Method for Integrated Design Using a Knowledge Formalization

The goal of this project is to conceive methods and computer tools to aid the design of a forged product by taking into account the competences and resources of the enterprise and the constraints related on the manufacturing process. For that, it is necessary to know not only the process knowledge but also the information concerning the resources (material, financial, human or of another nature), the product description during the design cycle and the production data. The design aid computer tool called Ontoforge will be applicable to the forging domain, restricted to hot stamping, in order not to disperse into a too broad domain. However, this area could be widened in the future. In the first section, the context of the project will be presented, before an example illustrates the kind of supported problems. In the third part are explained the mechanisms that intervene to supply the response to these problems. We discuss finally the benefits and drawbacks of the presented method.