A product-process model for decision-aid perspective in additive manufacturing field

Abstract

Additive manufacturing is a data and knowledge intensive process in which experts need to consider multiple co-relations between disparate parameters in order to perform fabrication processes that achieve pre-defined goals in an efficient way. In real industrial situations, engineers and operators set fabrication parameters based on their experience and initial knowledge. It is a process which is not only time-consuming, especially when multiple products are to be fabricated at the same time, but it is also prone to errors, since dependencies between the parameters have to be manually checked. The purpose of the paper is to lay down the core concepts towards the development of a Computer Aided system to assist practitioners in complex decision-making procedures related to AM fabrication goals. With this ultimate purpose at stake, we present in the paper a modeling framework based on both UML class diagrams and BPMN process models by which AM processes can be represented in tandem with the entities they manipulate.