Feature-based assembly model for integration in computer-aided assembly

This paper proposes a real good approach for a computer-aided assembly (CAA) system, which makes use of software agent technology and deals with a representation of assembly features. The context of our work is the study of the engineering and manufacturing system based on the assembly features. The system never thinks like an assembly engineer, but makes it possible to support engineers in doing creative methodology, and producing new ideas better than the conventional CAA.     

基于成本和并行装配的装配序列有向图求解

针对虚拟装配中装配序列规划问题,引入了有向图来描述装配过程中的零件以及零件间的装配约束关系。结合装配成本、并行装配、装配经验优化了装配关系有向图的拓扑排序算法。提出了将装配方向变化次数作为衡量装配成本的一项重要指标。提出了将单次可装配的零件数量作为装配优先方向的参考依据。文章最后给出了装配序列生成的具体算法。     

基于装配顺序的飞机装配容差信息建模

论文提出了基于装配顺序的装配容差信息建模方法,以装配仿真路径规划 的装配顺序为基础,提取装配体中各零件的特征约束关系及相关的关键特征,进而获取组成 环容差信息,建立装配容差信息模型。该模型考虑了装配顺序对装配误差累积过程的影响, 减少了人工容差信息建模繁琐的交互操作,提高了装配容差信息的建模质量。基于DELMIA 平台开发了飞机装配仿真系统。该系统已在工程上成功应用,提高了飞机装配仿真的效率, 减少了飞机实际装配生产中的出错率。     

Automatic generation of assembly plans from topological assembly drawings

An automatic understanding system MAD-READER based on the techniques of image processing, pattern recognition, and artificial intelligence has been developed for mechanical engineering drawings. The principles of the system are presented, which include the methods and techniques of recognition and understanding for topological assembly drawings (TAD). A rule-based generator GEN-PLAN is devised to generate directly assembly plans from TAD assembly drawings. A variety of TAD assembly drawings has been used for testing the generator. So far, GEN-PLAN has been used to recognize TAD assembly drawings which consist of 31 part symbols, and generate their assembly plans. The present generator has shown favorable results.     

Content-based assembly search: A step towards assembly reuse

The increased use of CAD systems by product development organizations has resulted in the creation of large databases of assemblies. This explosion of assembly data is likely to continue in the future. In many situations, a text-based search alone may not be sufficient to search for assemblies and it may be desirable to search for assemblies based on the content of the assembly models. The ability to perform content-based searches on these databases is expected to help the designers in the following two ways. First, it can facilitate the reuse of existing assembly designs, thereby reducing the design time. Second, a lot of useful designs for manufacturing, and assembly knowledge are implicitly embedded in existing assemblies. Therefore a capability to locate existing assemblies and examine them can be used as a learning tool by designers to learn from the existing assembly designs. This paper describes a system for performing content-based searches on assembly databases. We identify templates for comprehensive search definitions and describe algorithms to perform content-based searches for mechanical assemblies. We also illustrate the capabilities of our system through several examples.     

型腔体组件装配尺寸检测技术分析与运用

为解决型腔体组件装配尺寸的检测问题,以某枪型的型腔体组件为例,分析该型腔体组件的结构特点,设计组合型检测装置,实现准确检测目的.归纳总结了型腔体组件装配尺寸检测技术运用过程中检测装置的设计要领,采用设计与被测型腔体组件相匹配的组合型检测装置,有效解决了型腔体组件装配尺寸检测过程中的定位困难、操作繁琐、检测准确性差等问题.该检测技术对确保型腔体组件装配尺寸的检测稳定性、检测可操作性、检测准确性等方面具有现实的指导意义.     

Intelligent robotic assembly

It is normal when programming a robotic manipulator to provide the end effector's orientation and position at the pick up and drop off locations. Additional sensory information and intelligence is needed, however, to detect the presence of a part as well as its location if the assembly site cannot be controlled precisely by employing expensive jigs or fixtures. This paper investigates, for this purpose, the application of solely an inexpensive laser sensor mounted unobtrusively to the end effector of a CRS robot having customized hardware and open software. Data from the sensor is converted into a single “Feature Value Vector” to recognize a part and accurately determine its location by using a neural network and back propagation training. The procedure's viability is tested by assembling a set of tightly meshing gears under poor ambient lighting.     

