This grant provides funding for development of time-saving tools to connect more closely design and manufacturing. The overall purpose of this research is to provide a mathematically sound and rigorous approach to the integration of decision making in design and manufacturability assessment. In particular, there are three primary objectives of the work: (1) an integrated model for design and manufacturability assessment, (2) a template-free feature methodology for complex, multi-axis and rotational machined parts combined with a decision analysis approach for assessing time, cost and process variation of quality attributes of a proposed product, and (3) a feedback system for linking manufacturing evaluation and the design product model. The objective is to make recommendations for improving design and manufacturability. This approach is an extension of previous work done in generative process planning based on template-free features. The significance of this project is that the integrated model takes into account information-based decision making in design and manufacturability assessment. By using manufacturing features based on machining capabilities of the parochial factory, and not constrained to theoretical template features, the emphasis is on the process. The goal of this work is the development of theory and tools by which an organization or individual can evaluate a product model of a proposed part in relation to the factory's specific manufacturing capabilities. The comparison explicitly states the decision-making criteria, preference and costs. If successful, this flexible model will demonstrate the important elements in manufacturability assessment and how this assessment can be linked back to the product model and design to investigate redesign options.
