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Y. Ge and Z. Ye
Since complicated shapes and mechanical material properties of different tubular
parts (Fig. 10.1), the hydro-forming process can be considered as a combination
of forming methods such as trimming, tube bending, hollow structure stamp, low
pressure forming, high pressure forming and hole punching, etc. That makes the
process planning of tube hydro-forming is more complicated than sheet forming and
highly dependent on the former experience.
The forming quality of a particular tubular part is, in essence, depend on the necessary forming processes and their sequences and the knowledge based engineering
(KBE) methodology can help make the decisions of the process planning with the
ability of reuse the experience and knowledge.
Researches have made attempts to apply KBE in metal forming domain. Jinqiao
Zheng introduced a process information model (PIM) using rule-based reasoning
(RBR) for path planning in automobile panels stamping. The stamping features
were represented as objective-oriented entities and the relationships as feature model
network [2]. Neugebauer, R came up an advanced algorithm to deal with CAD data to
extract information for KBE use and described the feature driven process for planning
procedures which could overcome the disadvantages of fixed classification systems.
And an approach to feature-based retrieval of sheet metal parts was presented by
Dawei Wang [3]. The features frequently used in sheet metal part design were chosen
as the “key words” and the relative position of features in sheet metal parts were
expressed by four location description matrices to definite equivalent of relationships
of two feature groups which was the basis to calculate the similarity of two sheet
metal parts [4].
Due to the main drawback of rule-based KBE as it is hard to convert tacit knowledges (such as “experience”) into explicit rules, the case-based reasoning (CBR)
becomes a popular problem solving for decision support. The CBR is made of four
Fig. 10.1 Typical parts of tube hydro-forming
Y. Ge and Z. Ye
Since complicated shapes and mechanical material properties of different tubular
parts (Fig. 10.1), the hydro-forming process can be considered as a combination
of forming methods such as trimming, tube bending, hollow structure stamp, low
pressure forming, high pressure forming and hole punching, etc. That makes the
process planning of tube hydro-forming is more complicated than sheet forming and
highly dependent on the former experience.
The forming quality of a particular tubular part is, in essence, depend on the necessary forming processes and their sequences and the knowledge based engineering
(KBE) methodology can help make the decisions of the process planning with the
ability of reuse the experience and knowledge.
Researches have made attempts to apply KBE in metal forming domain. Jinqiao
Zheng introduced a process information model (PIM) using rule-based reasoning
(RBR) for path planning in automobile panels stamping. The stamping features
were represented as objective-oriented entities and the relationships as feature model
network [2]. Neugebauer, R came up an advanced algorithm to deal with CAD data to
extract information for KBE use and described the feature driven process for planning
procedures which could overcome the disadvantages of fixed classification systems.
And an approach to feature-based retrieval of sheet metal parts was presented by
Dawei Wang [3]. The features frequently used in sheet metal part design were chosen
as the “key words” and the relative position of features in sheet metal parts were
expressed by four location description matrices to definite equivalent of relationships
of two feature groups which was the basis to calculate the similarity of two sheet
metal parts [4].
Due to the main drawback of rule-based KBE as it is hard to convert tacit knowledges (such as “experience”) into explicit rules, the case-based reasoning (CBR)
becomes a popular problem solving for decision support. The CBR is made of four
Fig. 10.1 Typical parts of tube hydro-forming