A prototype of feature-based design for assembly

Abstract

This paper describes a prototype software system that implements a form of featurebased design for assembly. It is not an automated design system but instead a decision and design aid for designers interested in Concurrent Design. Feature-based design captures design intent (assembly topology, product function, manufacturing, or field use) while creating part and product geometry. Design for assembly as used here extends existing ideas about critiquing part shapes and part count to include assembly process planning, assembly sequence generation, assembly fixturing assessments, and assembly process costs. This work was primarily interested in identifying the information important to DFA tasks, and how that information could be captured using feature-based design. It was not intended to extend the state of the art in feature-based geometry creation, but rather to explore the uses of the information that can be captured. The prototype system has been programmed in LISP on Sun workstations. Its research contributions comprise integration of feature-based design with several existing and new assembly analysis and synthesis algorithms; construction of feature properties to meet the needs of those algorithms; a carefully chosen division of labor between designer and computer;, and illustration of feature-based models of products as the information source for assembly analysis and process design. Some of its functions have been implemented approximately or partially but they give the flavor of the benefits to be expected from a fully functional system.

A New Cad Schema for Assembly Sequence Planning

“…These two methods study the assembly from the point of view of assembling the product. For the representation of the precedence knowledge for an assembly, there have been several methodologies widely used in the past, such as set theory, binary matrix, directed graph, establishment conditions, and precedence relationships [2]. However, these methods can only represent partial assembly precedence knowledge.…”

Assembly features in modeling and planning

“…E elementary relations between components [7]; E elementary relations between components extended with some assembly information [8]; E a collection of elementary relations and matching form features [9]; E an association between two form features present on di!erent parts [10].…”

Mechanical Design and Kinematic Simulation of Automated Assembly System for Relay

“…In modern product manufacturing, automated assembly technology has been one of the key technologies [1]. The automated assembly technology is a comprehensive technology which combines the mechanical design, robotics and sensor and detection techniques [2].…”