An examination of feature based modeling and systems utilizing feature techniques

Call number: LD2668 .R4 IE 1988 H36Master of ScienceIndustrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineerin

CAD/CAM integration based on machining features for prismatic parts

The development of CAD and CAM technology has significantly increased efficiency in each individual area. The independent development, however, greatly restrained the improvement of overall efficiency from design to manufacturing. The simple integration between CAD and CAM systems has been achieved. Current integrated CAD/CAM systems can share the same geometry model of a product in a neutral or proprietary format. However, the process plan information of the product from CAPP systems cannot serve as a starting point for CAM systems to generate tool paths and NC programs. The user still needs to manually create the machining operations and define geometry, cutting tool, and various parameters for each operation. Features play an important role in the recent research on CAD/CAM integration. This thesis investigated the integration of CAD/CAM systems based on machining features. The focus of the research is to connect CAPP systems and CAM systems by machining features, to reduce the unnecessary user interface and to automate the process of tool path preparation. Machining features are utilized to define machining geometries and eliminate the necessity of user interventions in UG. A prototype is developed to demonstrate the CAD/CAM integration based on machining features for prismatic parts. The prototype integration layer is implemented in conjunction with an existing CAPP system, FBMach, and a commercial CAD/CAM system, Unigraphics. Not only geometry information of the product but also the process plan information and machining feature information are directly available to the CAM system and tool paths can be automatically generated from solid models and process plans

Tool path generation and 3D tolerance analysis for free-form surfaces

This dissertation focuses on developing algorithms that generate tool paths for free-form surfaces based on accuracy of desired manufactured part. A manufacturing part is represented by mathematical curves and surfaces. Using the mathematical representation of the manufacturing part, we generate reliable and near optimal tool paths as well as cutter location (CL) data file for postprocessing. This algorithm includes two components. First is the forward-step function which determines maximum distance called forward- step between two cutter contact (CC) points with given tolerance. This function is independent of the surface type and is applicable to all continuous parametric surfaces that are twice differentiable. The second component is the side-step function which determines maximum distance called side-step between two adjacent tool paths with a given scallop height. This algorithm reduces manufacturing and computing time as well as the CC points while keeping the given tolerance and scallop height in the tool paths. Several parts, for which the CC points are generated using the proposed algorithm, are machined using a three axes milling machine. As part of the validation process, the tool paths generated during machining are analyzed to compare the machined part and the desired part

Optimal choice of machine tool for a machining job in a CAE environment

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Developments in cutting tools, coolants, drives, controls, tool changers, pallet changers and the philosophy of machine tool design have made ground breaking changes in machine tools and machining processes. Modern Machining Centres have been developed to perform several operations on several faces of a workpiece in a single setup. On the other hand industry requires high value added components, which have many quality critical features to be manufactured in an outsourcing environment as opposed to the traditional in-house manufacture. The success of this manufacture critically depends on matching the advanced features of the machine tools to the complexity of the component. This project has developed a methodology to represent the features of a machine tool in the form of an alphanumeric string and the features of the component in another string. The strings are then matched to choose the most suitable and economical Machine Tool for the component’s manufacture. Literature identified that block structure is the way to answer the question ‘how to systematically describe the layout of such a machining centre’. Incomplete attempts to describe a block structure as alphanumeric strings were also presented in the literature. Survey on sales literature from several machine tool suppliers was investigated to systematically identify the features need by the user for the choice of a machine tool. Combining these, a new alphanumeric string was developed to represent machine tools. Using these strings as one of the ‘key’s for sorting a database of machine tools was developed. A supporting database of machine tools was also developed. Survey on machining on the other hand identified, that machining features can be used as a basis for planning the machining of a component. It analysed various features and feature sets proposed and provided and their recognition in CAD models. Though a vast number of features were described only two sets were complete sets. The project was started with one of them, (the other was carrying too many unwanted details for the task of this project) machining features supported by ‘Expert Machinist’ software. But when it became unavailable a ‘Feature set’ along those lines were defined and used in the generation of an alphanumeric string to represent the work. Comparing the two strings led the choice of suitable machines from the database. The methodology is implemented as a bolt on software incorporated within Pro/Engineer software where one can model any given component using cut features (mimicking machining operation) and produce a list of machine tools having features for the machining of that component. This will enable outsourcing companies to identify those Precision Engineers who have the machine tools with the matching apabilities. Supporting software and databases were developed using Access Database, Visual Basic and C with Pro/TOOLKIT functions. The resulting software suite was tested on several case studies and found to be effective