Human-object integrated assembly intention recognition for context-aware human-robot collaborative assembly

Human-robot collaborative (HRC) assembly combines the advantages of robot's operation consistency with human's cognitive ability and adaptivity, which provides an efficient and flexible way for complex assembly tasks. In the process of HRC assembly, the robot needs to understand the operator's intention accurately to assist the collaborative assembly tasks. At present, operator intention recognition considering context information such as assembly objects in a complex environment remains challenging. In this paper, we propose a human-object integrated approach for context-aware assembly intention recognition in the HRC, which integrates the recognition of assembly actions and assembly parts to improve the accuracy of the operator's intention recognition. Specifically, considering the real-time requirements of HRC assembly, spatial-temporal graph convolutional networks (ST-GCN) model based on skeleton features is utilized to recognize the assembly action to reduce unnecessary redundant information. Considering the disorder and occlusion of assembly parts, an improved YOLOX model is proposed to improve the focusing capability of network structure on the assembly parts that are difficult to recognize. Afterwards, taking decelerator assembly tasks as an example, a rule-based reasoning method that contains the recognition information of assembly actions and assembly parts is designed to recognize the current assembly intention. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach for recognizing human intentions are verified. The integration of assembly action recognition and assembly part recognition can facilitate the accurate operator's intention recognition in the complex and flexible HRC assembly environment.     

A hierarchical assembly knowledge representation framework and microdevice assembly ontology

Microdevice assembly knowledge is dispersed in different product development phases, such as assembly design, assembly simulation and assembly process, and a lot of essential knowledge is implicit and heterogeneous. It is difficult for researchers and computer-aided systems to share and reuse different assembly knowledge quickly and accurately, leading to inefficient and inaccurate assembly process planning. To integrate and structurally represent the assembly design knowledge, assembly simulation knowledge and assembly process knowledge of microdevice, this paper proposes a hierarchical assembly knowledge representation framework and develops a microdevice assembly ontology. There are four layers in the framework, including the organizational structure, the structural relationship, the assembly accuracy, and the process characteristics. The assembly design knowledge that is integrated involves the basic properties of the assembly object as well as the spatial, mating, and assembly relationship, etc. Assembly simulation knowledge refers to the permissible range of assembly force and contact force. Knowledge of assembly processes comprises assembly sequence and operating method of the part. The microdevice assembly ontology is developed based on METHONTOLOGY, and implemented with Protégé. The corresponding SWRL rules have been established to inference the implicit knowledge in assembly design. An ignition target assembly knowledge model based on the microdevice assembly ontology is constructed. In the assembly task of the ignition target, engineers can quickly and accurately access the required assembly knowledge from the ignition target assembly knowledge model, thus verifying the integrity and validity of the microdevice assembly ontology.     

虚拟装配工艺技术研究

虚拟装配技术是未来制造领域中的一项重要技术,它使得人们可以通过直接操作的方式完成产品设计、产品维修培训、零件设计验证、装配工艺规划等内容。     

Multi-criteria assembly sequencing

This paper describes the elements of a multi-criteria optimization formulation of the assembly sequencing problem. The criteria considered are: total assembly time and number of reorientations. These two criteria are combined using multi-attribute utility theory to derive a single objective function. The combined objective function has been formulated subject to the precedence constraints of the assembly process. The model has been solved using simulated annealing. The elements of the developed algorithms and their performances are demonstrated in this paper.     

A scheme for mechanical assembly design and assembly line layout conceptualization

A scheme in this paper makes possible to analyze a complex assembly design at an early design stage and generate assembly sequences efficiently. The designer's knowledge is used to obtain the preference module set. The modulability of the set is tested and used to generate assembly sequences hierarchically. Sequences generated by this scheme reflect the designers' preference for modules and facilitates to figure out an assembly line layout from an assembly design. The applicability of the scheme is verified in an example.     

