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An algorithm for the automatic generation of an assembly process for modular fixture parts

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Abstract

In metal mold production systems, rapid, high-quality, and low-cost production technologies are needed. In these systems, assembly tasks to make fixtures to immobilize the mold are required. The mold must be firmly fixed in order to resist the force generated by NC machine tools. In this article, we discuss the automatic generation of an assembly process for modular fixture parts in the systems. The assembly drawing of the parts can be obtained from STEP/AP203, which is a text file of CAD/CAF data. In these data, the shape and configuration of all assembled fixtures are included. The shape of each fixture is constructed with planar, cylindrical, and conical surfaces. From the data, the number of surfaces in contact with other surfaces is derived for each part, and valid contacts are judged for their degree of importance. A tree of contacts among all fixtures is derived. In the numerical examples, the assembly process is automatically generated by our proposed method. It is shown that a suitable assembly process is obtained.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human and Information Systems, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan

    Takayoshi Yamada & Hidehiko Yamamoto

  2. Chukyo University, Aichi, Japan

    Yasuyuki Funahashi

Authors
  1. Takayoshi Yamada
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  2. Yasuyuki Funahashi
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  3. Hidehiko Yamamoto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Takayoshi Yamada.

Additional information

This work was presented in part at the 14th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, February 5–7, 2009

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Yamada, T., Funahashi, Y. & Yamamoto, H. An algorithm for the automatic generation of an assembly process for modular fixture parts. Artif Life Robotics 14, 199–202 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-009-0653-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-009-0653-6

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