ECAD functionality suitable for web-based optimised automated product variant generation. Issue 1 (11th July 2007)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schaefer, Dirk; Baguley, Paul
• Is Part Of: International journal of internet manufacturing and services. Volume 1:Issue 1 (2007)
• Page Start: 4
• Page End: 18
• Publication Date: 2007-07-11
• Subjects: 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; Computer integrated manufacturing systems -- Periodicals; Internet -- Periodicals; 670.2854678
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-6048

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.