Knowledge-Based Manufacturability Evaluation System for Automotive Panels

This paper presented the architecture of knowledge based manufacturability evaluation system for automotive panels (KMESAP) and researched the key technologies to realize the system. KMESAP combines the knowledge based formability qualitative analysis and the finite element numerical simulation based on inverse approach for automotive panels. And it can assess manufacturing costs of the panels and dies using knowledge of cost assessment. The process is as follows:(1) do formability qualitative analysis for the panel solid model by hybrid reasoning techniques of case based reasoning (CBR) and rule based reasoning (RBR); (2) simulate forming process by transferring the model to FEA code with one step solver; (3) do primary forming process design by forementioned reasoning techniques; and (4) assess manufacturing costs of the panels and dies by CBR and empirical formula. KMESAP integrates formability analysis and manufacturing cost assessment for automotive panels so as to evaluate the design scheme promptly, comprehensively, and relatively accurately at the early design stage.