have been proposed. The domain knowledge in the knowledge-base has been mapped to the geometry of the CAD system. A design expert system to redesign assemblies of a machine tool has been implemented, because commercial CAD systems cannot handle the parametric design of assemblies. This system consists of a commercial expert system shell, a design knowledge-base, and a commercial CAD system with an API program. The API program interfaces the expert system with the CAD system through a GUI.

Introduction

The computer is an important tool to design an engineering system. CAD (Computer Aided Design) system is inevitable in design practices. It is desired to have an application that supports the entire lifecycle of initial design, configuration design, detail design, manufacturing, and disassembly. Design changes frequently through the design stages while the optimal design is supported by the engineering analyses such as static analysis, dynamic analysis, and FEM (Finite Element Method). To meet the market requirements, the old mass production system is being changed into the mass customization system. The production of a small volume with diverse product types is the new trend. The parametric modeling technique is useful when the geometric model should be changed frequently during the design process. The geometric changes of a part can also influence the assembly of the model.

Most commercial CAD systems support the parametric modeling of parts, but the parametric modeling of assembly models is not well supported. This paper proposes a framework of design expert system which is composed of a commercial CAD system and an expert system. The proposed design expert system has been applied to the parametric modeling of a machine tool assembly. This system can parametrically model the parts and assemblies of the product based on the design knowledge-base.

There have been researches about configuration design method (Brown, 1999, Franke, 1998, Kang and Han, 1997, Koo et al., 1998, Sabin and Weigel, 1998, Yu, 1996). However, it is hard to find a configuration design system which can handle a 3D CAD geometry. Most of configuration systems are the catalog design systems, which specify properties of products such as personal computers and passenger cars. To visualize the design results, and to modify the design interactively, it is necessary to integrate the configuration system with a CAD system.

This paper introduces the feature representation, a concept of design unit, parametric modeling, and configuration design methods and proposes a framework of a design expert system which describes parametric modeling with design knowledge-base. This design expert system supports not only the configuration design but also the geometry design, and can be used from the initial design throughout the detail design. This system performs the design reasoning process when design changes occur during the parametric modeling of products. Finally, the system has been applied to the design of a machine tool assembly to verify the concept.

Section snippets

Parametric modeling of design units

Parametric modeling allows re-use of existing products and rapid design modification based on the results of engineering analysis (Shin & Kwak, 1999). In a feature-based modeling system (Regli, 1995, Salomons, 1994, Shah and Mantyla, 1995, Shah et al., 1994), the level of detail for feature classes is important. It should be decided among which level of detail they are manipulated. The different levels of detail are form features, functional features, and machining features. This paper places

Application of configuration design methodology

Fig. 3 shows a modification of the classification by Huang and Brandon (1993), where design problems fall into certain classes according to their complexity.

1.
Class 1: The generic structure of the design artifact is unknown.
2.
Class 2: The generic structure of an artifact is known but the specific scheme (composition and layout) is unknown.
3.
Class 3: Both the composition and layout of an artifact are known. The product structure tree and the topology of the artifact are also known.

The three classes

Design reasoning in parametric modification of an assembly using the expert system

To construct geometric models, designers use design knowledge and heuristics. For the parametric modeling of an assembly, an expert system can handle design constraints. Because the inference engine and the knowledge-base are separated in an expert system, it is easy to add or modify knowledge pieces inside the knowledge-base. In this respect an expert system is different from an inference system based on procedural algorithms. Several researches in the engineering design area apply

Conclusion

In this research, (1) a method for integrating the initial configuration design and the detail CAD design has been proposed, (2) an architecture of the parametric design expert system based on the design unit concept and the design knowledge-base has been proposed, (3) the proposed system has been tested with an assembly of a machining center.

The proposed system can parametrically change assemblies, whereas the commercial CAD systems can handle parts geometry. Parametric modeling of assemblies

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Knowledge-based parametric design of mechanical products based on configuration design method

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Parametric modeling of design units

Application of configuration design methodology

Design reasoning in parametric modification of an assembly using the expert system

Conclusion

International Journal of Expert Systems with Applications

Computer Aided Design

Lens barrel design based on distributed knowledge-base

Configuration research and commercial solutions

Special Issue: Configuration Design, AIEDAM

Cooperating expert systems in mechanical design

John Wiley & Sons

Parametric design of a car audio based on configuration design method (in Korean)

Transactions of the Society of CAD/CAM Engineers