Material distribution method for model design, medium and electronic equipment
By defining process function labels for chemical equipment components and establishing a material mapping rule library, the automated, precise, and batch allocation of materials in the design of chemical equipment models is realized, solving the problems of low efficiency and insufficient accuracy in existing technologies, and improving design efficiency and data consistency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SINOPEC NINGBO ENG
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-19
AI Technical Summary
Existing 3D CAD software is inefficient in material allocation during chemical equipment design, relies on human experience and is prone to errors, and data consistency is difficult to guarantee, resulting in inaccurate material matching of components in chemical equipment model design.
By defining process function labels for components, establishing a material mapping rule base and grade database, and automatically batch allocating material grades based on process functions, the precise and batch allocation of materials from macroscopic types to microscopic grades can be achieved.
It significantly improves design efficiency and accuracy, ensures data consistency, lowers the technical threshold, and facilitates knowledge transfer.
Smart Images
Figure CN122066176A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of chemical equipment design technology, and more specifically, to a material distribution method, medium, and electronic device for model design. Background Technology
[0002] In the field of chemical equipment design, specifying materials for components during the 3D design of static chemical equipment (such as heat exchangers, towers, reactors, and storage tanks) is a crucial link connecting design with manufacturing, procurement, and cost accounting. While mainstream 3D CAD software (such as SolidWorks and CATIA) provides material libraries and supports assigning material properties to parts, existing material allocation methods still suffer from the following problems: First, low operational efficiency: Static chemical equipment typically contains hundreds or even thousands of parts. Designers must repeatedly perform the "select part, select material" operation for each part, a tedious and time-consuming process. Second, high dependence on manual experience and prone to errors: Correct material allocation requires designers to possess extensive process knowledge and understand the manufacturing methods of each part (such as plate rolling and welding, forging machining, etc.). Relying on personal experience easily leads to incorrect material selection, which in turn causes a series of problems in procurement, manufacturing, and cost accounting. Third, difficulty in ensuring data consistency: Parts with the same function in the same equipment (such as multiple flanges) should use the same material, but manual one-by-one operation makes it difficult to ensure complete consistency, affecting subsequent data statistics and material management.
[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, current technical solutions include: First, manually assigning materials one by one: Designers select parts individually in the software and manually choose materials from the material library. Second, simple batch operations based on geometric features: For example, assigning materials in batches by filtering "all cylinders" or "entities with a thickness less than a certain value," or quickly assigning values by copying the material properties of existing parts.
[0004] However, none of the aforementioned existing technologies incorporate the process knowledge of chemical equipment, making it impossible to make intelligent judgments and batch assignments based on the process functions of components, resulting in a tradeoff between efficiency and accuracy.
[0005] In summary, inaccurate matching of component materials in the model design of chemical equipment is a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention
[0006] In view of this, the purpose of this invention is to provide a material allocation method for model design, which can realize the automated, precise, and batch allocation of materials from macroscopic type to microscopic grade, thereby significantly improving design efficiency, accuracy, and data consistency.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:
[0008] A material allocation method for model design, comprising:
[0009] Based on the technological role of components in equipment, functional labels are defined for the components in the model;
[0010] Establish a material mapping rule base, and store the predefined mapping relationship between the function tags and material types in the material mapping rule base;
[0011] Establish a material grade database;
[0012] Receive the instruction to assign a material type to the component; assign the material grade to the corresponding material type.
[0013] Based on the functional labels and the material mapping rule base, target components in the model that conform to the mapping relationship are selected;
[0014] The material grade specified in the assignment instruction is assigned to the target parts in batches.
[0015] Optionally, the function labels adopt a tree-like hierarchical structure; the tree-like hierarchy includes at least an equipment type layer and a component process layer.
[0016] Optionally, the method for filtering target components that conform to the mapping relationship based on the functional label and the material mapping rule library includes: prioritizing the matching of the mapping relationship of the lower-level tree hierarchy; if there is no corresponding mapping rule, then matching the mapping relationship level by level upwards.
