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A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Manufacturing Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 11840

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Emad Abouel Nasr

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Guest Editor

Industrial Engineering Department, King Saud University, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Interests: manufacturing systems; fault diagnosis; production engineering computing; reliability; big data; control system security; convolutional neural nets; data analysis; data protection; distributed control; entropy; exponential distribution; feature extraction

Prof. Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Ahmari

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Guest Editor

Industrial Engineering Department, King Saud University, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Interests: industry 4.0; additive manufacturing; CIM; CAM; FMS; analysis and design of manufacturing systems

Dr. Adham Ragab

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Industrial Engineering Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Interests: IoT; SPIF; sheet metal working; production processes simulation; FEA; DOE

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A tremendous leap in industry has resulted from the introduction of computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) in the 1950s. Applications of CAM technologies have made a huge impact on almost all industrial fields. As Industry 4.0 marches into the industrial sectors, it is important to take a moment to consider CAM technologies and their role in the upcoming industrial revolution.

The purpose of this special issue “Computer-aided Manufacturing Technologies in Mechanical Field” is to address research work on recent innovations and applications of CAM technologies in mechanical field. Topics include, but are not limited to:

Industrail Internet of Things (IIoT)
Intelligent CNC machining
Digital machining processes and systems
3D printing/Additive Manufacturing
Real time monitoring and control of manufacturing processes
Optimization of manufacturing processes/procedures
Automated Inspection
Artificial Intelligence/CAM integration
Data driven design for CAM
Optimal design for automated manufacturing/assembly
Automated feature recognition and machining
Virtual reality and CAM applications
Modern enterprise integration

Prof. Dr. Emad Abouel Nasr
Prof. Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Ahmari
Dr. Adham Ragab
Guest Editors

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Keywords

CAM
IIoT
additive manufacturing
artificial intelligence
automated feature recognition

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 7723 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Implementation of a Three-Dimensional CAD Graphics Support Platform for Pumps Based on Open CASCADE

by Houlin Liu, Zhicai Wu, Shuolei Yuan, Yong Wang and Liang Dong

Processes 2023, 11(8), 2315; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11082315 - 02 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1424

Abstract

In the pump industry, designers commonly utilize mainstream three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) software (Unigraphics NX 12.0 and SolidWorks 2023). However, these CAD packages are generic and not optimized for the specific requirements of the pump industry. This leads to a lack of flexibility and increased complexity in their usage, as well as higher computational demands, resulting in elevated learning and operational costs. Additionally, there are concerns about potential information leaks and software restrictions. In this paper, we studied the organization architecture of commercial three-dimensional CAD software, and compared and analyzed the geometric kernels and rendering engines of mainstream three-dimensional software. Using the Open CASCADE geometric kernel and OpenSceneGraph rendering engine, together with the Visual Studio 2021 development environment and Qt interface library, we developed an autonomous copyright three-dimensional CAD graphics support platform for pumps. Based on the three-dimensional platform, we tested the commonly used graphics elements and basic algorithms required for pump modeling, and successfully designed and modeled the impeller and volute casing of a centrifugal pump. Through computational simulations and experimental verifications, we demonstrated that the accuracy and precision of the pump model designed on this platform meets the design requirements, indicating that this platform has practical pump design and modeling capabilities. Compared to commercial three-dimensional CAD software, this platform exhibits superior flexibility and interactivity in three-dimensional modeling that is specifically tailored for pump products. Consequently, it fully satisfies the needs for three-dimensional parameterized modeling and visualization of pumps. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technologies in Mechanical Field)

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12 pages, 5309 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Deformation Characteristics of Asymmetric Gradient Extrusion in Preparing Ultra-Fine-Grained Bulk Materials

by Junkai Fan, Jikang Li, Wei Liu and Chengpeng Wang

Processes 2023, 11(8), 2305; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11082305 - 01 Aug 2023

