Current Computer Aided Design (CAD) technologies offer parametric design functions to allow users to easily change products’ configurations, shape and dimensions without reconstructing the entire product model. A programming tool that often comes with most CAD packages enables a designer to better control the parametric interface. However, these two functions focus on rapid production of computer models, which usually takes place after the product design is completed. The product design process, which has more significant influence on product life-cycle costs, is not fully supported. This paper proposes a systematic method in which a product design can be finalized and optimized through the interactions between 3-D solid modeling and customized cost / performance analysis. The entire optimal design process and generation of design deliverables is fully automated through interactive programming. In addition, an automatic design and optimization system for industrial silencers has been developed, which takes customers’ order from the Internet, sends the order to a CAD system, generates the optimal design, and sends back the design to the customer. The entire process takes only a few minutes. The proposition of integrating customized product life-cycle considerations with the model generation and optimization, as well as the developed silencer design system should be useful for other product designs.
First wall/blanket/shield design and optimization system