On a system of understanding assembly illustrations in an assembly manual

This paper presents an assembly illustration understanding system. The system is eventually expected to be applied to a robot which specializes in automated mechanical assembly. Assembly illustrations in an assembly manual usually have two features: 1) In addition to the figures corresponding to mechanical parts, several special line-drawings referred to as auxiliary lines in this paper are often employed for the visualization of the assembly relations among mechanical parts; 2) The assembly illustrations in an assembly manual are disposed sequentially so that the subgoal of an assembly illustration will definitely appear in its succeeding illustrations as an assemblage. Both features are important clues to the analysis and understanding of assembly illustrations. By extracting the auxiliary lines, the system recognizes assembly relations among mechanical parts, and the 3D shape of the mechanical parts as well. Moreover, based on the assembly relations, it conjectures the structural details of mechanical parts such as insertion holes which are usually invisible. After that, it characterizes the appearance of the completed assemblage described by the current illustration. The system finally verifies the result by matching with the figures in a succeeding illustration in which the completed assemblage is given as a subpart.     

Evaluation of assembly sequences using generalized flexible assembly systems scheduling problem

The evaluation and selection of assembly sequences are performed in the planning stage of assembly processes. This paper deals with the effect of selecting particular assembly sequences to the performance of flexible assembly systems(FAS). The performance of FAS is evaluated using the generalized FAS scheduling problem(GFASSP). Compared to the conventional FASSP, GFASSP tries to select the most efficient assembly sequences for each product as well as minimize cycle time to complete the assemblies in FAS environment while considering the transfer time of subassemblies.     

Single assembly sequence to flexible assembly plan by Autonomous Constraint Generation

The factory of the future is steering away from conventional assembly line production with sequential conveyor technology, towards flexible assembly lines, where products dynamically move between work-cells. Flexible assembly lines are significantly more complex to plan compared to sequential lines. Therefore there is an increased need for autonomously generating flexible robot-centered assembly plans. The novel Autonomous Constraint Generation (ACG) method presented here will generate a dynamic assembly plan starting from an initial assembly sequence, which is easier to program. Using a physics simulator, variations of the work-cell configurations from the initial sequence are evaluated and assembly constraints are autonomously deduced. Based on that the method can generate a complete assembly graph that is specific to the robot and work-cell in which it was initially programmed, taking into account both part and robot collisions. A major advantage is that it scales only linearly with the number of parts in the assembly. The method is compared to previous research by applying it to the Cranfield Benchmark problem. Results show a 93% reduction in planning time compared to using Reinforcement Learning Search. Furthermore, it is more accurate compared to generating the assembly graph from human interaction. Finally, applying the method to a real life industrial use case proves that a valid assembly graph is generated within reasonable time for industry.     

Micro assembly injection moulding

Injection moulding is established as one of the most common manufacturing processes of thermoplastics due to its high degree of automation and the short cycle times. Micro injection moulding is a rapidly growing technology that allows for the efficient production of very complex micro parts in high series. The “Market Analysis for Microsystems II 2002–2005” of the Nexus Task Force anticipates a yearly growth in the field of micro system technology of about 20% (Wechsung et al. 2002). This study identifies in addition to the continuous miniaturization the growing use of polymers in micro systems (Schneider et al. 2001). No other material group offers this wide range of material properties and permits to choose processing parameters and application properties according to necessities (Gächter 2000). While the production processes of micro technical components are mainly controllable, the assembly of these components to hybrid micro systems is a bottleneck to the industrial large scale production. The assembly itself represents a large fraction of the added product value and gains in importance with growing complexity and miniaturization of the systems.     

An integral assembly model

Companies are increasingly being put under pressure from the market to design product and production better, faster, cheaper and more market-oriented. Insufficient coherence and synchronization between product, process and system design often lie at the basis of great design efforts and high design costs. This paper focuses on this subject, by introducing an integral assembly model to improve the insight into the interaction between product, process and system design. The objective of this model is to realize a controllable design process.