Viewed by 681

Abstract

In this paper, a novel method for the preparation of ultra-fine-grained bulk materials called asymmetric gradient extrusion (AGE) is proposed. In AGE, the cross-section of the extrusion channel is a rectangle, and two inclined planes are staggered along the extrusion direction. To realize repetitive extrusion, the thickness of the workpiece is limited to be equal to the width of the channel outlet. In order to study the mechanism of ultra-fine grain formation in AGE, the deformation characteristics of AGE were investigated. First, the slip line field method was used to theoretically analyze the deformation characteristics and grain splitting in AGE. Then, the plastic deformation behavior of bulk samples in AGE and traditional extrusion was investigated and compared with the finite element method. In addition, the deformation characteristic and microstructure variation of pure copper bulk samples in AGE were experimentally investigated. The results showed that the deformation characteristics of workpieces were highly related to the two inclined planes within the die channel. Two independent deformation zones can be formed with increasing distance between the two inclined planes. The shear effects in each deformation zone lead to grain splitting during extrusion. Compared with traditional extrusion, the advantage of AGE is its amazing ability to form high and uniform strain during extrusion, which leads to the formation of small and uniform grains in the workpiece. After six passes of AGE, an average grain size of 0.6 μm can be achieved. The enhancement and accumulation of dislocations within grains was the dominating mechanism of grain fragmentation. AGE shows impressive potential in the preparation of ultra-fine-grained bulk materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technologies in Mechanical Field)

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21 pages, 3163 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Assembly Method of Threaded Fasteners Based on Visual and Force Information

by Yibang Zhou, Xiaoyong Wang and Lanzhu Zhang

Processes 2023, 11(6), 1770; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11061770 - 10 Jun 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1097

Abstract

Threaded fastening operations are widely used in assembly and are typically time-consuming and costly. In low-volume, high-value manufacturing, fastening operations are carried out manually by skilled workers. The existing approaches are found to be less flexible and robust for performing assembly in a less structured industrial environment. This paper introduces a novel algorithm for detecting the position and orientation of threaded holes and a new method for tightening bolts. First, the elliptic arc fitting method and the three-point method are used to estimate the initial position and orientation of the threaded hole, and the force impact caused by switching from the free space to the constrained space during bolt tightening is solved. Second, by monitoring the deformation of passive compliance, the position information is introduced into the control process to better control the radial force between the bolt and the threaded hole in the tightening process. The constant force controller and orientation compliance controller are designed according to the adaptive control theory. A series of experiments are carried out. The results show that the proposed method can estimate the initial position and orientation of an M24 bolt with an average position error of 0.36 mm, 0.43 mm and 0.46 mm and an orientation error of 0.65°, 0.46° and 0.59°, and it can tighten the bolt with a success rate of 98.5%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technologies in Mechanical Field)

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20 pages, 10796 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Customized Cost-Effective Cranioplasty for Large Asymmetrical Defects

by Khaja Moiduddin, Syed Hammad Mian, Hisham Alkhalefah, Sundar Ramalingam and Abdul Sayeed

Processes 2023, 11(6), 1760; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11061760 - 09 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1611

Abstract

Cranioplasty or cranial reconstruction is always a challenging procedure even for experienced surgeons. In this study, two different design techniques for customized cranial prostheses are assessed for cranial reconstruction. Mirror reconstruction is one of the commonly used reconstruction techniques that fails when cranial defects cross the midline of symmetry. Hence, there is a need for a design technique for the reconstruction of cranial defects irrespective of their location on the symmetrical plane. The anatomical reconstruction technique demonstrates its applicability for a wide spectrum of complex skull defects irrespective of the defective position in the anatomical structure. The paper outlines a methodological procedure involving a multi-disciplinary approach involving physicians and engineers in the design and reconstruction of customized cranial implants for asymmetrical skull defects. The proposed methodology is based on five foundation pillars including the multi-disciplinary approach, implant design process, additive-manufactured implant, implant fitting analysis, and cost and time analysis for the customized implant. The patient’s computed tomography scan data are utilized to model a customized cranial implant, which is then fabricated using electron beam melting technology. The dimensional validation of the designed and fabricated titanium implant based on the anatomical approach results in a precision of 0.6345 mm, thus indicating a better fit than the standard mirroring method. The results of fitting accuracy also reveal that the manufactured implant’s average deviation is very close to the planned reconstruction area with an error less than 1 mm, suggesting that the customized titanium implant fits the skull model quite precisely. The cost and time analysis reports that the cost for producing a customized cranial implant using electron beam melting technology is around USD 217.5 and the time taken to build is approximately 14 h and 27 min, which is low when compared to other studies. The cost and time analysis also demonstrates that the proposed design would be less burdensome to patients when compared to standard practice. Therefore, the new anatomical design process can be used effectively and efficiently to treat a number of diverse cranial abnormalities with the enhanced cranial implant design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technologies in Mechanical Field)

