Wenlong Lu

Automatically generating assembly tolerance types with an ontology-based approach

In most cases, designers have to manually specify both assembly tolerance types and values when they design a mechanical product. Different designers will possibly specify different assembly tolerance types and values for the same nominal geometry. Furthermore, assembly tolerance specification design of a complex product is a highly collaborative process, in which semantic interoperability issues significantly arise. These situations will cause the uncertainty in assembly tolerance specification design and finally affect the quality of the product. In order to reduce the uncertainty and to support the semantic interoperability in assembly tolerance specification design, an ontology-based approach for automatically generating assembly tolerance types is proposed. First of all, an extended assembly tolerance representation model is constructed by introducing a spatial relation layer. The constructed model is hierarchically organized and consists of part layer, assembly feature surface layer, and spatial relation layer. All these layers are defined with Web Ontology Language (OWL) assertions. Next, a meta-ontology for assembly tolerance representations is constructed. With this meta-ontology, the domain-specific assembly tolerance representation knowledge can be derived by reusing or inheriting the classes or properties. Based on this, assembly tolerance representation knowledge is formalized using OWL. As a result, assembly tolerance representation knowledge has well-defined semantics due to the logic-based semantics of OWL, making it possible to automatically detect inconsistencies of assembly tolerance representation knowledge bases. The mapping relations between spatial relations and assembly tolerance types are represented in Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL). Furthermore, actual generation processes of assembly tolerance types are carried out using Java Expert System Shell (JESS) by mapping OWL-based structure knowledge and SWRL-based constraint knowledge into JESS facts and JESS rules, respectively. Based on this, an approach for automatically generating assembly tolerance types is proposed. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by a practical example.

Enriching the semantics of variational geometric constraint data with ontology

Lack of explicit semantics in the product data to be exchanged among product development systems is a major problem for existing product data exchange standards. To solve this problem, the semantics of product data should be enriched to form a basis for exchanging them. This paper proposes an ontology-based approach to enrich the semantics of variational geometric constraint data, one of the most important kinds of product data in product development systems. In this approach, an ontology for variational geometric constraint specifications is constructed by formalizing the specifications in the variational geometric constraint network theory in Web Ontology Language 2 Description Logic (OWL 2 DL) and Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL). This ontology has rigorous computer-interpretable semantics due to the mathematic logic-based semantics of OWL 2 DL and SWRL. It is capable of providing a semantic enrichment model for the variational geometric constraint data extracted from CAD systems. The ontology is implemented with the use of the OWL 2 DL/SWRL ontology based technologies. As the benefits of the implemented ontology, consistency checking, knowledge reasoning and semantic queries can be automatically performed. These benefits will lay a basis for further exchanging the explicit semantics of variational geometric constraint data among heterogeneous product development systems. The semantics of product data cannot be automatically exchanged by existing standards.An ontology is constructed by formalizing VGC specifications in OWL and SWRL.The ontology is instantiated by the VGC data extracted from CAD systems.The ontology can well express the explicit semantics of the VGC data.Consistency checking, knowledge reasoning and semantic queries can be performed.

Prediction of Surface Topography at the End of Sliding Running-In Wear Based on Areal Surface Parameters

Running in is a complex process, and it significantly influences the performance and service life of wear components as the initial phase of the entire wear process. Surface topography is an important feature of wear components. Therefore, it is reasonable to investigate the running-in process with the help of surface topography for improvement. Because the surface roughness after running in is independent of the nature of initial roughness, it is difficult to predict the surface topography after running in based on unworn surface topography. Aiming to build a connection of surface topographies before and after the running-in process, a black-box model predicting surface topography after the running-in process was established based on least-squares support vector machine (LS-SVM), and the areal surface evaluation parameters were adopted as model variables. To increase the adaptability of the predictive model, the main factors of the work condition were also taken into consideration. The prediction effect and sensitivity of the model were tested and analyzed. The analysis indicates that the hybrid property of surface topographies before and after running in is closely related. Moreover, the surface topography after running in is influenced more by the initial surface topography than by the work condition.

Constructing a meta-model for assembly tolerance types with a description logic based approach

There is a critical requirement for semantic interoperability among heterogeneous computer-aided tolerancing (CAT) systems with the sustainable growing demand of collaborative product design. But current data exchange standard for exchanging tolerance information among these systems can only exchange syntaxes and cannot exchange semantics. Semantic interoperability among heterogeneous CAT systems is difficult to be implemented only with this standard. To address this problem, some meta-models of tolerance information supporting semantic interoperability and an interoperability platform based on these meta-models should be constructed and developed, respectively. This paper mainly focuses on the construction of a meta-model for assembly tolerance types with a description logic ALC(D) based approach. Description logics, a family of knowledge representation languages for authoring ontologies, are well-known for having rigorous logic-based semantics which supports semantic interoperability. ALC(D) can provide a formal method to describe the research objects and the relations among them. In this formal method, constraint relations among parts, assembly feature surfaces and geometrical features are defined with some ALC(D) assertional axioms, and the meta-model of assembly tolerance types is constructed through describing the spatial relations between geometrical features with some ALC(D) terminological axioms. Besides, ALC(D) can also provide a highly efficient reasoning algorithm to automatically detect the inconsistency of the knowledge base, a finite set of assertional and terminological axioms. With this reasoning algorithm, assembly tolerance types for each pair of geometrical features are generated automatically through detecting the inconsistencies of the knowledge base. An application example is provided to illustrate the process of generating assembly tolerance types.

