Title: Virtualisation and automation of curved shell plates' manufacturing plan design process for knowledge elicitation

Authors: Jingyu Sun; Kazuo Hiekata; Hiroyuki Yamato; Norito Nakagaki; Akiyoshi Sugawara

Addresses: Design Engineering Laboratory, Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Science, University of Tokyo, Room 274 Environmental Building, 5-1-5 Kashiwano-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8563, Japan ' Design Engineering Laboratory, Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Science, University of Tokyo, Room 252 Environmental Building, 5-1-5 Kashiwano-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8563, Japan ' Design Engineering Laboratory, Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Science, University of Tokyo, Room 272 Environmental Building, 5-1-5 Kashiwano-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8563, Japan ' Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine & Engineering Co.,Ltd. 19chi, Natsushimacho, Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan ' Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine and Engineering Co., Ltd., 19, Natsushimacho, Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan

Abstract: This paper seeks to propose a brand new system for tacit knowledge elicitation in curved shell plates' manufacturing process. By virtualising the manufacturing process and automatically suggesting manufacturing plans, the system would allow the knowledge-interrelated information more specific and understandable. Five areas are studied: 1) the extraction of a curved shell plate's real shape from the point cloud measured by laser scanner; 2) the virtualisation of a curved shell plate's wooden template; 3) the automatic suggestion of the manufacturing plan; 4) the virtualisation of the manufacturing environment; 5) the knowledge elicitation using ripple-down-rules based on the virtualised manufacturing environment and the evaluation result of the system's suggested manufacturing plan. The system which integrates the proposed approaches above is evaluated by conducting a series of experiments in the shipyard. The tacit knowledge existent in the curved shell plate's different situations during the manufacturing process are effectively elicited and represented.

Keywords: tacit knowledge; curved shell plates; manufacturing planning; virtual templates; laser scanning; virtualisation; knowledge elicitation; point cloud; shipyards; shipbuilding; plate manufacturing; ship design data; virtual manufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2014.065348

International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, 2014 Vol.7 No.3/4, pp.282 - 303

Received: 26 Nov 2013
Accepted: 21 Mar 2014

Published online: 31 Oct 2014 *

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