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22 pages, 10106 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Mathematical Model for Force Prediction in Single Point Incremental Sheet Forming with Validation by Experiments and Simulation

by Ravi Prakash Singh, Santosh Kumar, Pankaj Kumar Singh, Md. Meraz, Ashutosh Kumar Srivastwa, Sachin Salunkhe, H. M. A. Hussein, Emad S. Abouel Nasr and Ali Kamrani

Processes 2023, 11(6), 1688; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11061688 - 01 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1176

Abstract

Incremental sheet forming (ISF) is an emerging technology that has shown great potential in forming customized three-dimensional (3D) parts without the use of product-specific dies. The forming force is reduced in ISF due to the localized nature of deformation and successive forming. Forming force plays an important role in modeling the process accurately, so it needs to be evaluated accurately. Some attempts have been made earlier to calculate the forming force; however, they are mostly limited to empirical formulae for evaluating the average forming force and its different components. The current work presents a mathematical model for force prediction during ISF in a 3D polar coordinate system. The model can be used to predict forces for axis-symmetric cones of different wall angles and also for incremental hole flanging. Axial force component, resultant force in the r-θ plane, and total force have been calculated using the developed mathematical model appearing at different forming depths. The cone with the same geometrical parameters and experimental conditions was modeled and simulated on ABAQUS, and finally, experiments were carried out using a six-axis industrial robot. The mathematical model can be used to calculate forces for any wall angle, but for comparison purposes, a 45° wall angle cone has been used for analytical, numerical, and experimental validation. The total force calculated from the mathematical model had a very high level of accuracy with the force measured experimentally, and the maximum error was 4.25%. The result obtained from the FEA model also had a good level of accuracy for calculating total force, and the maximum error was 4.89%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technologies in Mechanical Field)

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14 pages, 2652 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing SPIF Product Characteristics Using Full Factorial Design-Integrated PCA Approach

by Adham E. Ragab

Processes 2023, 11(4), 1254; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041254 - 19 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1045

Abstract

The process of single-point incremental forming (SPIF) is a relatively new technology that is primarily used in the production of prototypes and small quantities of products. However, the process has several limitations with respect to the quality characteristics of its products. This study examined the effects of four process parameters—namely, tool diameter, feed rate, step size, and sheet thickness—on the characteristics of the final product. A total of 15 product responses were measured and/or calculated during the experiments. The responses fell under three different categories; surface profile accuracy, strain/stress/thinning, and forming forces. In previous published work, responses were studied separately for each category. The aim of this paper was to determine the relationships between responses using a principal component analysis (PCA). PCA is a well-known multivariate analysis technique used to reduce the dimensionality of data. As a result of the PCA, the product’s characteristic dimensions were reduced from 15 while 71% of the total variance of data was preserved. The results showed that only 8 responses were enough to characterize the final product, rather than 15. A relationship was detected between the side wall accuracy and forming forces and between strain, circularity, and surface roughness. These findings could not be detected with single-variable analyses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technologies in Mechanical Field)

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20 pages, 7902 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CNC Turning of an Additively Manufactured Complex Profile Ti6Al4V Component Considering the Effect of Layer Orientations

by Abdulmajeed Dabwan, Saqib Anwar, Ali M. Al-Samhan, Khaled N. Alqahtani, Mustafa M. Nasr, Husam Kaid and Wadea Ameen

