Semantic feature technology in woodworking

The concept of "feature based modelling" and "semantic features" is yet hardly found in the woodworking sector unlike the broad application of those modelling technologies in other manufacturing sectors. This is paradoxically astonishing because the feature technology has exactly the means to enable efficient variant construction - which a woodworker needs actually on a daily basis to design and produce customized products.

The Feature-Technology enables the comprehensive description of a vast number of model properties. Geometry features, such as 'Cut' or 'Extrude' are integrated into SolidWorks^®. PASCAM WoodWorks is additionally providing further, production-orientated useful features, like processing features, part description features, specific wood-engineering mate features, etc.

The design model, i.e. a wardrobe cabinet can be described in detail, based on its individual properties, like the assembly method, the materials used, etc. up to its individual components. PASCAM WoodWorks enables to generate semantic relations between these descriptive features. Which means, that the individual components get intelligent and the user can add and combine those components with each other in new design processes or design modifications very safe and easily.

The effort to accomplish this comprehensive semantic Part description is minimal and is provided by a user-friendly input box that also ensures at the same time the saving of the defined parts in various PASCAM databases and libraries for subsequent easy reuse. The initial extra time in the design process will pay off promptly, as soon as these library parts are re-used for variant construction of an existing model from the PASCAM databases and libraries, or if those fully parametric components are modified quickly in associative interaction with the other components in the assembly. The parametric information applied at the PASCAM database library parts can be modified any time, even when assembled and can be controlled through the overall assembly (e.g. component size is controlled by modification of the assembly dimension). Modified components can then be saved for subsequent reuse at the PASCAM databases and libraries.

For the rapid assembling of new assemblies the individual components can be directly applied to the assembly from the PASCAM databases and libraries. Due to the fact that all the library components have received the information for their correct placing in the assembly by the user through the PASCAM Part description and they also contain semantic parametric information, the insertion or application of the individual components into the assembly is done automatically. The applied component "knows" so to speak, "what it is", e.g. the left side part of a cabinet. All these structural components and materials can be created and edited freely in the open PASCAM databases and libraries. The PASCAM library components serve for a higher safety and efficiency at the design process, especially when applied at variant modeling of existing or standard products or when starting a new design process from scratch. The access to the PASCAM databases and libraries can be granted to all members of the companies design team. Thus the practical experiences and best design ideas of the individual team members can be stored in the PASCAM databases and libraries, creating an effective collection of standardized design processes in the company, enabling company-wide knowledge-based manufacturing.

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