Key assembly structure identification in complex mechanical assembly based on multi-source information

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to find a method for key assembly structure identification in complex mechanical assembly. Three-dimensional model reuse plays an increasingly important role in complex product design and innovative design. Assembly model has become important resource of models reuse in enterprises, which contains certain function assembly structures. These assembly structures implicating plenty of design intent and design experience knowledge can be used to support function-structure design, modular design reuse and semantics analysis for complex product. Design/methodology/approach - A method for identifying key assembly structures in assembly model is presented from the viewpoint of assembly topology and multi-source attributes. First, assembly model is represented based on complex network. Then, a two-level evaluation model is put forward to evaluate importance of parts assembled, and the key function parts in assembly can be obtained. After that, on the basis of the function parts, a heuristic algorithm upon breadth first searching is given to identify key assembly structures. Findings - The method could be used to evaluate key function parts and identify key assembly structures in complex mechanical assembly according to the specific circumstances. Practical implications - The method can not only help designers find the key assembly structure in complex mechanical assembly model, facilitate the function-structure designing and semantics analyzing, and thereby improve the efficiency of product knowledge reuse, but also assist in analyzing influence scope of key function part changing and optimization of the assembly process for complex mechanical assembly. Originality/value - The paper is the first to propose a method for key assembly structure identification in complex mechanical assembly, where the key function parts can be evaluated through a two-level evaluation model, and the key assembly structures are identified automatically based on complex network.