A hybrid technology for assembly sequence planning of reflector panels

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to guarantee assembly quality and reduce the number of manufacturing cycles required for an reflector of the large reflector antenna. An optimal approach combining a finite element method (FEM) with a genetic algorithm (GA) is developed to simulate and optimize reflector assembly before the assembly stage. Design/methodology/approach - The chromosomes of GA are encoded with the consideration of the factors that affect the assembly of reflector. The fitness function of the GA consists of the assembly accuracy obtained from simulation, with evaluation of the assembly time consumption and labor cost. The algorithm will terminate when the GA is finished or the simulation results meet the permissible accuracy. Taking the assembly process of the reflector into account, an FEM based on a "life - death element" technique is introduced to quickly and precisely simulate reflector assembly. Findings - A case study is presented, to which the proposed approach is applied. The results of finite element simulation demonstrate that the proposed FEM can simulate the reflector assembly process with oversimplified modeling and accurate simulation results. The optimal approach provides an accurate and efficient method for reflector assembly sequence planning indicated by the comparison of the measurements and calculation results. Originality/value - The results also demonstrate that the proposed approach has practical significance for guiding reflector assembly in engineering practice.