Automation Engineering and Robotics

CFU: 9

Prerequisites

Fundamental concepts of classical mechanics; basic knowledge of the problems related to the functioning of the machines.

Preliminary Courses

None.

Learning Goals 

The course aims at providing students with tools and methods for designing mechanical systems by using virtual prototypes. At the end of the course, the student will be able to: developing 3D models of mechanical assemblies; reading and interpreting a mechanical drawing; choose appropriate graphics and technical communication tools for the design of industrial products; representing mechanical parts and simple assemblies for constructional and functional requirements; create bi-dimensional technical drawings starting from three-dimensional CAD models; assigning and evaluating characteristics and properties of mechanical systems in a virtual environment: shapes, proportions, materials, tolerances, appearance; recognizing the normalized elements; managing reference protocols for data exchange; simulating kinematic behaviors of mechanical systems in virtual environment; executing finite element structural analysis (FEM) in virtual environment on mechanical parts and assemblies; learn about product data management (PDM) and product lifecycle management (PLM) systems; use virtual prototyping and human modeling technologies for the analysis and validation of industrial products.

Expected Learning Outcomes 

Knowledge and understanding

The course aims to provide students with methodological tools for the design and development of industrial products through the use of virtual prototypes. The student must demonstrate that he/she has learned the typical requirements for hardware and software tools dedicated to the various phases of the product development process and to the management of its life cycle. The student will also have to demonstrate the knowledge of the main design phases for a mechanical system, from requirements elicitation to the construction of the virtual prototype and its validation using simulation tools.

Applying knowledge and understanding

The student needs to show ability to build virtual prototypes using specific software for product life cycle management, geometric modeling, kinematic simulation of digital models (DMU), structural analysis and ergonomic validation. The student needs to show ability to develop a conceptual project of a mechanical system in a virtual environment, identifying normalized elements and parts to be designed, managing the reference protocols for data exchange and evaluating the simulation systems suitable for the development and validation of the project.

Course Content - Syllabus 

• Introduction to the course: Objectives, contents, examination methods.
• The Digital Mock-Up (DMU), Sequential and Concurrent Engineering, the product development process based on the DMU. Design and planning methodologies of project activities.
• Recalls of industrial technical drawing: method of orthogonal projections, sections, dimensioning.
• Computer aided modeling methods.
• Geometry Based Modeling: 2D Drafting, 3D Wireframe Modeling, Modeling Primitives, B-Rep, CSG, Surface, Hybrid.
• Introduction to the CAD Platform: Basic Settings, Description Model Tree.
• Knowledge Based Modeling: Parametric and Variational Approach, Feature Based Solid Modeling.
• Parametric-associative paradigm. Product structure: parts, components, assemblies.
• Part modeling: concepts of Features, Body, Geometric Groups. Tools for managing sketch-based features. Constraint Management. Sketch analysis tools.
• Tools for creating and managing advanced features: Detailing features, Transformation features, Boolean features, Multi-Body Modeling. Principles of correct modeling.
• Methods of representation of free-form Curves and Surfaces: Analytical and parametric representation, Curves and surfaces of HERMITE, BEZIER, B-SPLINE, NURBS. CAD tools for the creation, analysis, and manipulation of surfaces.
• Assembly Modeling. Bottom-Up and Top-Down Approaches. Save Management. Assembly analysis. Assembly features. Product configuration and project tables. Data exchange problems.
• Generation of drawings and product documentation starting from CAD models. The bill of materials.
• Dimensional tolerances. Tolerance analysis and synthesis. Outline of GD&T.
• Mechanical connections.
• Bearings.
• The transmission of motion: dimensioning and modeling of gears.
• Kinematic simulations on Digital Mock-Up (DMU Kinematics).
• Product Data Management (PDM) and Product Life cycle Management (PLM).
• Application of design methodologies: modeling, preliminary dimensioning and nominal checks of mechanical parts.
• Generative Structural Analysis; preprocessing: creation of the mesh, constraint conditions, application of loads; post-processing: evaluation of the stress state and deformations.
• CAD-CAM bond.
• Digital Human modeling: conventional and task oriented anthropometric measurements; kinematic models; assignment of human tasks; performance evaluation methods; force and torque analysis; postural evaluation indices.
• Virtual Reality in industrial engineering design: stereoscopic vision, visualization systems, tracking systems, navigation systems, manipulation systems, haptic systems. Processing of geometric models for virtual prototyping: tessellation, Rendering and Texture mapping. Applications in the railway, automotive, aeronautical and energy sectors. Augmented and Mixed Reality.

Readings/Bibliography

E. Chirone, S. Tornincasa, Disegno Tecnico Industriale (2 volumi), Editore: Il Capitello;

Caputo Francesco, Di Gironimo Giuseppe, La Realtà Virtuale nella Progettazione Industriale, Aracne, 2007.

Gary R. Bertoline, Eric N. Wiebe, Fondamenti di comunicazione grafica, McGrow Hill, 2003

Mortenson M.E., Geometric Modeling, Ed. John Wiley & Sons, 1997

Exercise tables (teacher website); Slides and supplementary handouts provided by the teacher (teacher website).

Teaching Method

The teaching activities will be organized as follows: a) lectures for about 60% of the total hours, b) practical exercise in the classroom based on virtual prototyping tools (CAD 3D and 2D for geometric modeling, DMU Kinemtics, FEM analysis, ergonomic analysis) for about 40% of the total hours.

Examination/Evaluation criteria

Exam type

The written exam aims at assessing the student’s ability to develop virtual prototypes of simple mechanical assemblies, simulate their kinematic behavior, analyze their structural characteristics and generate the product documentation and the related bill of materials. Typically, 3 hours are given for the written exam.

The oral exam is focused on the discussion of the solutions proposed by the students to the exercises of the written exams and on the presentation of a project. Moreover, during the oral examination, the aim is also to assess the knowledge of all the concepts and contents given during the course lectures.

Evaluation pattern 

The written exam performance is binding to have access to the oral exam. Both the written and the oral exams contribute 50% each to the final mark. Therefore, passing the written exam is only a necessary condition to pass the overall exam.