Application of knowledge-based engineering for automated slide design

When plastic products have protrusions or depression features in directions that are different from the parting direction, such as holes, text, grooves, or flanges, these features will result in interference in the ejection of the molded products. The interference of opening the mold can only be solved through the design of the slide or lifter through mechanical or electrical control that enables the slide or lifter to coordinate with the movement of the mold. Under the framework of CAD software, this study combined knowledge-based engineering (KBE) technology to integrate knowledge and CAD software, in order to plan and develop a method for identifying the undercut feature. For the relationships of the surfaces, edges, and points of the product’s side protrusion or depression, this study summarized an algorithm to automatically recognize the undercut feature by programming an algorithm. The algorithm is structured in the web-based mold design navigation process for the systematic and knowledgeable integration for the automatic design of slide core parting surface. Based on the integration of theory and knowledge, this study reduced the number of mouse clicks by 85 % than that of the traditional manual method; thus, users can finish the design quickly and reduce the number of operational errors.