Geometry robustness evaluation for common parts in platform architecture

Paper in proceedings, 2010

In this paper, a platform geometry goodness value for a part has been defined. Calculation and simulation methods have been defined and tested to be used in industrial "real-life" environments. Present calculation and simulation methods for assembly analysis in a single product development have been used as a basis. These methods have been further developed and adapted to suit product family development, or platforms. The platform geometry robustness value could be used for optimization of a part or an assembly, by means of geometric variation, not only for one product environment but also for a complete product family simultaneously. This decreases the risk of suboptimization of part location and assembly concepts. All equations and mathematical connections are described in detail in the paper but, due to the mathematical complexity of 3D modelling, the calculations have been performed in a geometry simulation tool. The proposed theories are based on previous work by Söderberg [7] presented mainly in section 2. The new contribution from this paper is mainly presented in sections 4.2 and 5.