JP2003044521A - Design support system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a design support system that enables a designer to effectively design parts by using an easy retrieval method for a part model. SOLUTION: A design support system stores models with standard shapes in a storage and enables a user to hierarchically retrieve a required model for a part and also change a dimension of the model for the part, which is retrieved and displayed. Consequently, the system is required only to store the models with standard shapes in the storage. Since the support system needs only a little capacity for the storage, it becomes easy for the user to retrieve the model he or she requires. The user lays the model for the part out, the dimension of which is specified, on any place of a display screen. The user generates a master drawing for the planed part after a housing body for accommodating the multiple type parts being laid out is generated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a design support device using a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various design support apparatuses using a computer have been proposed. When a device is designed by combining various parts models (elements), various sizes and shapes for each model are stored in a database (hereinafter referred to as "D").
B ”). When designing, the user
The design is performed by searching the DB for a model of the required size and shape and arranging it on the display.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional design support apparatus, there are too many types of component models, and it is difficult for the user to search for and obtain a component model having desired specifications.

It is an object of the present invention to make it easy to search for a part model in a design support device and to perform design efficiently.

[0005]

The present invention has been made to achieve the above object. In the present invention,
A model having a standard shape is stored in the storage means, and a desired component model can be searched hierarchically. Also, the dimensions of the retrieved and displayed part model can be changed. As a result, only the standard component model needs to be stored in the storage means. Therefore, the model desired by the user can be easily searched. Also, the capacity of the storage device can be small.

The component model whose dimensions are fixed is laid out at an arbitrary position on the display screen. After that, a housing part is created so as to accommodate various laid out component models, and a basic plan drawing of the product is created. When the dimensions of the component model are changed, the shapes of the components arranged adjacently or the shape of the component model itself are automatically generated so as to satisfy the preset design / manufacturing standards.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An example of designing a heater by the design support device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a design support system to which the present invention is applied.

The user terminal 1 comprises an input means 2 such as a keyboard and a mouse, a display 4 composed of a CRT, and a computer main body 5. The program for executing the design support system is stored in the computer body 5, but is stored in a separately provided host computer,
You may make it download to the user terminal 1 at the time of design execution. The user terminal 1 can access a database (hereinafter, “DB”) that stores various data. The following DBs are available.

(1) Individual work area, UG and PD
Work location 6 as the data transfer place for M.

(2) A private DB 7 that serves as a shared storage area for departments.

(3) Prototype DB 8 serving as a formal storage place for the trial CAD data. Only one DB8 is provided company-wide. The private DB 7 and the trial DB 8 are accessed by the DB function from the user terminal 1.

(4) A template DB 9 serving as a storage location for a UG file for model creation. Only a specific user can register this DB9. Further, the user terminal 1 is accessed by the parts library function.

The process for design support will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the user terminal 1 is started up and the library function is called, the flow shown in FIG. 2 is started.

The main menu shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the display 4. When the user selects "search" (step S1 in FIG. 2), a dialog shown in FIG. 4 for selecting a search type is displayed. Here, "navigation" for searching in a tree classified by category and "work search" for searching by data name are displayed. If "navigation" is selected, the process proceeds to step S2, and if "work search" is selected, the process proceeds to step S6.

FIG. 5 shows an image of category classification. A category is a classification name set for search, and the user can search for a target model by relying on the category and attribute information (icon, comment, etc.) even if the memory of the model name is ambiguous.

In the illustrated example, "standard parts", "normal parts" ... "standard shape" and "template shape" are developed under the route, and "A product", "B product" and "drawing" are further expanded. It is organized hierarchically as it is deployed. Under the route, select "Standard shape", then "A product", "Fitting part", "Stop shape", and finally obtain some parts model candidates. You can

In step S2, the category selection window shown in FIG. 6 is opened. Here, "category name"
Enter the category name you want to search in the text box of and press the OK button.

Then, a list of retrieved categories shown in FIG. 7 is displayed. Here, information (name) of the retrieved current category is displayed at the top of the screen. In the center of the screen, for each category, an icon representing the category is displayed, and below that, a category name, a part file name, a comment, etc. are displayed. When the search result categories cannot be displayed on one screen, they are displayed over a plurality of pages.

From the list of search categories shown in FIG. 7, FIG.
When a desired category is selected in the procedure shown in (2) (step S3 in FIG. 2), a list of selected data is displayed as shown in FIG. 8 (step S4 in FIG. 2).

In the list of FIG. 8, image icons of the extracted data are displayed. In the figure, only one icon is displayed, but if a plurality of data are registered, all the data will be displayed. If it cannot be displayed on one screen, it is displayed over multiple pages.

If desired data is selected here (step S5 in FIG. 2) and the OK button is pressed, if the data has a change parameter, the part file of the selected data is extracted from the template DB 9, Is displayed (step S6 in FIG. 2). Here, the image icon 11 of the selected data is displayed, and various parameters 12 and 13 are displayed below it. Also, when "work search" is selected as the search method in step S2, the process proceeds to step S7. If the data selected in step 5 does not have a change parameter, step S6 is omitted and the process proceeds to step 7.

The screen of FIG. 9 allows the user to change parameters such as dimensions. The user confirms the displayed parameters and, if there is a change, selects a desired dimension from the dimensions registered in advance in the pull-down menu 12. Or text box 1
A desired size is input in 3 (step S7 in FIG. 2). When the size and shape of the data are changed and all necessary parameters are created, a new image is created as a three-dimensional model.

In addition to the example shown in FIG. 9, there are various methods for designating and changing the dimensions, as described below.

FIG. 10 shows that when the height of the parts is changed,
An example in which the shape is automatically changed is shown. In the illustrated example, when the dimension in the height direction is increased, an example is shown in which meat stealing is added to the bottom surface so as to satisfy the preset design / manufacturing standard.

