Knowledge based system to support the design of tools for the HFQ forming process for aluminium-based products

In this paper a methodology and its respective implementation software system are presented that show how Knowledge Based Systems (KBS), both object-oriented and rule-based, when integrated with 3D CAD systems, can support the automatic design of tools for forming processes, and in our case for the solution heat treatment cold die forming and quenching process, known as HFQ TMb. Often, when designing tools (e.g. dies) for manufacturing processes, human experts' knowledge is used for decision making about final adjustments and improvements of the tools' designs and specifications. Using KBS methods and software tools, such process-specific and experts' knowledge can be organised, stored and used in a systematic way for obtaining results about tools designs adjustments and refinements. Besides the presentation of the proposed tools design methodology, a prototype software system is also presented that shows how the proposed methodology has been implemented for the automatic design and refinement of tools for the HFQ forming process for aluminium-based products