Abstract: Disclosed herein is a spray coating process for a robotic spray gun assembly comprising importing a discretized model of an object geometry to be coated; importing a numerically characterized spray pattern file; importing a robot motion file comprising a plurality of motion positions, dwell times and orientations defining a spray direction of the robotic spray gun; reading each motion position within the motion file; determining which portions of the object geometry are visible at each motion position; computing a void volume fraction at each visible portion of the object geometry based on the core compression, the incident angle of the robotic spray gun and the ricocheting of the spray for each motion position; and calculating total coating thickness on portions of the object geometry for the complete motion step.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a spray coating process for a robotic spray gun assembly comprising importing a discretized model of an object geometry to be coated; importing a numerically characterized spray pattern file; importing a robot motion file comprising a plurality of motion positions, dwell times and orientations defining a spray direction of the robotic spray gun; reading each motion position within the motion file; determining which portions of the object geometry are visible at each motion position; computing a void volume fraction at each visible portion of the object geometry based on the core compression, the incident angle of the robotic spray gun and the ricocheting of the spray for each motion position; and calculating total coating thickness on portions of the object geometry for the complete motion step.

Abstract: A method of re-engineering a part includes generating a parametric master model for the part from an editable geometry for the part and generating a manufacturing context model from a design master model. The design master model includes the parametric master model, and the manufacturing context model includes a number of tooling features. The method further includes creating a tooling master model from the manufacturing context model. The tooling master model includes a tooling geometry for the part. A system for re-engineering a part includes a part design master model module configured to generate the parametric master model from the editable geometry and a tooling master model module configured to receive the parametric master model, to generate the manufacturing context model from the parametric master model, and to create the tooling master model from the manufacturing context model.

Abstract: A method of creating a tooling master model for a manufacturing process for a part includes generating a manufacturing context model from a parametric model for the part. The tooling master model includes a tooling geometry for the part, and the manufacturing context model includes a number of tooling features. A system for generating the tooling master model includes a computer aided design (CAD) system configured to receive the parametric model and to generate the manufacturing context model from the parametric model.

Abstract: A method of re-engineering a part includes generating a parametric master model for the part from an editable geometry for the part and generating a manufacturing context model from a design master model. The design master model includes the parametric master model, and the manufacturing context model includes a number of tooling features. The method further includes creating a tooling master model from the manufacturing context model. The tooling master model includes a tooling geometry for the part. A system for re-engineering a part includes a part design master model module configured to generate the parametric master model from the editable geometry and a tooling master model module configured to receive the parametric master model, to generate the manufacturing context model from the parametric master model, and to create the tooling master model from the manufacturing context model.

Abstract: A method of creating a tooling master model for a manufacturing process for a part includes generating a manufacturing context model from a parametric model for the part. The tooling master model includes a tooling geometry for the part, and the manufacturing context model includes a number of tooling features. A system for generating the tooling master model includes a computer aided design (CAD) system configured to receive the parametric model and to generate the manufacturing context model from the parametric model.

Abstract: A method for performing design trade-off. A plurality of critical to quality parameters corresponding to features of the design are obtained. A plurality of design specifications, each design specification corresponding to one of the critical to quality parameters, are also obtained. A plurality of designs are obtained where each design includes a plurality of design values and each design value corresponds to one of the critical to quality parameters. The design values are compared to the design specifications for each of the plurality of designs. A total score is generated for each design in response to the comparison.

Abstract: A product design tradeoff method is provided. A transfer function, which generates an output in response to an input is obtained. A type of optimization to be performed is identified and the input to the transfer function is perturbed in order to achieve the type of optimization identified. Output information representing the output of the transfer function is then generated to provide the user with the result of the optimization. Generating the output information comprises generating a sensitivity matrix. The sensitivity matrix comprises a plurality of sensitivity values that indicates a relationship between a change in input versus a change in output, wherein each of the sensitivity values provides a corresponding numerical value for comparing an effect of the change in the input versus the change in the output.

Abstract: An exemplary method of designing a manufacturing process comprises the steps of representing a workpiece as a plurality of triangular finite elements, representing the forming tools with mathematical equations which typically include cubic polynomials, simulating a deformation of the workpiece by the forming tools with a finite element model, wherein the finite element model is integrated with explicit integration. The method may be carried out with an apparatus which includes a memory device which stores a program including computer readable instructions, and a processor which executes the instructions. After the deformation of the workpiece has been simulated by the finite element model, the characteristics of the workpiece and forming tools can be modified to improve the final shape of the workpiece. After the finite element simulation produces an acceptable final workpiece shape, an actual workpiece can be formed with actual tools based on the simulation.

Abstract: A method of generating quality matrices indicating a relationship between critical to quality characteristics and key control parameters for levels of a process. A plurality of rows of a first matrix are designated as critical to quality characteristics and a plurality of columns of the first matrix are designated as key control parameters. Each critical to quality characteristic is assigned a critical to quality weight. An interaction weight is assigned between at least one critical to quality characteristic and at least one key control parameter. A score is then generated for at least one key control parameter in response to said critical to quality weight and said interaction weight.

Abstract: A spray coating simulation for a robotic spray gun assembly imports a discretized model of an object geometry. Next, the simulator imports a numerically characterized spray pattern file and a robot motion file having a plurality of motion positions, dwell times and orientations defining a motion path of the spray gun. The individual motion positions within the motion file are read and a determination is made as to which portions of the object geometry are visible at each motion position. Next, a coating thickness at each visible portion of the object geometry is computed, based on the specified spray pattern data, the dwell time and the orientation of the robot motion path, for each motion position. Finally, the total coating thickness over the object geometry is calculated.