FIG. 11 shows that when designing a heater core,
An example is shown in which the shape of the heater core body 17 is automatically determined by designating and changing the dimensions of the core. In the illustrated example, when the height H and the length W are input as the core size and the desired width D is selected, the core total height h, the total length L, and the total width d are automatically calculated by the formulas shown on the right side of the drawing. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 12, the input of the core height H and the length W can be selected from standard dimensions by calling a spreadsheet. Even when the dimensions are specified in the spreadsheet, the dimensions and shape of the heater core body 17 are automatically determined by the formula shown in FIG.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13, a reference line for constraining the X and Y coordinates and the angle is specified for the subsequent element arrangement. The reference line is created by the vertical line 14 and the horizontal line 15, and the intersection is defined as the central axis 16 of rotation.

When the part model is the heater core shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the outer shape of the case is automatically calculated to create an image. The gap between the heater core and the case is set in advance by a formula. Therefore, as described with reference to FIG. 11, when the dimensions H, W, and D of the core are designated, the dimensions and the outer shape of the heater core body as well as the dimensions and the outer shape of the case are determined. As a result,
As shown in FIG. 4, a sketch of the heater core body 17 and a sketch of the case 18 are created.

The data created and changed by the above processing is taken into the work location 6 (step S8 in FIG. 2).

When the search and the dimension change for all the part models are completed, the process returns to the main menu to proceed to the part model layout process. When the main menu of FIG. 3 is displayed on the display 4, the “arrangement mode” is selected, and the target data whose parameters have been changed and whose parameters have been changed are arranged (step S9 in FIG. 2).

The arrangement mode will be described with reference to FIG. In the placement mode, the following (A) and (B) are executed,
The procedure after (C) is a design procedure using general CAD.
It should be noted that the following (A) to (I) are matched with the display in the drawings.

(A) A fixed datum plane as a reference is created and displayed on the display 4.

(B) The component model (unit element), which has been selected by the processing up to this point and whose parameters have been changed, is arranged on this plane. The reference line 1 set for each part model by arranging the part model on the plane
4, 15 and the central axis 16 determine the X, Y coordinates and angle of the part model.

(C) According to this arrangement, a contour line of a connecting shape other than the model is created.

(D) An inner wall solid is created (sweep) according to the connecting shape.

(E) The inner wall solid is copied, and the outer wall solid is created by adding the plate thickness (t). A three-dimensional model of the created outer wall solid is created and displayed.

(F) The outer wall is hollowed and displayed, and the inner wall is created.

(G) Next, an air passage is created.

(H) Further, for example, a door is stopped and a triangular rib is formed.

(I) The basic plan drawing of the product is completed and stored in the prototype DB 8.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a design support system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process for design support in the system of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a main menu displayed on a display in the processing of FIG.

4 is a diagram showing a screen for search type selection in the processing of FIG.

5 is a diagram illustrating the concept of categories in the process of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen for category selection in the process of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a screen of a category list in the processing of FIG.

8 is a diagram showing a list of selected data in the processing of FIG.

9 is a diagram showing a screen for changing data parameters in the process of FIG.

10 is a diagram showing an example in which the shape is changed according to the size in the processing of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example in which a dimensional change is automatically performed in the processing of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of performing a dimensional change in the processing of FIG. 2 with a spreadsheet.

13 is a diagram showing creation of a reference line of a component model in the processing of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example in which a case outline of a component model is automatically created in the process of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a process of allocating target data in the process of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... User terminal 2 ... Input means 4 ... Display 5 ... Computer body 6 ... work location 7 ... Private DB 8 ... Prototype DB 9 ... Template DB 11 ... Icon 12 ... pull-down menu 13 ... Parameter (Fig. 7) (text box) 14 ... Vertical line 15 ... Horizon 16 ... central axis 17 ... Heater core body 18 ... Case

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Osamu Yoshida             1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya city, Aichi stock market             Inside the company DENSO F-term (reference) 5B046 AA00 BA04 CA04 DA09 GA01                       HA05 KA05                 5B075 KK07 KK13 KK33 KK38 ND20                       ND23 ND35 PP03 PP13 PP30                       PQ02 PQ13 PQ46 QM05 UU22

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A storage unit for storing a standard-shaped part model, a search display unit for searching an arbitrary part model from the storage unit and displaying the searched part model on a display screen, and the search display unit. Dimension changing means capable of changing the dimensions of each part of the component model displayed by, layout means for laying out various component models whose dimensions are fixed by the dimension changing means on the display screen at arbitrary positions, respectively, A basic plan drawing creating means for creating a housing part for housing the various component models laid out on a display screen, and creating a basic plan drawing of a product. 2. The design support according to claim 1, wherein the dimension changing unit determines the dimension of the component model by selecting from the dimensions registered in advance when changing the dimension of each part of the component model. apparatus. 3. The basic plan drawing creating means according to claim 1, wherein the basic planning drawing creating means creates and displays the basic planning drawing as a three-dimensional model. 4. A storage unit for storing a component model having a standard shape, a search display unit for searching an arbitrary component model from the storage unit and displaying the searched component model on a display screen, and the search display unit. Dimension changing means capable of changing the dimensions of each part of the part model displayed by, and when the dimensions are changed by the dimension changing means on the display screen, so that the preset design / manufacturing standard is satisfied, A design support apparatus comprising: an automatic generation unit that automatically generates the shape of the component model itself or the shape of a component placed adjacent to the component model. 5. The component arranged adjacent to each other is a housing portion, and the automatic generation means generates the shape of the housing portion so as to have a predetermined clearance with respect to the component model. The design support device described in.