Fixture Layout Design of Sheet Metal Parts Based on Global Optimization Algorithms

Author(s):  
YanFeng Xing

Fixture layout can affect deformation and dimensional variation of sheet metal assemblies. Conventionally, the assembly dimensions are simulated with a quantity of finite element (FE) analyses, and fixture layout optimization needs significant user intervention and unaffordable iterations of finite element analyses. This paper therefore proposes a fully automated and efficient method of fixture layout optimization based on the combination of 3dcs simulation (for dimensional analyses) and global optimization algorithms. In this paper, two global algorithms are proposed to optimize fixture locator points, which are social radiation algorithm (SRA) and GAOT, a genetic algorithm (GA) in optimization toolbox in matlab. The flowchart of fixture design includes the following steps: (1) The locating points, the key elements of a fixture layout, are selected from a much smaller candidate pool thanks to our proposed manufacturing constraints based filtering methods and thus the computational efficiency is greatly improved. (2) The two global optimization algorithms are edited to be used to optimize fixture schemes based on matlab. (3) Since matlab macrocommands of 3dcs have been developed to calculate assembly dimensions, the optimization process is fully automated. A case study of inner hood is applied to demonstrate the proposed method. The results show that the GAOT algorithm is more suitable than SRA for generating the optimal fixture layout with excellent efficiency for engineering applications.

Author(s):  
Yanfeng Xing ◽  
Fang Wang ◽  
Qing Ji

Fixture layout can affect deformation and dimensional variation of sheet metal assemblies. Conventionally, the assembly dimensions are simulated using a large number of finite element analyses, and fixture layout optimization needs significant user intervention and unaffordable iterations of finite element analyses. This paper therefore proposes a fully automated and efficient method of fixture layout optimization based on the combination of 3DCS simulation (for dimensional analyses) and GAOT, a genetic algorithm in optimization toolbox in MATLAB. The locating points, the key elements of a fixture layout, are selected from a much smaller candidate pool thanks to our proposed manufacturing constraints based filtering methods and thus the computational efficiency is greatly improved. Since MATLAB macro commands of 3DCS have been developed to calculate assembly dimensions, the optimization process is fully automated. A case study of inner hood is applied to demonstrate the proposed method. The results show that the proposed method is suitable for generating the optimal fixture layout with excellent efficiency for engineering applications.


Author(s):  
Yanfeng Xing ◽  
Jun Ni ◽  
Shuhuai Lan

Sheet metal parts easily deformed during clamping and welding, and fixture layout design is very difficult because it takes a long time to calculate and read displacements of all nodes. This paper proposes a method to optimize fixture scheme by a social radiation algorithm (SRA). Firstly unfeasible candidate nodes are eliminated by some rules according to manufacturing experiences. Afterwards some feasible zones are optimized by SRA. Finally the best fixture layout is obtained through selecting the feasible nodes among the optimal zones. A case study of guiding gutter is used to illustrate the proposed method, and the results show that the social radiation algorithm has better efficiency and higher accuracy than the genetic algorithm.


2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subramanian Vallapuzha ◽  
Edward C De Meter ◽  
Shabbir Choudhuri ◽  
Raghunath P Khetan

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2903-2908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanfeng Xing ◽  
Weifeng Chen ◽  
Xuexing Li ◽  
Jingjing Lu ◽  
Heng Zhang

Author(s):  
Cheng-Hua Wang ◽  
David A. Bourne

Abstract In this paper, we present an approach to recognize symmetries of bent sheet-metal parts at different manufacturing stages. This approach is based on Waltzman’s (Waltzman, 1987) 2D symmetry detection algorithm. 3D symmetry is recognized by considering its 2D symmetry and the associated bending transformations. We show, by recognizing that the part is symmetrical, that the planning complexity for processes in sheet-metal production can be greatly reduced. This paper is motivated by the fact that a significant percentage of sheet-metal parts are symmetrical. We have studied over 200 industrial parts and over 40% of them are symmetrical. Examples from sheet-metal nesting (layout planning), bending, stacking, product decomposition and assembly planning are discussed.


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