Design of a five-axis ultra-precision micro-milling machine—UltraMill. Part 1: Holistic design approach, design considerations and specifications

High-accuracy three-dimensional miniature components and microstructures are increasingly in demand in the sector of electro-optics, automotive, biotechnology, aerospace and information-technology industries. A rational approach to mechanical micro machining is to develop ultra-precision machines with small footprints. In part 1 of this two-part paper, the-state-of-the-art of ultra-precision machines with micro-machining capability is critically reviewed. The design considerations and specifications of a five-axis ultra-precision micro-milling machine—UltraMill—are discussed. Three prioritised design issues: motion accuracy, dynamic stiffness and thermal stability, formulate the holistic design approach for UltraMill. This approach has been applied to the development of key machine components and their integration so as to achieve high accuracy and nanometer surface finish

Knowledge-based approach for stretch blow molding

The general principle of stretch blow molding is easy to describe but in practice it requires considerable knowledge and skill. Currently people apply their own knowledge gained through a blend of experience, intuition, and guesswork. As a result, there could be different solutions proposals for the same problem. Furthermore, it is not unusual to propose different solution at different times for the same problem. The stretch blow molding process, like other manufacturing processes, appears to be an appropriate domain for knowledge-based system (KBS) development. A KBS was developed to aid the designer for the selection of resin, design of preform and container, and processing. The KBS contains about 200 production rules. A guided forward chaining concept is used for inferencing. The user needs to input the basic requirements such as volume of the container, end use, etc for a systematic advice