Simultaneous Optimization of Design and Manufacturing — Tolerances with Process (Machine) Selection

Abstract

Summary Tolerance deign and synthesis is a major task of product and process design and is in a period of extensive study due both to increase demands for quality products and to increasing automation of machining and assembly. Optimum tolerance design and synthesis ensures good quality product at low cost. This paper provides an analysis of simultaneous optimization of design and manufacturing tolerance syntheses with consideration of >recess (machine) selection. The tolerance synthesis problem is formulated as a mixed nonlinear optimization model, which has as its objective the minimum total manufacturing cost. A new global optimization algorithm, simulated annealing, is coded to solve the optimization problem. An example for illustrating, the optimization model and solution procedure is provided.