Modeling the integration between specifications and verification for cylindricity based on category theory

Geometrical product specifications (GPS) is a standard system defined by ISO/TC213 which covers the standardization for micro- and macro-geometry specifications to make it suitable for the requirements of modern technologies. In addition, it integrates specifications and verification to make geometrical specifications more unambiguous and unique. Data modeling is a primary task in building an integrated information system for the application of geometrical characteristics consistent with the GPS standard system. It is feasible to extend this data modeling method to the whole GPS information system. This paper presents data modeling for the integration between specifications and verification for cylindricity consistent with GPS based on the category theory. The categorical data modeling method represents and stores all the elements and the relationships between them concerning the specifications and the verification process for cylindricity by categories, objects and morphisms; the established categories can be extended flexibly; the relationships between the objects were refined by pull back structures; and the manipulations of the model, such as query and the closure of query, are realized successfully by functor transforms in category theory.

Design and implementation of an integrated surface texture information system for design, manufacture and measurement☆

Abstract The optimized design and reliable measurement of surface texture are essential to guarantee the functional performance of a geometric product. Current support tools are however often limited in functionality, integrity and efficiency. In this paper, an integrated surface texture information system for design, manufacture and measurement, called “CatSurf”, has been designed and developed, which aims to facilitate rapid and flexible manufacturing requirements. A category theory based knowledge acquisition and knowledge representation mechanism has been devised to retrieve and organize knowledge from various Geometrical Product Specifications (GPS) documents in surface texture. Two modules (for profile and areal surface texture) each with five components are developed in the CatSurf. It also focuses on integrating the surface texture information into a Computer-aided Technology (CAx) framework. Two test cases demonstrate design process of specifications for the profile and areal surface texture in AutoCAD and SolidWorks environments respectively.

Status, comparison, and issues of CAD model data exchange methods based on standardized neutral files and OWL file

Exchanging CAD model data among heterogeneous CAD systems is indispensable for collaborative product development. Currently, the industry mainly uses the standardized neutral files based methods to implement such exchange. While at the same time, the application of Web Ontology Language (OWL) file and underlying Semantic Web technologies in CAD model data exchange is gaining importance and popularity within the academia. The coexistence of different types of methods has generated a series of controversies and questions within the industry and the academia. Yet, can the neutral files based exchange methods completely implement model data exchange among heterogeneous CAD systems? What challenges have been addressed to date by the developed CAD model data exchange standards? Why OWL has been introduced to CAD model data exchange? Does CAD model data exchange really need OWL? Are there any issues in existing neutral files based exchange methods and OWL file based exchange methods need to be addressed in future studies? This paper proposes to conduct a study of the standardized neutral files based exchange methods and OWL file based exchange methods. An in-depth analysis of the widely used STandard for the Exchange of Product model data (STEP) method and the newly emerging OWL methods is firstly provided. Then the paper makes a detailed comparison between these two types of methods based on this analysis. Finally, some issues in the two types of methods that need to be addressed in the future are discussed

Compliance uncertainty of diameter characteristic in the next-generation geometrical product specifications and verification

Compliance uncertainty is one of the most important elements in the next-generation geometrical product specifications and verification (GPS). It consists of specification uncertainty, method uncertainty and implementation uncertainty, which are three of the four fundamental uncertainties in the next-generation GPS. This paper analyzes the key factors that influence compliance uncertainty and then proposes a procedure to manage the compliance uncertainty. A general model on evaluation of compliance uncertainty has been devised and a specific formula for diameter characteristic has been derived based on this general model. The case study was conducted and it revealed that the completeness of currently dominant diameter characteristic specification needs to be improved.

Towards an ontology-supported case-based reasoning approach for computer-aided tolerance specification

Abstract In this paper, an ontology-supported case-based reasoning approach for computer-aided tolerance specification is proposed. This approach firstly considers the past tolerance specification problems and their schemes as previous cases and the new tolerance specification problems as target cases and uses an ontology to represent previous and target cases. Then certain ontology-based similarity measure is used to assess the similarity between the toleranced features of target and previous cases, the similarity between the part features of target and previous cases, and the similarity between the topological relations of target and previous cases. Based on these similarities, an ontology-based similarity measure for computing the similarity between target and previous cases is designed, and an algorithm for establishing such similarity measure with high accuracy and retrieving similar previous cases for a target case with this similarity measure is presented. This algorithm shows how to linearly combine the similarity of toleranced features, the similarity of part features, and the similarity of topological relations to assess the similarity between target and previous cases to implement retrieval of previous cases under the prerequisite of ensuring the highest accuracy of the similarity measure. The paper also reports a prototype implementation of the proposed approach, provides an example to illustrate how the approach works, and evaluates the approach via theoretical and experimental comparisons.

A Novel White Light Interference Based AFM Head

A novel atomic force microscope (AFM) head based on white light interference (WLI) is developed for nanoscale surface measurement. In this head, instead of an optical beam deflection (OBD) technique for AFM probe position, WLI fringes on the surface of the probe cantilever are analyzed for probe position. The probe adjustment mechanism is designed, an algorithm based on wavelet transform and Hilbert transform is presented for accurate zero-order fringe positioning, and a calibration method is developed for the relationship between the position of the interference fringes on the surface of the probe cantilever and the vertical displacement of the probe. By these approaches, advantage of high vertical resolution of WLI is combined with that of high horizontal resolution of atomic force probe for nanometer resolution surface measurement. Experiments have been carried out to verify the feasibility and accuracy of the head for AFM measurement. And compared with a commercial AFM, 3-D measurement results of a standard grating prove that the measurement speed of proposed AFM head is 22% faster.