A retrieval method (DFM framework) for automated retrieval of design for additive manufacturing problems.

摘要

The process planning task for a given design problem in additive manufacturing can be greatly enhanced by referencing previously developed process plans. However, identifying appropriate process plans for the given design problem requires appropriate mapping between the design domain and the process planning domain. Hence, the objective of this research is to establish mathematical mapping between the design domain and the process planning domain such that the previously developed appropriate process plans can be identified for the given design task. Further more, identification of an appropriate mathematical theory that enables computational mapping between the two domains is of interest. Through such computational mapping, previously developed process plans are expected to be shared in a distributed environment using an open repository.; The design requirements and process plans are discretized using empirical models that compute exact values of process variables for the given design requirements. Through this discretization, subsumption relations among the discretized design requirements and process plans are identified. Appropriate process plans for a given design requirement are identified by subsumption relations in the design requirements. Also, the design requirements that can be satisfied by the given process plans are identified by subsumption relations among the process plans. To computationally realize such mapping, a description logic ( ALE ) is identified and justified to represent and compute subsumption relation. Based on this investigation, a retrieval method (DFM framework) is realized that enables storage and retrieval of process plans.; Theoretical and empirical validations are performed using the validation square method. For the theoretical validation, an appropriate description logic ( ALE ) is identified and justified. Also, subsumption utilization in mapping two domains and realizing the DFM framework is justified. For the empirical validation, the storing and retrieval performance of the DFM framework is tested to demonstrate its theoretical validity.; In DFM, the retrieval method that relates the design problem to appropriate process plans through mathematical mapping between design and process planning domain is the major contribution. In engineering information management, the major contributions are the development of information models and the identification of their characteristics.