Knowledge based system for the design of forming sequences and tools in cold forging of fasteners for the automotive industry

Objective

The project consists in developing a system that assists in the definition of manufacturing sequences for forming, and tooling of parts by cold working of steel wire, leading to production rates ten times greater than with machining. The objective of concerned SMEs is to increase the throughput of their engineering shops, reducing by half the billet turnaround time between the beginning of the study of a part and start up of serial production; to improve the accuracy and the reliability of cost estimates; to obtain higher quality; and to benefit from feedback to the engineering shop of production experience. The principal R & D tasks will consist in: modelling of parts and of the steps in the forming processes, automatic selection of parts similar to the new part under study, using fuzzy filtering methods with a database, constituting expert modules transcribing the know how of the concerned SMEs regarding different types of forming, as an aid in validating the final production process. The project will lead to integration with the techniques of the different engineering shops, in association with CAD/CAM tools already used by operators. The expected consequences are: a significant increase in the competitiveness of the concerned SMEs thanks to reductions in cost and in engineering time, the ability to produce small series under competitive conditions and, thus, better resist imports of "simple" parts, especially from developing countries, an improved aptitude to manufacture complex parts, traditionally equiring
s of cold working: high hourly production rates and manufacturing without material loss, the upholding of a technological edge over countries having low labor costs.

Fields of science

• natural sciences › computer and information sciences › databases
• engineering and technology › mechanical engineering › manufacturing engineering › subtractive manufacturing
• engineering and technology › mechanical engineering › vehicle engineering › automotive engineering

Programme(s)

• FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 0202 - New methodologies for product design and manufacture

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

Rivex SA

Address

71-73 Avenue De Saint-mandé
75012 Paris
France

Participants (6)

Brugola SA

Italy

Address

Piazza Giovanni Xxiii 36
20035 Lissone Milano

Compagnie de Produits Metallurgique SA

France

Address

Zone Industrielle De Geoffroy
63307 Thiers

SE 2 E - PROSYST

France

Address

19,rue Marcel Dassault, 2
59113 Seclin

Simmonds SA

France

Address

30,rue Notre-dame Des Victoires
75002 Paris

Tornilleria del Besos SA

Spain

Address

52,c/ciudad De Asuncion
08030 Barcelona

Université de Liège

Belgium

Address

21-c3,rue E. Solvay
4000 Liège