[0017] Optionally, the material type includes at least one of plate, tube, forging and bar.
[0018] Optionally, the method for filtering target parts that match the mapping relationship based on the function tags and the material mapping rule base includes: if the number of target parts that match the matching conditions is 0, then prompting the user.
[0019] Optionally, the method further includes:
[0020] After assigning the material grade specified in the assignment instruction to the target parts in batches, check whether the assigned material grade needs to be modified; if so, manually modify the material grade.
[0021] Optionally, the material dispensing method includes:
[0022] Record and output the assigned material grade values and the results of manual modifications to the user.
[0023] Optionally, the mapping rules of the material mapping rule base include:
[0024] Determine whether the material type of the target component in the model is the preset material type; if so,
[0025] Then determine whether the material type in the model meets the design conditions; if so, determine whether the target component meets the mapping relationship.
[0026] The design conditions include the model's design pressure, design temperature, and corrosion resistance.
[0027] A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described material distribution method for model design.
[0028] An electronic device includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the above-described material distribution method for model design.
[0029] The material allocation method for model design provided by this invention includes: defining functional labels for components in the model based on their technological roles in equipment; establishing a material mapping rule library, storing predefined mapping relationships between the functional labels and material types within the rule library; establishing a material grade database; receiving assignment instructions for material types set for components; assigning material grades to corresponding material types; filtering target components in the model that conform to the mapping relationships based on the functional labels and the material mapping rule library; and batch assigning the material grades specified in the assignment instructions to the target components. This entire methodology makes tacit knowledge explicit and structured, lowers the technical threshold, facilitates knowledge transfer, and solves the problem of inaccurate component material matching in the model design of chemical equipment. Attached Figure Description
[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.
[0031] Figure 1 A flowchart of an embodiment of the material distribution method for model design provided by the present invention;
[0032] Figure 2 A detailed flowchart of a preferred embodiment of the material distribution method for model design provided by the present invention;
[0033] Figure 3This is a system module structure diagram of running the material distribution method in one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0035] The core of this invention is to provide a material allocation method for model design. By solidifying process knowledge into computer-executable rules and based on the mapping relationship between process function tags and material types, the method achieves automated, precise, and batch allocation of materials from macroscopic types to microscopic grades, thereby significantly improving design efficiency, accuracy, and data consistency.
[0036] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 A material allocation method for model design includes: defining functional labels for components in the model based on their technological roles in equipment; establishing a material mapping rule library, storing predefined mapping relationships between the functional labels and material types in the material mapping rule library; establishing a material grade database; receiving assignment instructions for material types set for components; assigning material grades to corresponding material types; filtering target components in the model that conform to the mapping relationships based on the functional labels and the material mapping rule library; and batch assigning the material grades specified in the assignment instructions to the target components.
[0037] Specifically, the method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:
[0038] S101: Based on the technological role of components in the equipment, define technological function labels for the components in the model. This step corresponds to... Figure 3 The "Process Label Definition Module" allows designers or the system to attach labels with clear process semantics, such as "Heat Exchanger-Shell Side-Cylinder," to parts in the model, such as shells, heads, flanges, and heat exchange tubes, instead of relying solely on geometric shapes for naming.
[0039] S102: Establish a material mapping rule base to store predefined mapping relationships between process function tags and material types (such as plate, pipe, forging, bar). This rule base is the core of the system's knowledge base, and rules can be expressed as: IF (process function tag matches "*-cylinder") THEN (mapped material type = "plate"). Refer to the table below:
[0040] Table 1: Mapping Table of Functional Labels and Material Types
[0041]
[0042] S103: Establish or connect a material grade database containing specific material grades that conform to national or industry standards, such as "Q345R" and "S30408".
[0043] S104: Receives a material type assignment instruction set by the user for a group of components (such as a device or part). For example, the user specifies in the design interface that the "Shell" component uses "Q345R" for "Plate" type parts and "16Mn" for "Forged" type parts.
