Manufacturing Process and Material Selection during Conceptual Design

It is important to consider every possible alternative during the design process since design decisions will determine the feasible manufacturing processes and the final product costs. Determining feasible combinations of material and manufacturing processes during conceptual design is impeded since the requirements and product characteristics are only imprecisely known. It is becoming increasingly clear that the tremendous number of materials and manufacturing processes precludes an iterative single point search for alternatives. This paper presents an integrated material and manufacturing process selection procedure. A setbased approach is proposed where materials and processes are organized into a hierarchy. Sets are used to represent material group properties. A relational algebra capable of supporting imprecise queries on the database is introduced. This method allows the early identification of material and process alternatives. The alternatives are ranked enabling the designer to concentrate on those alternatives that have the greatest potential for balancing the product’s functional requirements with the economic concerns realized in manufacturing.