MATHEMATICAL FORMULATION-BASED METHODOLOGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ASSISTANCE TOOLS FOR PRODUCT DESIGN IN THE METAL-MECHANICS INDUSTRY. APPLICATION TO THE DESIGN OF EXTRUSION DIES.

There are still some product design and development processes in the metal-mechanics industry that continue to be based principally on similar experiences and on the designer's own experience. These designs are, in later phases, generally checked and analysed by means of FEM (Finite Element Method) simulations or other methods in order to verify whether they are optimal. The creation of tools with which to assist design in the initial phase is, therefore, a major step forward as regards facilitating the attainment of good results in the shortest possible time and with the least possible number of design-simulation-redesign iterations. The objective of this paper is to provide a detailed description of a methodology based on mathematical formulation for the creation of tools to assist in the design of moulds or dies in the metal-mechanical sector. The strategy is based on the value analysis of a multitude of variables from a large number of proven optimal designs. The result is an assistancea tool that, by means of a mathematical formulation, attempts to concentrate the experience and know-how accumulated in many previous designs. This tool can be quickly and easily applied in order to check and attempt to adjust a new first design to the criteria of the accumulated experience. An example of the application of the methodology by means of an assistance tool with which to design aluminium extrusion porthole dies is, therefore, shown. Several lines of research, however, remain open as regards other applications of the methodology and its improvement through the introduction of artificial intelligence. Keywords: design methodology; tool development; mathematical formulation; die design; porthole die; FEM