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A knowledge-based manufacturing advisor for pressworked sheet metal parts

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Abstract

This paper describes an expert system for die design and process planning of sheet metal forming operations functioning on a part representation by custom-defined features input incrementally. Knowledge acquired from industrial experts pertains mainly to operations sequencing towards a complete process plan and to die and tool configuration, whilst knowledge acquired from handbooks pertains to calculations required to determine basic characteristics of individual manufacturing operations. The expert system is composed of seven modules: initial calculations, cutting-piercing, drawing-stamping, process planning, finishing, die and press selection, and tools selection. Part shape is converted from CAD environment to appropriate constructs in the expert system through a suitable interface to a library of customisable features. The expert system exports manufacturing advice in the form of a report. This can be used mainly by the product designer obtaining feedback on the production feasibility issue, or by the inexperienced die designer. In both cases design and manufacturing efficiency are greatly improved.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Technology Division, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytehneiou 9, 15780, Zografou, Greece

    George-Christopher Vosniakos & Titos Giannakakis

Authors
  1. George-Christopher Vosniakos
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  2. Titos Giannakakis
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Correspondence to George-Christopher Vosniakos.

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Vosniakos, GC., Giannakakis, T. A knowledge-based manufacturing advisor for pressworked sheet metal parts. J Intell Manuf 24, 1253–1266 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-012-0664-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-012-0664-3

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