Smart CAD Component Relations for Automated Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current CAD software lacks automated processes for establishing and utilizing smart properties and relations between components and features, leading to time-consuming manual selection and assembly processes, especially in multi-user environments where collaboration and sharing are limited.
Innovation Solution
Implementing smart properties and mate connectors in CAD components that allow for automated sizing, orientation, and connection of components and features, with these properties and connectors being stored in a cloud database to facilitate automatic selection and assembly based on predefined relationships and preconditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual selection and assembly processes are used in CAD software, then users have full control over component selection, but the process becomes time-consuming and tedious
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining smart properties and relationships between components during the component creation phase. Mate connectors are pre-configured with smart properties that automatically determine compatibility and assembly relationships, so that when components are selected during assembly, the matching and connection process is already prepared and requires minimal user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing components to automatically identify and connect to compatible components through their smart properties. The mate connector system automatically determines which components can be mated based on their smart properties without requiring manual user research or selection, making the assembly process self-organizing and automated.
2Productivity
If automated component insertion based on previous use data is implemented, then assembly speed increases, but the system cannot handle components with undefined or complex relationships
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses parameter changes by defining smart properties as configurable parameters on components and features. These smart properties can be customized to represent various component characteristics and relationships. By changing and configuring these parameters, the system can adapt to different component types and relationship definitions, enabling automated assembly for both standard and complex component relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
The mate connector system provides universality by creating a unified framework that can handle multiple types of component relationships through a common smart property interface. The system can manage simple geometric relationships, complex assembly relationships, and previously used constraints all through the same mate connector mechanism, making it versatile for different component types and relationship definitions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If cloud-based storage and collaboration features are added to CAD software, then multi-user access and sharing improve, but system complexity and data management requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an intermediary approach by introducing a cloud-based database as a mediator between multiple users and the CAD system. The database stores component definitions, smart properties, and assembly relationships, serving as a centralized repository that enables multi-user access and collaboration while managing the complexity of data synchronization and version control externally to the core CAD functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
In most of today's computer aided design (CAD), there are many definitive relationship between how components used in a CAD design relate to other components and feature in the same design. These relationships include sizing (a component is sized based upon another component), placement and orientation (a component is position and orientated based upon another component or feature). In addition, certain components can only be used with other specific components within the same design. Various attributes are placed on the CAD components and features that relate to each other that will be used to automatically size, place and orientate components, as well as make sure the component is valid to be used within the design intent. This saves designers considerable amount of design time as well as ensuring accurate component to component relationship as used in their design.