Applying CBR to Machine Tool Product Configuration Design Oriented to Customer Requirements

Product customization is a trend in the current market-oriented manufacturing environment. However, deduction from customer requirements to design results and evaluation of design alternatives are still heavily reliant on the designer＇s experience and knowledge. To solve the problem of fuzziness and uncertainty of customer requirements in product configuration, an analysis method based on the grey rough model is presented. The customer requirements can be converted into technical characteristics effectively. In addition, an optimization decision model for product planning is established to help the enterprises select the key technical characteristics under the constraints of cost and time to serve the customer to maximal satisfaction. A new case retrieval approach that combines the self-organizing map and fuzzy similarity priority ratio method is proposed in case-based design. The self-organizing map can reduce the retrieval range and increase the retrieval efficiency, and the fuzzy similarity priority ratio method can evaluate the similarity of cases comprehensively. To ensure that the final case has the based on grey correlation analysis is proposed to evaluate similar cases best overall performance, an evaluation method of similar cases to select the most suitable case. Furthermore, a computer-aided system is developed using MATLAB GUI to assist the product configuration design. The actual example and result on an ETC series machine tool product show that the proposed method is effective, rapid and accurate in the process of product configuration. The proposed methodology provides a detailed instruction for the product configuration design oriented to customer requirements.

Dynamic Case Retrieval Method With Subjective Preferences and Objective Information for Emergency Decision Making

Case-based reasoning(CBR) is one of the best methods for generating an effective solution in an emergency. In recent years, some methods for generating emergency alternatives have been included in practical CBR applications, but there have been no in-depth studies of these processes. In this study,we propose a new method for dynamic case retrieval with subjective preferences and objective information, which considers the personal preferences of the decision makers and changes in the attributes of the emergency as the situation develops. First,we present a formula for calculating the case similarity and changing trends in the case considered, where similar cases are obtained. Next, we describe a method for measuring the overall assessment value with respect to similar historical cases, which is obtained by aggregating the case similarity, the utility case similarity, the first response time, and the implementation effect.The subjective preferences and objective information are also integrated in the decision-making process. Finally, we present a case study based on the emergency response to a fire in a highrise building, which illustrates the applicability and feasibility of the proposed method.

Study on Case-Based Fixture Design

Fixture is an important manufacturing activity. A fixture design system based on case-based reasoning (CBR) is proposed in this paper. A new method of case representation on the basis of fixture function is presented, where the case representation is constituted of workpiece knowledge, processing feature knowledge, and fixture feature knowledge. Running the prototype system shows that the knowledge representation method, using cases, s a better way to transform and explain the design knowledge.

A Case Retrieval Projection Pursuit Model for Configuration Design of a Product Family

The paper studies on case-based reasoning of uncertain product attributes in configuration design of a product family. Interval numbers characterize uncertain product attributes. By interpolating a number of certain values randomly to replace interval numbers and making projection pursuit analysis on source cases and target cases of expanded numbers, we can get a projection value in the optimal projection direction. Based on projection value, we can construct a case retrieval model of projection pursuit that can handle coexisting certain and uncertain product attributes. The application examples of chainsaw configuration design show that case retrieval is highly sensitive to reliable results.

New Weighted Fuzzy Case Retrieval Method for Customer-Driven Product Design

Case retrieval(CR) is critically an important part of case-based design. However few studies attempt to research CR for customer-driven design and analyze the eect of other production factors besides similarity computation. This paper proposes a new CR method for customer-driven design,and requirement-weighting analysis. Fuzzy set theory are integrated into CR process to deal with the fuzzy and imprecision customer requirements. So the proposed method is called weighted fuzzy case retrieval(WFCR). Furthermore,similar case evaluation is added into CR process to demonstrate that the best case is selected not only on the basis of satisifaction for the given requriements,but also on the degree of preference over other cases according to multiple evaluation criteria. Meanwhile,WFCR system is developed and applied to power transformer design to validate its scientificity and practicality. Finally,the paper statistically validated the supriority of WFCR by comparing it with traditional fuzzy case retrieval methods(FCRs),and the comparison indicates that WFCR is more accurate than other FCRs.

GIS Chinese Query System Based on CBR

In this paper, the method of tmderstanding GIS Chinese query based on CBR （case-based reasoning） is proposed. The CaseBase is designed on the grammar rule of Chinese query sentences, the cases that pick up the character of standard query language （SQL） and are expressed in form semantics. In retrieval, the concepts of target comparability, structure comparability and individual comparability are given. The algorithm of case retrieval searches first the case of structure comparability and then individual comparability. The SQL reasoning algorithm that first parses form semantics, then reasons on structure comparability, and finally reasons on individual comparability is realized. In the actual GIS, the structure comparability and individual comparability are tested respectively. The experiment results show that the strategy of CBR is correct and feasible. With the size of CaseBase increasing through studies, the CaseBase will eventually be perfected. The effect of retrieval and reasoning will become better and better.