CAD/FEA Research Laboratory
Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
MA 01003 (USA)
[Guide: Dr. Ian R.Grosse]
[Thesis committee: Dr John R. Dixon, Dr Byung H. Kim, Dr. Bartholomew O. Nnaji]
The research work was primarily aimed at developing a user interactive hybrid computational design tool (called CSN-Designer) capable of cognitive, symbolic and numerical manipulations necessary for tightly coupling the solid models with their analysis models. This work includes the development of manufacturing-based computational models to foster concurrency in the early stages of design, and to automate as much as possible the design of structural plastic components. The research attempts to abstract deep physical knowledge from low level finite element analysis data obtained from either manufacturing and/or functional simulations. Part of the work, therefore, deals with the formulation of suitable representations necessary for bridging the gap between the design and numerical analysis modules. Deep physical knowledge is attributed to these higher level representations that are necessary for making design modifications. Feature-based design modifications are encouraged using either constructive solid geometry and/or destructive solid geometry operations. A proof-of-concept program was developed to demonstrate these capabilities within a single computational framework. [For more detail see: CSN-Designer, RESEARCH OUTLINE, PAPERS & Abstracts]
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