Study on assembly modeling for collaborative design

A theory and method of collaborative design of product assembly structures and assembly processes is addressed. In this theory, from the view of concurrent design of product structures and assembly processes, various assembly evaluation indices such as assembly efficiency and assembly complexity degree are defined, resulting in the establishment of a composite evaluation system for product assemblability. Depending on the evaluation system, a network aided structural analysis and redesign system is implemented with the adoption of knowledge bases and network technique. This system enables the sharing of product assembly related design knowledge over the Internet and supports the designers for concurrently analyzing and improving product structures in network environment. By this means, the so called isolation problem of productpsilas structural design for assembly from assembly process design can be efficiently tackled so that the concurrence of product design and assembly process design can be ultimately achieved.