A constraint-based system for product design and manufacturing

Constraint-based modeling is one of the most modern methods of product design. This paper illustrates a collaborative design and manufacture procedures based on a new approach under the constraint-based solver for product design. Such a method can be used for the collaborative computer-aided design/manufacture systems. A developing model will be constructed from conceptual design to tool-paths generation, and a case study of how to make a playing doll house was presented to verify this system.The solver generates geometric models automatically and hierarchically when sufficient constraint relationships between geometric objects are given. By examining this developing model, all different operations can be integrated tightly and quickly from different locations and sub-systems. Also, benefits such as reduction in designing time, prototype-testing time and engineering personnel requirements, as well as mistake-free operation and simplification of manufacturing are attainable.