AEX: a DFA analysis and advisor system

The concept of designing products for low cost and easy assembly operations is explained. The general system architecture and methodology of assembly expert (AEX), knowledge-based software under development that will assist the designer optimize product design with respect to low cost and easy assembly, are described. AEX is intended as a subsystem of a general CAD system, rather than a substitute for it. Results for the prototype system and the current status of the full-scale development of AEX are reported. The prototype shows that AEX is cleanly hierarchical and easily expandable, due to the hierarchical nature of the GT code part representation used.<>