Evaluating Methods of Visual Assistance for Workers to Improve Quality and Usability in Individualized Kitchen Cabinet Assembly

In times of digitalisation, visual assistance systems in assembly are increasingly important. The design of these assembly systems needs to be highly complex to meet the requirements. Due to the increasing number of variants in production processes, as well as shorter innovation and product life cycles, assistance systems should improve quality and reduce complexity of assembly processes. However, many large kitchen manufacturers still assemble kitchen cabinets manually, due to the high variety of components, such as rails and fittings. This paper focuses on the analysis and evaluation of virtual assistance systems to improve quality and usability in individualised kitchen cabinet assembly processes at a large German manufacturer. A solution is identified and detailed.

Modular flexible“Tetris”microsatellite platform based on sandwich assembly mode

In this paper,a flexible modular“Tetris”microsatellite platform is studied to implement the rapid integration and assembly of microsatellites.The proposed microsatellite platform is fulfilled based on a sandwich assembly mode which consists of the isomorphic module structure and the standard mechanical-electric-data-thermal interfaces.The advantages of the sandwich assembly mode include flexible reconfiguration and efficient assembly.The prototype of the sandwich assembly mode is built for verifying the performance and the feasibility of the proposed mechanical-electric-data-thermal interfaces.Finally,an assembly case is accomplished to demonstrate the validity and advantages of the proposed“Tetris”microsatellite platform.

Design and Test Analysis of a Solar Array Root Hinge Drive Assembly

A root hinge drive assembly is preferred in place of the classical viscous damper in a large solar array system.It has advantages including better deployment control and higher reliability.But the traditional single degree of freedom model should be improved.A multiple degrees of freedom dynamics model is presented for the solar arrays deployment to guide the drive assembly design.The established model includes the functions of the torsion springs,the synchronization mechanism and the lock-up impact.A numerical computation method is proposed to solve the dynamics coupling problem.Then considering the drive torque requirement calculated by the proposed model,a root hinge drive assembly is developed based on the reliability engineering design methods,and dual actuators are used as a redundancy design.Pseudo-efficiency is introduced and the major factors influencing the（pseudo-）efficiency of the gear mechanism designed with high reduction ratio are studied for further test data analysis.A ground prototype deployment test is conducted to verify the capacity of the drive assembly.The test device consists of a large-area solar array system and a root hinge drive assembly.The RHDA development time is about 43 s.The theoretical drive torque is compared with the test values which are obtained according to the current data and the reduction efficiency analysis,and the results show that the presented model and the calibration methods are proper enough.

Modular Fixture Assembly Model for Virtual Assembly Design

To support modular fixture assembly design in virtual environment,a multi-view based modular fixture virtual assembly model is proposed.Instead of squeezing all assembly related information into a single model,three complementary views of assembly model,element information,function and structure,and assembly relationship are proposed to be used.The first view contains the detailed element information,while the other two explicitly capture the hierarchical function relationships and mating relationships respectively.These views are complementary in the sense that each view only contains a specific aspect of assembly related information while together they include required assembly related information.The proposed assembly model is specialized to accommodate the features of modular fixture virtual assembly design and applied in our developed prototype system.

A review of cable layout design and assembly simulation in virtual environments

The layout and assembly of flexible cables play important roles in the design and development of complex electromechanical products.The rationality of cable layout design and the reliability of cable assembly greatly affect product quality.In this paper,we review the methods of cable layout design,cable assembly process planning,and cable assembly simulation.We first review research on flexible cable layout design(both interactive and automatic).Then,research on the cable assembly process planning,including cable assembly path and manipulation planning,is reviewed.Finally,cable assembly simulation is introduced,which includes general cable information,cable collision detection data,and cable assembly process modeling.Current problems and future research directions are summarized at the end of the paper.

