An integrated system for concurrent design engineering

The authors describe a system that provides an integrated environment for product design and design evaluation. The system uses a feature-based design for assembly methodology, and serves as a decision and design aid for users interested in concurrent design. This is accomplished by integrating feature-based design with assembly analysis and assembly system synthesis. The authors illustrate how feature-based product models can serve as the base representation for assembly analysis and process design. Feature-based design captures design intent (assembly topology, product function, manufacturing, and field use) during the creation of part and product geometry. Design for assembly as used here extends existing ideas about critiquing part shapes and part count to include assembly process planning, assembly sequency generation, assembly fixturing assessments, and assembly process costs