An integrated inference architecture for machine tools design involving complex knowledge

Abstract

This paper describes the inference architecture of an intelligent CAD system that is to be used for the design of machine tools in which a complex and large amount of knowledge is used. In order to investigate the issue of handling huge and complex knowledge, the design knowledge for the machine tools design is categorised into four types and inference methods for them are identified respectively; original design problems are decomposed into several modules of design processes and finally into sub-problems with the four types of knowledge as the basic elements in a top-down manner. We demonstrate the implementation of the architecture with the result on the machining centre design.