CAREER: Simulation-Based Planning and Optimization of Manufacturing Processes

该CAREER奖支持过程模拟的开发，并将这些模拟应用于CNC制造过程的规划和优化。提出了电火花加工（EDM）工艺规划的一个新的重点领域，以补充传统加工工艺的仿真和规划工作。离散图形表示将在选择的分辨率水平上使用，以提供有效的几何查询能力。将利用图像处理转换来帮助电极选择和可访问性问题。几何模拟将与物理过程模拟相结合，以优化瞬时工艺参数。该项目的教育部分包括在本科和研究生阶段的努力，以有效地将基本的过程知识和分析与开发和利用计算机辅助仿真工具以支持规划决策所需的背景相结合。这些模拟将在所有层次的制造课程中提供给学生，以促进发现导向的学习。数值模拟通常是处理实际制造问题中固有的几何复杂性的唯一可行手段。通过利用数值模拟提供的增强的预测能力，工艺规划将大大受益。在电火花加工领域，预计基于系统仿真的工艺规划方法是朝着充分利用这种未充分利用的技术的灵活性和降低成本迈出的重要一步。将设计属性和成本约束映射到工艺选择决策中的受过教育的能力，对设计师和制造工程师来说都是无价之宝。人们认为，在制造课程中增加对过程规划的重视，以及模拟工具的可访问性以促进学习，将对制造教育课程做出实质性贡献。

This CAREER award supports the development of process simulations and the application of these simulations to planning and optimization of CNC manufacturing processes. A new thrust area in process planning forelectrical discharge machining (EDM) is proposed, to compliment ongoing efforts in simulation and planning of traditional machining processes. A discrete graphical representation will be used at selective resolutionlevels to provide efficient geometric querying ability. Image processing transformations will be exploited to aid in electrode selection and accessibility concerns. The geometric simulation is to be coupled with aphysical process simulation for optimization of instantaneous process parameters. The educational component of this project comprises efforts at both the undergraduate and graduate level to effectively integratefundamental process knowledge and analysis with the background necessary to develop and utilize computer-aided simulation tools to support planning decisions. These simulations will be made accessible to students in manufacturing coursework at all levels to facilitate discovery-oriented learning.Numerical simulations are often the only viable means for dealing with the geometric complexities inherent in practical manufacturing problems. Process planning stands to benefit greatly by capitalizing on the enhanced predictive capabilities afforded by numerical simulation. In the domain of EDM, it is anticipated that a systematic simulation-based approach to process planning is an important step towards fully exploiting theflexibility and reducing the costs of this under utilized technology. An educated ability to map design attributes and cost constraints into process selection decisions is as invaluable an asset to the designer as itis to the manufacturing engineer. It is believed that an increased emphasis on process planning within the manufacturing coursework, and the accessibility of simulation tools to facilitate learning will contribute substantively to the educational curriculum in manufacturing.