An expert system for selection of process parameters and strip-layout design for production of deep drawn sheet metal parts

The selection of process parameters and strip-layout design are important activities in sheet metal industries for production of deep drawn sheet metal parts. Traditionally, these are manual, tedious, time consuming and highly experience-based tasks. In the present work, an expert system (ES) is developed for automation of these activities for production of sheet metal parts on progressive deep drawing die. Production rule-based approach is used for constructing system modules. The proposed system automates the selection of appropriate values of process parameters and design of strip-layout for production of deep drawn parts on progressive deep drawing die. The system is also capable to model blank layout and strip-layout automatically in the drawing editor of AutoCAD. The system has been tested successfully for wide variety of industrial deep drawn parts. The system can be easily implemented on a PC having AutoCAD software; therefore it has low cost of implementation.