CATDS (Computer Aided Tool Design System): Development of an integration architecture to combine powder metallurgy tool design knowledge and conventional computer aided design system

Tooling design for Powder Metallurgy is a knowledge-intensive activity which requires extensive domain-specific knowledge and many iterations of engineering calculations. It is desirable to integrate tooling design knowledge into a Computer Aided Design (CAD) system, utilizing today's technology of computer hardware and software.; The architecture for integrating a CAD system and a database management system has been proposed and tested in the domain of Powder Metallurgy tool design. This integration structure can also be used to combine a conventional CAD system and other domain-related knowledge, i.e., mold design for metal casting, die design for sheet metal and electronic circuit design.; A Computer Aided Tool Design System (CATDS) for conventional press and sinter Powder Metallurgy components has been developed with the proposed integration architecture. The system integrates 3D CAD with knowledge based systems technologies. The system is able to produce 3D tooling element models directly from final part geometry using embedded calculation routines and integrated databases.