Processes 2023, 11(4), 1031; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041031 - 29 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1518

Abstract

Electron beam melting (EBM) is one example of a 3D printing technology that has shown great promise and advantages in the fabrication of medical devices such as dental and orthopedic implants. However, these products require high surface quality control to meet the specifications; thus, post-processing, such as with machining processes, is required to improve surface quality. This paper investigates the influence of two-part orientations of Ti6Al4V EBM parts on the CNC machining (turning) process. The two possible EBM part orientations used in this work are across EBM layers (AL) and parallel to the EBM layer (PL). The effect of the EBM Ti6Al4V part orientations is examined on surface roughness, power consumption, chip morphology, tool flank wear, and surface morphology during the dry turning, while using uncoated carbide tools at different feed rates and cutting speeds. The results showed that the AL orientation had better surface quality control and integrity after machining than PL orientation. Using the same turning parameters, the difference between the roughness (Ra) value for AL (0.36 μm) and PL (0.79 μm) orientations is about 54%. Similarly, the power consumption in AL orientation differs by 19% from the power consumption in PL orientation. The chip thickness ratio has a difference of 23% between AL and PL orientations, and the flank wear shows a 40% difference between AL and PL orientations. It is found that, when EBM components are manufactured along across-layer (AL) orientations, the impact of part orientation during turning is minimized and machined surface integrity is improved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technologies in Mechanical Field)

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17 pages, 2464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Boosted Arc Flow Formulation Using Graph Compression for the Two-Dimensional Strip Cutting Problem

by Tamer G. Ali, Mehdi Mrad, Ali Balma, Anis Gharbi, Ali Samhan and Mohammed A. Louly

Processes 2023, 11(3), 790; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11030790 - 07 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1109

Abstract

Since the requirement for a material cutting process occurs in a wide variety of applied contemporary manufacturing, the cutting stock problem plays a critical role in optimizing the amount of raw material utilized in everyday production operations. In this paper, we address the two-dimension strip-cutting problem and implement the graph compression technique to improve the performance of the arc-flow formulation. The number of variables of the obtained mathematical model are substantially reduced. A comparative study on a large set of benchmark instances shows that our compressed model yields very good results for the non-unitary item demand case in contrast to the state-of-the-art mathematical models. Moreover, improved bounds are provided for 24 unsolved benchmark instances, among which 8 have been solved to optimality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technologies in Mechanical Field)

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22 pages, 3288 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Designing Dispatching Rules via Novel Genetic Programming with Feature Selection in Dynamic Job-Shop Scheduling

by Adilanmu Sitahong, Yiping Yuan, Ming Li, Junyan Ma, Zhiyong Ba and Yongxin Lu

Processes 2023, 11(1), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11010065 - 27 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1251

Abstract

Genetic Programming (GP) has been widely employed to create dispatching rules intelligently for production scheduling. The success of GP depends on a suitable terminal set of selected features. Specifically, techniques that consider feature selection in GP to enhance rule understandability for dynamic job shop scheduling (DJSS) have been successful. However, existing feature selection algorithms in GP focus more emphasis on obtaining more compact rules with fewer features than on improving effectiveness. This paper is an attempt at combining a novel GP method, GP via dynamic diversity management, with feature selection to design effective and interpretable dispatching rules for DJSS. The idea of the novel GP method is to achieve a progressive transition from exploration to exploitation by relating the level of population diversity to the stopping criteria and elapsed duration. We hypothesize that diverse and promising individuals obtained from the novel GP method can guide the feature selection to design competitive rules. The proposed approach is compared with three GP-based algorithms and 20 benchmark rules in the different job shop conditions and scheduling objectives. Experiments show that the proposed approach greatly outperforms the compared methods in generating more interpretable and effective rules for the three objective functions. Overall, the average improvement over the best-evolved rules by the other three GP-based algorithms is 13.28%, 12.57%, and 15.62% in the mean tardiness (MT), mean flow time (MFT), and mean weighted tardiness (MWT) objective, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technologies in Mechanical Field)

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