Optimal choice of machine tool for a machining job in a CAE environment

Developments in cutting tools, coolants, drives, controls, tool changers, pallet changers and the philosophy of machine tool design have made ground breaking changes in machine tools and machining processes. Modern Machining Centres have been developed to perform several operations on several faces of a workpiece in a single setup. On the other hand industry requires high value added components, which have many quality critical features to be manufactured in an outsourcing environment as opposed to the traditional in-house manufacture. The success of this manufacture critically depends on matching the advanced features of the machine tools to the complexity of the component. This project has developed a methodology to represent the features of a machine tool in the form of an alphanumeric string and the features of the component in another string. The strings are then matched to choose the most suitable and economical Machine Tool for the component’s manufacture. Literature identified that block structure is the way to answer the question ‘how to systematically describe the layout of such a machining centre’. Incomplete attempts to describe a block structure as alphanumeric strings were also presented in the literature. Survey on sales literature from several machine tool suppliers was investigated to systematically identify the features need by the user for the choice of a machine tool. Combining these, a new alphanumeric string was developed to represent machine tools. Using these strings as one of the ‘key’s for sorting a database of machine tools was developed. A supporting database of machine tools was also developed. Survey on machining on the other hand identified, that machining features can be used as a basis for planning the machining of a component. It analysed various features and feature sets proposed and provided and their recognition in CAD models. Though a vast number of features were described only two sets were complete sets. The project was started with one of them, (the other was carrying too many unwanted details for the task of this project) machining features supported by ‘Expert Machinist’ software. But when it became unavailable a ‘Feature set’ along those lines were defined and used in the generation of an alphanumeric string to represent the work. Comparing the two strings led the choice of suitable machines from the database. The methodology is implemented as a bolt on software incorporated within Pro/Engineer software where one can model any given component using cut features (mimicking machining operation) and produce a list of machine tools having features for the machining of that component. This will enable outsourcing companies to identify those Precision Engineers who have the machine tools with the matching apabilities. Supporting software and databases were developed using Access Database, Visual Basic and C with Pro/TOOLKIT functions. The resulting software suite was tested on several case studies and found to be effective.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The design and analysis of boundary data structures

The thesis is concerned with the efficient interrogation of CAD data. CAD data finds use in diverse range of applications which necessitates extension and integration of the CAD data base. By an exhaustive categorization of such application requirements and analysis of various CAD techniques, it is shown that boundary data structures are the most suitable in CAD, CAM and advanced robotic applications. Several boundary data structures have been proposed since the classic Winged edge data structure, these aimed at reducing the storage requirement and increasing information retrieval speeds. In this thesis methodologies are developed which enable us to discover compact and fast access time schemes and analyze and fine tune for individual applications. We demonstrate how the application of the optimality concepts can lead us to the discovery of more efficient data structures than popular data structures. All the boundary data structures proposed to date have been based on the underlying assumption that all the data resides in main memory. We show that in an integrated CAD environment (characterized by virtual a memory environment or a data base environment), these data structures are inefficient in both storage and time. We propose a new data structure shaped like A which is the most compact as well as more efficient in access time, under certain conditions of real memory and virtual memory. Experiments reveal a paradoxical phenomenon: access time increases with storage, violating the classic law of storage vs. time. Recently non-manifold boundary geometric modeling has become popular to meet the growing needs such as uniform treatment of wire frame, surface and solid modeling and design by features. We introduce a uniform terminology and notation to distinguish and critically analyze several non-manifold boundary data structures. It is hoped to fulfill the need for a ready reference for the design of efficient boundary data structures. The other aspects dealt with are the validity and conversion of Boundary data structures. To verify the concepts developed, in practice, a whole suite of fast algorithms have been implemented for model manipulation, visualization and data conversion

EG-ICE 2021 Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering

The 28th EG-ICE International Workshop 2021 brings together international experts working at the interface between advanced computing and modern engineering challenges. Many engineering tasks require open-world resolutions to support multi-actor collaboration, coping with approximate models, providing effective engineer-computer interaction, search in multi-dimensional solution spaces, accommodating uncertainty, including specialist domain knowledge, performing sensor-data interpretation and dealing with incomplete knowledge. While results from computer science provide much initial support for resolution, adaptation is unavoidable and most importantly, feedback from addressing engineering challenges drives fundamental computer-science research. Competence and knowledge transfer goes both ways