The paper surveys the current state of knowledge of techniques for representing, manipulating and analysing dimensioning and tolerancing data in computer-aided design and manufacturing. The use of solid models and variational geometry, and its implications for the successful integration of CAD and CAM, are discussed. The topics explored so far can be grouped into four categories: (a) the repres...

Process tolerancing based on the process capability studies is the optimistic and pragmatic approach of determining the manufacturing process tolerances. On adopting the define–measure–analyze–improve–control approach, the process potential capability index (C p) and the process performance capability index (C pk) values of identified process characteristics of connecting rod ...

Physical gages permit verification with low uncertainties but remain expensive and inflexible. With the development of 3D CAD modellers and the progress made in coordinate measuring machines, the concept of the virtual gage appeared. The paper focuses on the implementation rather than the inspection of dimensional and geometrical tolerancing in 3D-CAD models of mechanical assemblies by the use ...

Product and manufacturing system design are the core issues in product development and dominate the profitability of a company. In order to assess and optimize the product and manufacturing system design, an objective evaluation framework is needed. Despite the many existing tools for product and manufacturing system design, there is a missing link between the product design and the production ...

The classiication problem is fundamental in the metrology of Geometric Tolerancing: given a part B, is it within some tolerance ? The \standard method-ology" for the classiication problem comprises three steps: sampling , algorithmic step and policy decision . The issues we examine are posed around this methodology, using a simple 1-dimensional problem as case study.