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Structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of mechanical CAD assembly model

Zhoupeng Han (School of Mechanical and Precision Instrument Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, China)
Rong Mo (Key Laboratory of Contemporary Design and Integrated Manufacturing Technology, Ministry of Education, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China)
Haicheng Yang (Key Laboratory of Contemporary Design and Integrated Manufacturing Technology, Ministry of Education, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China)
Li Hao (Key Laboratory of Contemporary Design and Integrated Manufacturing Technology, Ministry of Education, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China)

Assembly Automation

ISSN: 0144-5154

Article publication date: 25 July 2019

Issue publication date: 3 October 2019

213

Abstract

Purpose

Three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) assembly model has become important resource for design reuse in enterprises, which implicates plenty of design intent, assembly intent, design experience knowledge and functional structures. To acquire quickly CAD assembly models associated with specific functions by using product function requirement information in the product conceptual design phase for model reuse, this paper aims to find an approach for structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of mechanical CAD assembly model before functional semantic-based assembly retrieval.

Design/methodology/approach

An approach for structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of CAD assembly model is proposed. First, the product knowledge model is constructed based on ontology including design knowledge and function knowledge. Then, CAD assembly model is represented by part attributed adjacency graph and partitioned into multiple functional regions. Assembly region and flow-activity region are defined for structure-function correlations analysis of CAD assembly model. Meanwhile, the extraction process of assembly region and flow-activity region is given in detail. Furthermore, structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation are achieved by considering comprehensively assembly structure and assembled part shape structure in CAD assembly model. After that, a structure-function relation model is established based on polychromatic sets for expressing explicitly and formally relationships between functional structures, assembled parts and functional semantics.

Findings

The correlation between structure and function is analyzed effectively, and functional semantics corresponding to structures in CAD assembly model are labeled. Additionally, the relationships between functional structures, assembled parts and functional semantics can be described explicitly and formally.

Practical implications

The approach can be used to help designers accomplish functional semantic annotation of CAD assembly models in model repository, which provides support for functional semantic-based CAD assembly retrieval in the product conceptual design phase. These assembly models can be reused for product structure design and assembly process design.

Originality/value

The paper proposes a novel approach for structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of mechanical CAD assembly model. Functional structures in assembly model are extracted and analyzed from the point of view of assembly structure and function part structure. Furthermore, the correlation relation between structures, assembled parts and functional semantics is expressed explicitly and formally based on polychromatic sets.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the Project Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51775445).

Citation

Han, Z., Mo, R., Yang, H. and Hao, L. (2019), "Structure-function correlations analysis and functional semantic annotation of mechanical CAD assembly model", Assembly Automation, Vol. 39 No. 4, pp. 636-647. https://doi.org/10.1108/AA-09-2017-109

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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