Automatic weld path definition in CAD

Abstract

Knowledge-based engineering (KBE) has been described as a phase in the evolution of CAD, and as the capture and re-use of engineering knowledge. One interpretation of the latter is the use of code to digitally store and apply engineering knowledge. Using CAD software programmatically may seem counterintuitive. However, programmatic CAD provides opportunities for KBE and Industrie 4.0 (I4.0). KBE has been successfully applied in aerospace and automotive industries but is less common for Engineer-to-Order industries. Many attribute this to the time it takes to create and add knowledge to a KBE system, and the need for non-programmers to write code. This paper offers a KBE system that, by programmatic use of CAD, automatically adds weld paths to assembly models from STEP-files. The paths may be extracted and exported for generating robot code for a welding robot and for other I4.0 applications.