CAD system for automatic modelling of compound dies

Abstract

Modelling of compound die is an important activity usually carried out by highly experienced die designers in sheet metal industries. These days, various CAD systems are being used for die modelling. But these systems are for general purpose and can provide limited assistance in drafting of die components. This study describes the research work involved in the development of a CAD system for automatic modelling of compound dies for use in sheet metal industries. The proposed system is organised in nine modules. The system modules execute in conjunction with expert system developed for design of compound die. Modules are coded in AutoLISP language, and user interface is created using Visual Basic and AutoCAD software. The proposed system is capable to generate drawings (2-dimensional and 3-dimensional) of all major die components and die assembly automatically in the drawing editor of AutoCAD software. The system has been tested successfully on a wide variety of sheet metal parts taken from industries. As this system can be implemented on a PC having AutoCAD software, its low cost of implementation makes it affordable even for small-scale sheet metal industries.