[0044] S105: Based on the predefined process function labels and material mapping rule library of components, automatically filter target components in the model that match the mapping relationship. For example, the system filters out all parts labeled "*-Cylinder" that belong to the "Shell Side".
[0045] S106: Assigns the specific material grade (such as Q345R) specified in the assignment instruction to the selected target parts in batches.
[0046] In some embodiments, the function labels adopt a tree-like hierarchical structure; the tree-like hierarchy includes at least an equipment type layer and a component process layer.
[0047] By employing the above method, the traditional manual operation requiring hundreds of repeated clicks is simplified to a few top-level selections, improving design efficiency by an order of magnitude. This effect is directly achieved through steps S104 (receiving material assignment instructions) and S106 (batch assignment of grades).
[0048] By using steps S101 (defining process labels) and S102 (establishing a mapping rule base), the expert's process knowledge (such as "manufacturing the cylinder with sheet metal") is solidified into the system, avoiding common-sense errors caused by the designer's lack of personal experience.
[0049] Batch screening and assignment based on unified rules (steps S105 and S106) ensure that all similar parts under the same process function have completely consistent materials, which facilitates subsequent material management and cost accounting.
[0050] The entire methodology makes tacit knowledge explicit and structured, lowers the technical threshold and facilitates knowledge transfer, and solves the problem of inaccurate matching of component materials in the model design of chemical equipment.
[0051] It should be noted that:
[0052] In this embodiment, the static equipment in the chemical industry refers to stationary equipment used in chemical production processes such as mass transfer, heat transfer, reaction, and storage, such as heat exchangers, towers, reactors, and storage tanks.
[0053] In this embodiment, the process function label refers to a classification identifier defined based on the process function of the component in the equipment rather than its simple geometric shape, such as "heat exchanger-front tube box-shell" or "heat exchanger-shell side-head".
[0054] The material type in this embodiment refers to the macroscopic classification of materials based on manufacturing process and form, such as plates, pipes, forgings, bars, etc.
[0055] The specific material grade in this embodiment refers to the specific material model that conforms to national or industry standards, such as "Q235B", "Q345R", "S30408", etc.
[0056] In some embodiments, the method for filtering target components that conform to the mapping relationship based on the functional label and the material mapping rule library includes: prioritizing the matching of the mapping relationship of the lower-level tree hierarchy; if there is no corresponding mapping rule, matching the mapping relationship level by level upwards.
[0057] In a preferred embodiment, the process function labels adopt a tree-like hierarchical structure, including at least an equipment type layer and a component process layer. For example, "heat exchanger" is the top level, "shell side" is the second level, and "shell" is the third level. Furthermore, when screening target components, a strategy of prioritizing matching the lower level and matching upwards level by level when no match is found is adopted.
[0058] The tree-like structure clearly expresses the process hierarchy of components, enabling the system to quickly locate the target part set. The system first attempts the most precise match (e.g., "heat exchanger-shell-shell"), and if no match exists, it uses a general rule (e.g., "*-shell"). This hierarchical matching mechanism maximizes the accuracy and coverage of automated allocation while ensuring flexibility. The tree-like hierarchical structure facilitates the management and expansion of new equipment types or components. When adding a new piece of equipment, only tags and rules need to be added to the corresponding level; the entire system does not need to be refactored.
[0059] In some embodiments, the material type includes at least one of plate, pipe, forging, and bar stock. This covers the main raw material forms for the manufacture of chemical static equipment. The defined material type is a general classification in process design, making the user's (designer's) material assignment instructions (such as "select 16Mn for forging") highly consistent with their thinking habits and workflows, reducing learning costs. This is equivalent to setting an intermediate classification between the process label and the final grade, thereby facilitating batch operations and categorization, making material grade matching more accurate and convenient.
[0060] In some embodiments, the method for filtering target parts that match the mapping relationship based on the function tags and the material mapping rule base includes: if the number of target parts that match the conditions is 0, then prompting the user. The prompt function notifies the user in a timely manner when rule matching fails. This not only prevents the system from "silently" failing and causing material omissions, but also guides the user to check whether the tag definition is correct or whether new mapping rules need to be added, thus improving the user-friendliness and reliability of the system.
