FACILE(ID:7919/)

for Fast Associative Clean Interface Language and Environment

CNC lagnuage
References:
  • Cox, S., "FACILE: A Design and Fabrication Infrastructure for Mechanical Parts", MS Thesis, MechanicalEngineering Dept., University of New Hampshire, May 1997 view details
  • Jerard, Robert B. "A Clean Interface for Design and Fabrication of Discrete Mechanical Parts Based on Manufacturing Features" Proceedings of the 1999 NSF Design & Manufacturing Grantees Conference, Jan 5-8, 1999, Long Beach, CA. view details Abstract: The purpose of this project is to explore the use of the internet for the fabrication of mechanical prototype parts, i.e. parts that canbe fabricated using standard machine tools like milling machines. The current mechanism for production of prototype partsrequires a process of part description preparation, bidding, contract award, and finally fabrication and delivery of the part. This isa substantially more complex process than buying a book or an airplane ticket. In order to achieve "e-commerce" in this field itwill be necessary to develop a "clean interface" between the design and fabrication of mechanical prototype parts. This requiresan unambiguous description of the part along with an automated method for bidding on the job. A new system called FACILE(Fast Associative Clean Interface Language and Environment) has been proposed to meet this need.Keywords: rapid prototyping, NC machining, process planning, interface, world wide web1. IntroductionThis research is focused on obtaining answers to the following questions:1. Is it possible to create a "clean interface" between design and fabrication for discrete parts fabricated with standard metalremoval processes like NC machining? 2. What is the necessary information content of the data transfer across the interface and how should it be organized? 3. How can fabrication design rules be used to limit the designer?s choices to designs which can be fabricated?
    Extract: Summary
    Summary
    This paper presents FACILE, an architecture for developing a "clean interface" between design and fabrication; an enabling technology for conducting commerce via the Internet for the rapid fabrication of discrete mechanical parts.A Discrete Part Interchange Format (DPIF) file provides the basic infrastructure for exchange of information between the designer and fabricator. Data types in the DPIF include a Workpiece Description (WD), Part Description (PD) and three classes of Fabrication Blocks (FB). Data is organized in a hierarchical data structure with associativity between the geometry contained in the Part Description and the Fabrication Blocks. The Workpiece Description is a solid model. Attribute Schemas provide powerful method for attaching information to the data types.
    Current efforts are directed toward the creation of a more usable system. We have enlisted the cooperation of a local "job shop" to test the concepts, and intend to create a minimum of 100 test parts during the next three years. We are in the early stages of development and more complex parts than the example presented in this paper must be tested.

    Future tasks include:
    1. Assessment of adequacy of the DPIF structure
    2. Development of the contents of the attribute schemas
    3. Decisions about control of attributes (which are set by the designer, which are to be left for fabricator to set)
    4. Design rules to constrain the designer
    5. Micro simulator improvements to determine optimum feed rates based on cutting forces
    6. Communication protocols for information transfer between the designer and fabricator