Application of expert system for non-traditional machining processes

Non-traditional machining process (NTMP) are a group of processes that remove material from the workpiece surface by various techniques involving mechanical, thermal, electrical or chemical energy. NTMP utilize four main forms of energy, i.e. mechanical, thermal, electrical and chemical energy. This paper develops an expert system for manufacturability evaluation and estimating machining time and cost for number of non-traditional machining processes. The system developed uses an expert system shell (NEXPERT), based on object-oriented techniques (OOT). A Hewlett Packard (HP) workstation was used in development of the expert system. A geometric specification of design feature, and material type of the workpiece is sent for manufacturability evaluation for various machining processes such as electrical discharge machining (EDM), electro chemical machining (ECM), laser beam machining (LBM), wireelectrical discharge machining (WEDM), electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM), Wireelectrochemicaldischarge machining (WECDM), and abrasive/water jet machining (AWJM) in computer based concurrent engineering environment. The expert system contains information related to good practice rules for various machining processes and their capabilities. Knowledge has been gathered from literature and talking with expert and experimental work. Manufacturability evaluation of each design feature is evaluated and machining cycle time and cost of producing each design feature, for various kind of NTMP processes is estimated. For each selected design feature undergoing evaluation for its manufacturability by various NTMP, the cost of the machine cycle is estimated from those costs including machine depreciation, labour, and machining cost. The expert system can advise designers and manufacturing engineers for optimization of design and manufacturing parameters for each design feature

کلیدواژه ها:

Expert system ، Electrical discharge machining (EDM) ، ECM ، LBM ، USM ، ECSM ، PBM