[0061] In some embodiments, the method further includes: after batch assigning the material grade specified in the assignment instruction to the target component, checking whether the assigned material grade needs to be modified; if so, manually modifying the material grade.
[0062] The above settings grant users the right to fine-tune the automation. For certain parts with special requirements (such as those that come into contact with special media), designers can quickly override the results of automatic assignment, balancing the efficiency of batch processing with the accuracy of handling special cases.
[0063] In some embodiments, the material allocation method includes recording and outputting the assigned material grade values and manual modification results to the user. The recording function comprehensively documents the material allocation decision-making process. This log is of significant value for design review, problem tracing, rule optimization, and summarizing design experience, enhancing the standardization of the process and the reliability of the data.
[0064] In some embodiments, the mapping rules of the material mapping rule base include: determining whether the material type of the target component in the model is a preset material type; if so, determining whether the material type in the model meets the design conditions; if so, determining that the target component meets the mapping relationship; wherein, the design conditions include the design pressure, design temperature, and corrosion resistance of the model.
[0065] In a more refined embodiment, the material mapping rule base includes more complex judgment logic: first, it determines whether the material type of the target component is a preset type, and then it determines whether it meets the design conditions based on design pressure, temperature, corrosion resistance, etc. This upgrades the simple label-type mapping to intelligent rules that include judgments about operating conditions. This allows material allocation to not only answer "What kind of part is this, and what type of material is it usually made of?", but also to preliminarily determine "Under this specific design condition, is this material type suitable?", and even trigger more specific grade suggestions, significantly improving the system's intelligence level and decision-making support capabilities.
[0066] The computer-readable storage medium of this embodiment stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the material allocation method for model design described above.
[0067] The electronic device of this embodiment includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the material distribution method for model design as described above.
[0068] In addition, this embodiment also provides an intelligent material allocation system for running a material allocation method, specifically including: a process label definition module for defining, editing and storing process function labels for parts; a material mapping rule library for storing and managing the mapping relationship between process function labels and material types; a material allocation engine for executing the logic of the mapping rules to realize automatic batch allocation of materials; and a user interaction module for receiving the user's material assignment instructions and displaying the material allocation results.
[0069] Example 1
[0070] See Figure 2 A preferred embodiment of the material allocation method used for model design is described below:
[0071] Start and command reception:
[0072] After the process begins, the system first receives the material assignment instructions input by the user. This usually means that the user, in the software interface, specifies the specific material grade (e.g., plate = Q345R, forging = 16Mn) for a certain device or component (e.g., "heat exchanger - shell side") for the various material types (e.g., plate, forging).
[0073] Target component selection:
[0074] Upon receiving the instruction, the system does not immediately assign a value, but instead initiates an intelligent filtering process. This process includes two key matching steps:
[0075] a. Preliminary screening based on process function tags: The system will automatically filter out all parts carrying relevant "process function tags" in the 3D model based on the context of the equipment or component currently being operated by the user. For example, when the user operates on "heat exchanger - shell side", the system will find all parts tagged with "heat exchanger - shell side - shell", "heat exchanger - shell side - head", "heat exchanger - shell side - flange", etc.
[0076] b. Precise matching based on the mapping rule base: Next, the system will query the preset "material mapping rule base" and match the process function tags of each component selected in the previous step with the "material type" defined in the rule base. For example, the rule base defines "-Simplified" as mapping to "plate" and "-Head" as mapping to "forging". Based on this, the system will determine that "Simplified" parts should use the grade specified by the user for "plate", while "Head" parts should use the grade specified for "forging".
[0077] Perform batch material allocation:
[0078] After accurately identifying all target components and their corresponding material grades, the system automatically performs batch assignment. This step distributes the material grades specified by the user in one or more selections to all eligible components in a single, accurate manner, without requiring manual intervention.