Improving self-assembly quality of colloidal crystal guided by statistical design of experiments

A versatile and reliable approach is created to fabricate wafer-scale colloidal crystal that consists of a monolayer of hexagonally close-packed polystyrene （PS） spheres. Making wafer-scale colloidal crystal is usually challenging, and it lacks a general theoretical guidance for experimental approaches. To obtain the optimal conditions for self-assembly, a systematic statistical design and analysis method is utilized here, which applies the pick-the-winner rule. This new method combines spin-coating and thermal treatment, and introduces a mixture of glycol and ethanol as a dispersion system to assist self-assembly. By controlling the parameters of self-assembly, we improve the quality of colloidal crystal and reduce the effect of noise on the experiment. To our best knowledge, we are first to pave this path to harvest colloidal crystals. Importantly, a theoretical analysis using an energy landscape base on our process is also developed to provide insights into the PS spheres＇ self-assembly.

Design and Coupled Thermo-Mechanical Analysis of Silicon Carbide Primary Mirror Assembly

Based on the principle that the thermal expansion coefficient of the support structure should match that of the mirror, three schemes of primary mirror assembly were designed. Of them, the first is fused silica mirror plus 4J32 flexible support plus ZTC4 support back plate, the second K9 mirror plus 4J45 flexible support plus ZTC4 support back plate, and the third SiC mirror plus SiC rigid support back plate. A coupled thermo-mechanical analysis of the three primary mirror assemblies was made with finite element method. The results show that the SiC assembly is the best of all schemes in terms of their combination properties due to its elimination of the thermal expansion mismatch between the materials. The analytical results on the cryogenic property of the SiC primary mirror assembly show a higher surface finish of the SiC mirror even under the cryogenic condition.

Design and Assembly of an Improvised Logic Gates Simulator

This study aimed at designing and assembling an improvised Logic Gates Simulator that can be utilized as an instructional device in basic digital electronics instruction at Caraga State University Cabadbaran Campus, Philippines. This instructional device is believed to enhance the teaching-learning process and would also help address the scarcity of instructional equipment in the school and in the country. Descriptive method of research was employed to come up with the design of the simulator based on the course content of basic digital electronics subject. Acceptability of the improvised simulator based on standards set in this study was?gathered from the experts as respondents using a self-made questionnaire. The data were treated using average weighted mean utilizing parametric scales with verbal descriptions. Findings revealed that the improvised logic gates simulator is highly acceptable in terms of its cost and availability of components,?design and construction,operations, and troubleshooting features. It is concluded that the improvised logic gates simulator is at par in terms of standards on instructional devices based on the evaluation results of experts and is therefore recommended to be used in basic digital electronics instruction. The simulator is an innovative answer and an alternate solution to the scarcity of instructional materials and devices at Caraga State University Cabadbaran Campus.

Top-down assembly design using assembly features

The primary task of top-down assembly design is to define a product抯 detailed physical description satisfying its functional requirements identified during the functional design phase. The implementation of this design process requires two things, that is, product functional representation and a general assembly model. Product functions are not only the formulation of a customer抯 needs, but also the input data of assembly design. A general assembly model is to support the evolving process of the elaboration of a product structure. The assembly feature of extended concept is taken as a functional carrier, which is a generic relation among assembly-modeled entities. The model of assembly features describes the link between product functions and form features of parts. On the basis of this link, the propagation of design modifications is discussed so as to preserve the functionality and the coherence of the assembly model. The formal model of assembly design process describes the top-down process of creating an assembly model. This formal model is represented by the combination of assembly feature operations, the assembly model and the evaluation process. A design case study is conducted to verify the applicability of the presented approaches.

Optimum Design of Lightweight Silicon Carbide Mirror Assembly

根据设计要求并且根据支持结构的热扩大 coeffi cient 应该与镜子的匹配的原则，小碳化矽主要镜子汇编被设计。与优化参数的方法相结合的有限元素分析在设计期间被使用。小房间和僵硬肋骨结构被用于镜子集会。主要镜子集会的静态、动态、热的性质被分析。在优化以后，碳化矽镜子的小比率是 52.5% ，这被显示出，并且碳化矽结构的刚硬足够高支持要求的镜子。当温度变化时，镜子表面的变丑与温度差别成比例。

