weighting factors may be specified to reflect the relative im-
portance of these criteria. A weighted minimum objective func-
tion [15] is thus constructed, which can be used to evaluate all
feasible part variations.
4 Automatic shape modification
and software implementation
With the enhanced CAD-CAE integration model, it is possible
to perform automatic shape modification in the part design. The
CAD-CAE integrated injection moulding design system [14] has
been upgraded with new functionality to support automatic part-
shape modification. Figure 4 shows the graphic user interface of
the new software prototype, including the menu for shape mod-
ification. This software prototype will be used to illustrate the
process of part-shape modification.
The software prototype uses Solid Edge as its underlying
CAD platform and Moldflow as its underlying CAE platform.
The Solid Edge environment is encapsulated as part of the sys-
tem interface, while the Moldflow environment may be activated
when necessary, such as when performing CAE analysis. Part-
shape modification can be achieved by one of three methods (re-
fer to the menu items shown in Fig. 4):
• Manual modification.
• Overall part modification.
• Feature modification.
Using manual modification, designers can manually modify
the part shape in the CAD environment. After that, the system
will check the new part geometry to ensure that it tallies with
the initial integration model. For example, if the modification has
moved a hole feature to where the injection location was orig-
inally assigned, then the system will warn the user so that this
error can be rectified.
After correct modification, a new integration model is associ-
ated with the new part geometry. This new integration model will
then activate the CAE analysis. The analysis results will be put
under the same folder as those from former modified shapes. The
designers can perform any number of such modifications and
analyses. After each modification and analysis, the results will be
checked against the specified verification and evaluation criteria.
With the reported results from the verification and evaluation, the
designer can apply his expertise or knowledge to further mod-
ify the part shape until all verification criteria are satisfied and an
optimal part shape is derived.
Manual shape modification does not need the new function
of shape modification variables in the enhanced CAD-CAE in-
tegration model. Hence we focus our discussion on automatic
shape modification. The discussion is based on the assumption
that all the information for the CAD-CAE integration model of
the part has been specified by the methods reported in Deng
et al. [13, 14]. This includes the original part geometry, part
material, boundary conditions, processing conditions, and other
analysis-related information.
The first step of automatic shape modification is to assign
the attribute of “list of shape-modification variables” for the en-
hanced CAD-CAE integration model. Overall part modification
refers to the modification of the overall thickness of the part.
Hence the variable “overall thickness” will be chosen and stored
in the attribute “list of shape modification variables.”If the designers wish to modify individual component fea-
tures, then their corresponding shape modification variables, ei-
ther positional or sizing, will be chosen and stored in the “list
of shape modification variables.” Since thickness is also one of
the sizing modification variables of wall feature, rib feature, and
boss feature, modification of the thickness of component features 注塑成型塑料部件设计英文文献和翻译(6):http://www.youerw.com/fanyi/lunwen_759.html