467 research outputs found
Knowledge Based Plants Layout Configuration and Piping Routing
No full textThe design of industrial plants requires managing many geometrical and non geometrical data to reach a satisfactory solution in terms of costs, performance and quality. An approach is presented to support designers in the elicitation and formalization phase of the required knowledge. Then an integral prototypal software application accomplishes layout configuration tasks through a customized graphic wizard. A routing algorithm is presented to automate calculation and modelling of piping and electrical cables respecting design constraints. Cogeneration plant powered by micro gas-turbines has been chosen as test case to evaluate the proposed design method and tool
A Knowledge Based Approach for Affordable Virtual Prototyping: the Drip Emitters Test Case
No full textVirtual prototyping lacks of application in SME due to the costs of software systems and the necessity of skilled operators. The aim is to improve dripper emitters design process reducing costs. A knowledge base is presented to gather data on products behaviour in terms of experimental data and simulation results for a set of meaningful test cases. Input design parameters were linked to performance indices on the base of the correlations emerged in the analysis. Specifications for a new product can be used to extract similar cases and to define a possible solution in terms of a combination of them. Keywords
An industry 4.0 framework for the quality inspection in gearboxes production
No full textNowadays, the development of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have been enhancing the factory digitalization with several advantages in terms of production efficiency, product quality, and cost reduction. This opportunity encourages the implementation of digital twins related to physical systems for controlling the production workflow in real time. Firstly, the paper studies the enabling technologies for supporting the defect analysis in the context of Industry 4.0 for mechanical workpieces. Secondly, the approach aims to study the integration between the CAD geometry and the quality check process for the inspection planning. A Knowledge-Based tool has been proposed to support the configurations of the quality control chain for each CAD geometry. The test case is focused on the fragmented production of customized gearbox parts
A design approach to support BIM for existing structures
No full textNowadays, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a common design approach to support the life cycle of projects in the field of Architecture Engineering Construction (AEC). New constructions’ projects require a BIM modeling to provide digital information within a 3D digital mockup. The main target is to reduce time and cost related to the elaboration of additional and not integrated documentation. This issue is also common in projects focused on the renovations of existing buildings. In fact, the BIM approach provides tools to improve interoperability between different software to integrate analysis and simulations within the architectural representation. The renovation projects require reverse engineering tools and methods for the 3D modeling of existing structures. One of the issues concerns the digital photogrammetric survey of glass surfaces. This paper proposes a design approach to support BIM phases for already existing structures with a test case focused on a hallway with a continuous glass wall.Published292-3007TM. Sviluppo e Trasferimento TecnologicoN/A or not JC
A Comparative Assessment of Learning Outcomes in Online vs Traditional Teaching of Engineering Drawing
No full textIn recent years, long distance learning has become more and more popular. Web based technologies, that allow the sharing of information in real time, as well as the development of Learning Management Systems, provide the required technological support to implement long distance courses. However, long distance learning is characterized by a completely different relationship between teacher and student, in respect to the traditional teaching approach. It is then important to understand if this difference can affect the students learning outcomes. In this paper the comparison is presented between the summative assessment of two separated groups of students, attending an engineering drawing course, that is part of the curriculum for the bachelor degree in mechanical engineering. One group attended the course in a traditional form, while the second group attended the course in remote. The aim of the study is to verify if significant differences exist between the two groups of students, in terms of learning outcome. The identification of such differences is the premise to develop appropriated teaching strategies, aimed to overcome possible deficiencies related to the teaching approach
A Knowledge Based Approach for Affordable Virtual Prototyping: the Drip Emitters Test Case
No full textOrganised by: Cranfield UniversityVirtual prototyping lacks of application in SME due to the costs of software systems and the necessity of
skilled operators. The aim is to improve dripper emitters design process reducing costs. A knowledge base
is presented to gather data on products behaviour in terms of experimental data and simulation results for a
set of meaningful test cases. Input design parameters were linked to performance indices on the base of the
correlations emerged in the analysis. Specifications for a new product can be used to extract similar cases
and to define a possible solution in terms of a combination of them.Mori Seiki – The Machine Tool Compan
Automation of drafting execution by schemes definitions and feature recognition
No full textDespite of the widespread of annotated 3D virtual models, it is still important to produce engineering drawings for a correct communication among the people of the design and manufacturing chain. Automatic drafting through meta drawing definitions, called Drafting Schemes, is proposed in this paper to save time when drawing becomes a repetitive task. The approach produces drafts with a predetermined content in terms of views arrangement and dimensioning strategy, and guarantees robust results to the variations of the input geometry. In fact, the geometrical entities referenced by the generated dimensions are retrieved through dedicated search algorithms based on recognition of geometric features of the input model.
The approach has been implemented and tested on a family of gear motors showing feasibility and good results in terms of drafting time savings
Modular Product Configuration: an Automatic Tool for Eliciting Design Knowledge from Parametric CAD Models
No full textThe offer of tailored products is a key factor to satisfy specific customer needs in the current competitive market. Modular products can easily support customization in a short time. Design process, in this case, can be regarded as a configuration task where solution is achieved through the combination of modules in overall product architecture. In this scenario efficient configuration design tools are evermore important. Although many tools have been already proposed in literature, they need further investigation to be applicable in real industrial practice, because of the high efforts required to implement system and the lack of flexibility in products updating. This work describes an approach to overcome drawbacks and to introduce a product independent configuration system which can be useful in designing recurrent product modules. To manage configuration from the designer perspective, the approach is based on Configurable Virtual Prototypes (CVP). In particular, the definition of geometrical models is analyzed providing a tool for eliciting and reusing knowledge introduced by parametric template CAD models. Semantic rules are used to recognize parts parameterization and assembly mating constraints. The approach is exemplified through a case study
An approach to support model based definition by PMI annotations
No full textPMI annotations are widely used to support the Model Based Design within modern companies. In particular, the introduction of digital annotations marks the transition from the 2D drawings to the 3D representation in many manufacturing and design companies. However, today the implementation of the PMI technology presents some limits, such as the lack of functions to generate structure templates to be applied to similar CAD models. The proposed approach aims to overcome the limits of traditional tools which are not able to add a PMI annotation’s structure from one model to another one. The paper describes a method to reuse digital PMI annotations in a new model during the design phase, where the annotations are inherited from similar CAD documents. The proposed approach is based on two levels of geometric analysis: the searching of similar template models from an XML database, and the identification of the related geometric entities, which are used as associated objects for the definition of 3D annotations. The test case is focused on the automatic generation of PMI annotations for exhaust duct items used in oil & gas applications. The proposed tool has been developed within a software program called Duct Designer, which is used for the CAD automation of duct items. Particularly, the test case enhances the retrieval and reuse of sizing schemes from previous 3D models in order to obtain an automatic rebuilding of the geometric annotations
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