RESEARCH ON THE CONSTRAINT MAPPING FROM FUNCTION TO ASSEMBLY

Assembly sketch is not only the visualization of abstract function, but alsothe template of detail design. Two kinds of information are needed to create assembly sketch:structure and assembly constraint. Most researches are aimed at bow to obtain Structures fromfunction, but the problem of how to obtain assembly constraint from function is ignored. Followingthe definition of assembly unit and the classification of function, a hierarchical mapping methodfrom function to assembly constraint is put forward, and the mapping method includes two steps. Thefirst step is the mapping from function to assembly semantics which is assembly expression andaccordant with engineer's design habit. The second one is the mapping from assembly semantics tobasic assembly constraints that are convenient for computer to handle. The mapping method is appliedto DDMS (design, drafting and management system) successfully.

FLEXIBLE ASSEMBLY FIXTURING LAYOUT MODELING AND OPTIMIZATION BASED ON GENETIC ALGORITHM

There are many welding fixture layout design problems of flexible parts inbody-in-white assembly process, which directly cause body assemble variation. The fixture layoutdesign quality is mainly influenced by the position and quantity of fixture locators and clamps. Ageneral analysis model of flexible assembles deformation caused by fixture is set up based on'N-2-l' locating principle, in which the locator and damper are treated as the same fixture layoutelements. An analysis model for the flexible part deformation in fixturing is set up in order toobtain the optimization object function and constraints accordingly. The final fixture elementlayout could be obtained through global optimal research by using improved genetic algorithm, whicheffectively decreases fixture elements layout influence on flexible assembles deformation.

Pre-deformation for Assembly Performance of Machine Centers

The current research of machine center accuracy in workspace mainly focuses on the poor geometric error subjected to thermal and gravity load while in operation, however, there are little researches focusing on the effect of machine center elastic deformations on workspace volume. Therefore, a method called pre-deformation for assembly performance is presented. This method is technically based on the characteristics of machine tool assembly and collaborative computer-aided engineering （CAE） analysis. The research goal is to enhance assembly performance, including straightness, positioning, and angular errors, to realize the precision of the machine tool design. A vertical machine center is taken as an example to illustrate the proposed method. The concept of travel error is defined to obtain the law of the guide surface. The machine center assembly performance is analyzed under cold condition and thermal balance condition to establish the function of pre-deformation. Then, the guide surface in normal direction is processed with the pre-deformation function, and the machine tool assembly performance is measured using a laser interferometer. The measuring results show that the straightness deviation of the Z component in the Y-direction is 158.9% of the allowable value primarily because of the gravity of the spindle head, and the straightness of the X and Y components is minimal. When the machine tool is processed in pre-deformation, the straightness of the Z axis moving component is reduced to 91.2%. This research proposes a pre-deformation machine center assembly method which has sufficient capacity to improving assembly accuracy of machine centers.

DESIGN REUSE METHOD FOR ASSEMBLIES IN CONCEPT DESIGN

Aiming at difficult sorting and retrieving complicated structure assembliesin assembly lib, a method for compartmentalizing assembly design resource by conceptual productstructure model is presented. The similar assembly retrieval mechanisms of symbol assembly relationgraph matching and symbol assembly relation graph similarity are discussed. The method is validatedby taking valve rod assemblies as example.

A Novel Attribute-Based Encryption Approach with Integrity Verification for CAD Assembly Models

Cloud manufacturing is one of the three key technologies that enable intelligent manufacturing.This paper presents a novel attribute-based encryption(ABE)approach for computer-aided design(CAD)assembly models to effectively support hierarchical access control,integrity verification,and deformation protection for co-design scenarios in cloud manufacturing.An assembly hierarchy access tree(AHAT)is designed as the hierarchical access structure.Attribute-related ciphertext elements,which are contained in an assembly ciphertext(ACT)file,are adapted for content keys decryption instead of CAD component files.We modify the original Merkle tree(MT)and reconstruct an assembly MT.The proposed ABE framework has the ability to combine the deformation protection method with a content privacy of CAD models.The proposed encryption scheme is demonstrated to be secure under the standard assumption.Experimental simulation on typical CAD assembly models demonstrates that the proposed approach is feasible in applications.

