Abstract
A set of methods and tools for the knowledge-based design (KBD) of machine tools is described. This paper presents a method to capture and formalize engineering knowledge and a set of software applications for ‘knowledge-based engineering’ (KBE), including product data management, design processes management, design documents management and automatic rule-based geometry generation. The aim of these tools is to solve the main problems that are facing machinery companies regarding design knowledge: the long learning process for new employees, loss of collective knowledge and experience, poor management of engineering knowledge and lack of agreed company standards and procedures for design.
Acknowledgements
The research project was partly sponsored by the EC under the IST 1999-11961 contract. The authors thank all the work of the partners within the Consortium and declare that this paper summarizes the work of all partners.