Title: ECAD functionality suitable for web-based optimised automated product variant generation

Authors: Dirk Schaefer, Paul Baguley

Addresses: Systems Realization Laboratory, The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Savannah, GA 31407, USA. ' Decision Engineering Centre, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK

Abstract: Product variant generation is fundamentally different in Electrical Computer-Aided Design (ECAD) rather than Mechanical Computer-Aided Design (MCAD). The difference lies in the logical relationships between ECAD components. It is not straightforward to select a previous product design to aid product variant generation. Therefore, a new methodology suitable for web-based delivery to support ECAD product variant design is described. Part of the methodology proposed is based on fuzzy logic to select previous ECAD designs from a database of case bases. An additional cost engineering module is proposed to provide the functionality of cost optimisation of the subset of the designs fulfilling a predefined criteria list. The other parts of the methodology have been fully implemented to allow automatic generation of designs in software.

Keywords: computer-aided design; computer-aided engineering; variant design; design automation; product configuration; fuzzy logic; cost optimisation; electronic CAD; product variants; internet manufacturing; web-based ECAD.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMS.2007.014480

International Journal of Internet Manufacturing and Services, 2007 Vol.1 No.1, pp.4 - 18

Published online: 10 Jul 2007 *

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