Comparison of the Feasible Schemes for HT-7U Assembly Simulation

The whole superconducting HT-7U Tokamak is a high-cost and large-scale complicated device. The assembly requirement of HT-7U device is arduous and strict. At present, there have been no guiding principle for the assembly of the device, but assembly simulation can help the engineer plan and make decision by an intuitional and visual way before its actual assembly. The problem is that which scheme is most suitable should be solved primarily. From current research situation and technology progress of assembly simulation, this paper explained and analyzed four kinds of technological schemes of assembly simulation in common use. Finally, we got the most feasible scheme that was suitable for HT-7U assembly simulation by comparing their technological issues and difficult points of simulation among the four kinds of feasible schemes.

CONCURRENT PRODUCT PORTFOLIO PLANNING AND MIXED PRODUCT ASSEMBLY LINE BALANCING

Reconfigurable products and manufacturing systems have enabled manufacturers to provide ＂cost effective＂ variety to the market. In spite of these new technologies, the expense of manufacturing makes it infeasible to supply all the possible variants to the market for some industries. Therefore, the determination of the right number of product variantsto offer in the product portfolios becomes an important consideration. The product portfolio planning problem had been independently well studied from marketing and engineering perspectives. However, advantages can be gained from using a concurrent marketing and engineering approach. Concurrent product development strategies specifically for reconfigurable products and manufacturing systems can allow manufacturers to select best product portfolios from marketing, product design and manufacturing perspectives. A methodology for the concurrent design of a product portfolio and assembly system is presented. The objective of the concurrent product portfolio planning and assembly system design problem is to obtain the product variants that will make up the product portfolio such that oversupply of optional modules is minimized and the assembly line efficiency is maximized. Explicit design of the assembly system is obtained during the solution of the problem. It is assumed that the demand for optional modules and the assembly times for these modules are known a priori. A genetic algorithm is used in the solution of the problem. The basic premise of this methodology is that the selected product portfolio has a significant impact on the solution of the assembly line balancing problem. An example is used to validate this hypothesis. The example is then further developed to demonstrate how the methodology can be used to obtain the optimal product portfolio. This approach is intended for use by manufacturers during the early design stages of product family design.

A Part as an Object of Assembly

Assembly is currently a very important element in the production process. We can also define it as the last stage in the production process. It greatly affects the quality of the product and especially the time needed to make the final product. The presented article is a contribution to the improvement of methods in the field of technological design of the product in terms of assembly, resp. in the field of methodologies known as DFA, which in its entirety means Design of Assembly. The general objective of improving the assembly process is in most cases reducing the cost of the product. With the gradual development of the technologies coming into practice, companies are focusing mainly on improving the elements of assembled products of the assembly system. This state can be achieved, for example, by reducing the number of components, so the complexity and laboriousness of the assembly will be radically reduced. This in turn leads to a decrease in unit assembly costs. Proper assembly settings can help a company succeed in the competition and thus contribute to a stable position of the company in the market. The aim of the article is to find the other objective indicators of assembly quality evaluation.

Product Assembly Cost Estimation Based on Artificial Neural Networks

This paper proposes a method for assembly cost estimation in actual manufacture during the design phase using artificial neural networks(ANN). It can support the designers in cost effectiveness, then help to control the total cost. The method was used in the assembly cost estimation of the crucial parts of some railway stock products. As a comparison, we use the linear regression (LR) model in the same field. The result shows that ANN model performs better than the LR model in assembly cost estimation.

Solidworks应用于《机械设计课程设计》课程教学

在《机械设计课程设计》课程教学中引入计算机辅助设计软件Solidworks作为辅助教学手段,通过该软件特有的运动仿真功能,建立闭式齿轮传动、锥齿轮传动、开式齿轮传动、链轮绞盘机构的虚拟模型,装配各传动机构,检查、优化设计方案,实现了传动装置的运动仿真,完成了该锚机系缆装置的模拟设计,锻炼了学生的软件使用技能,增强了学生对理论知识的深入理解和应用,激发了学生对机械课程深入学习的兴趣,提高了学生的机械设计水平,同时有助于培养学生工程实践和综合应用能力,达到了预期的教学效果。