Hierarchical Model for Machining Tool Configuration Recommendations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for selecting tool configurations in machining rely heavily on heuristic knowledge and experimental trials, lacking reliable models to recommend configurations that satisfy new customer requirements.

Innovation Solution

A processor-implemented method using a hierarchical model and probabilistic approach to recommend tool configurations based on customer requirements, incorporating work material, machining, and quality parameters to provide a top set of acceptable tool configurations with probability scores.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a domain expert selects tool configurations based on heuristic knowledge and extensive experimental trials, then the tool configuration selection achieves high reliability and accuracy, but the process requires significant time and resources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool configuration selection accuracyVSAvoidtime for experimental trials
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-trains hierarchical models using historical tool configuration data and domain knowledge before actual selection tasks. This preliminary training phase creates a ready-to-use recommendation engine that can quickly suggest tool configurations without requiring extensive experimental trials for each new selection task, thus reducing time loss while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediate probabilistic recommendation system that acts as a mediator between domain expert knowledge and final tool configuration selection. The hierarchical models process historical data and expert rules to generate probable tool configuration recommendations, reducing the need for time-consuming experimental validation while preserving selection accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If rule-based systems use past case selections to build databases, then the system can provide tool configurations for known applications, but it cannot recommend configurations for new customer requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to handle new requirementsVSAvoidrecommendation reliability for new cases
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic hierarchical models that can adapt to new customer requirements while maintaining reliability. The system uses probabilistic inference to handle novel scenarios by combining learned patterns from historical data with uncertainty quantification, allowing the system to dynamically adjust recommendations for new applications rather than relying solely on static rule-based matching

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the approach from fixed rule-based parameters to probabilistic parameters that can accommodate new requirements. By using probability distributions and uncertainty measures, the system can reliably recommend tool configurations for new customer requirements by quantifying and managing the uncertainty associated with novel scenarios

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If extensive experimental trials are conducted to validate tool configurations, then the selected configurations achieve high performance and tool life, but the productivity of the selection process decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemachining qualityVSAvoidselection process efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by conducting limited validation experiments on the top-ranked tool configuration recommendations rather than exhaustive trials on all possible configurations. The hierarchical probabilistic model filters out low-probability options, allowing validation to focus only on the most promising candidates, thus maintaining machining quality while improving selection process productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3832412B1Method and system for recommending tool configurations in machining
Publication Date: 2025.06.11 TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LTD
  • EP3832412B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3832412B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3832412B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This disclosure relates generally to recommending tool configurations in machining. The machining tool configuration selection involves the selection of several tool specification parameters concerning the material, geometry and composition of the machining tool. The state-of-the-art methods uses a rule and knowledge-based system to select tool configuration, however these methods do not recommend tool configurations which satisfy customer requirement. Embodiments of the present disclosure uses a hierarchical model which is trained to predict acceptable tool specification parameters for a given requirement by learning the patterns from past tool selection data. Further a probabilistic approach is used to predict the top set of recommendations of tool configurations with a probability score for each prediction. The disclosed method is used for recommending tool configurations in a cylindrical grinding wheel process.