Casting cost estimation in an integrated product and process design environment

A casting cost estimation model, driven by the solid model of the part and its attributes (material, geometric, quality and production requirements) is presented. It is meant for product designers with little knowledge of the process, enabling design modifications for cost reduction in early stages, when the cost of such modifications is low. Analytical equations have been developed to estimate the cost related to material and conversion (energy and labour). A parametric model has been developed for tooling cost, driven by part complexity, which is computed from the part solid model. Parameters related to process plan and methoding/rigging (feeding and gating), required for accurate estimation of casting costs, are semi-automatically generated by process planning and casting methoding programs developed in our lab. The programs are in turn linked to a web based intelligent collaborative engineering system called WebICE. This enables exchange of casting project data (including cost data) among product designers, tool makers and foundry engineers over the Internet, enabling design modifications to achieve the targeted cost. An industrial example is presented to illustrate the entire system.