[0079] Results review and manual intervention (optional cyclical steps):
[0080] After the assignment is complete, the process enters a stage that provides opportunities for manual review and intervention. The system presents the allocation results to the user (designer) for inspection. If the user finds that the automatic allocation results for one or more parts need adjustment (for example, a higher grade material is required due to special working conditions), they can manually modify the material grade of these specific parts. This stage embodies the human-machine collaborative design concept of this invention: "automation as the primary method, manual intervention as a supplementary method."
[0081] Recording and output:
[0082] Finally, the system saves the final material allocation results (including all records of automatic allocation and manual modification) and can output them to subsequent procurement, manufacturing or cost accounting systems, ensuring the integrity and consistency of the data flow.
[0083] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. Any combination of all embodiments provided by this invention is within the scope of protection of this invention and will not be elaborated upon here.
[0084] Example 2
[0085] Scenario: Design a fixed tube sheet heat exchanger and allocate materials for the "shell side" components.
[0086] Operation process:
[0087] a. The parts are pre-marked: heat exchanger - shell side - cylinder; heat exchanger - shell side - head; heat exchanger - shell side - flange, etc.
[0088] b. Rule base predefined: cylinder is mapped to plate, head is mapped to forging, and flange is mapped to forging.
[0089] c. Designer Operation: In the software interface, select the equipment "Heat Exchanger 001", component "Shell Side", and then set the following in the material allocation panel:
[0090] Sheet material = Q345R (GB / T713)
[0091] Forging material = 16Mn (NB / T47008)
[0092] d. The material allocation engine executes automatically:
[0093] Locate all parts of the heat exchanger - shell side - *.
[0094] Map the label to the cylinder of the sheet material and assign the value Q345R.
[0095] Assign the value 16Mn to the labels mapped to forged heads and flanges.
[0096] Result: The designer made only two selection operations and accurately completed the material allocation of all core components of the shell, which took only a few seconds.
[0097] The foregoing has provided a detailed description of a material distribution method, medium, and electronic device for model design provided by the present invention. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The descriptions of the embodiments above are merely for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to the present invention without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. A material distribution method for model design, characterized in that, include: Based on the technological role of components in equipment, functional labels are defined for the components in the model; Establish a material mapping rule base, and store the predefined mapping relationship between the function tags and material types in the material mapping rule base; Establish a material grade database; Receive the instruction to assign a material type to the component; assign the material grade to the corresponding material type. Based on the functional labels and the material mapping rule base, target components in the model that conform to the mapping relationship are selected; The material grade specified in the assignment instruction is assigned to the target parts in batches.
2. The material distribution method for model design according to claim 1, characterized in that, The functional labels adopt a tree-like hierarchical structure; the tree-like hierarchy includes at least an equipment type layer and a component process layer.
3. The material distribution method for model design according to claim 2, characterized in that, Based on the functional tags and the material mapping rule library, the method for filtering target parts that conform to the mapping relationship includes: prioritizing the matching of the mapping relationship of the lower-level tree hierarchy; if there is no corresponding mapping rule, matching the mapping relationship level by level upwards.
4. The material distribution method for model design according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material type includes at least one of plate, pipe, forging and bar.
5. The material distribution method for model design according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the functional tags and the material mapping rule base, the method for filtering target parts that meet the mapping relationship includes: if the number of target parts that meet the matching conditions is 0, then prompting the user.
6. The material distribution method for model design according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: After assigning the material grade specified in the assignment instruction to the target parts in batches, check whether the assigned material grade needs to be modified; if so, manually modify the material grade.
7. The material distribution method for model design according to claim 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: Record and output the assigned material grade values and the results of manual modifications to the user.
8. The material distribution method for model design according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mapping rules of the material mapping rule base include: Determine whether the material type of the target component in the model is the preset material type; if so, Then determine whether the material type in the model meets the design conditions; if so, determine whether the target component meets the mapping relationship. The design conditions include the model's design pressure, design temperature, and corrosion resistance.
9. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the material allocation method for model design as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.
10. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor, when executing the computer program, implements the material distribution method for model design as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.