11. Computer Aided Design of Tools, Dies, and Moulds (TDMs)

In a manufacturing process, a machine tool makes physical contacts with workpieces. Part features are determined by (i) the specified tool geometries and (ii) the relative motions of tooling with respect to a workpiece in manufacturing processes. Different manufacturing processes or products need different types of tools; for example, a material removal process needs cutting tools, an injection moulding or casting process needs moulds, a metal forming process needs dies, and an inspecting process needs probes. In design tooling for a manufacturing process, the required functions, constraints, and objectives are driven by the features, geometry, dimensions, and design intents of products. Therefore, the knowledge-based engineering (KBE) approach is an effective means to transform product information into the requirements, design constraints, and objectives of moulds and dies.