Parametric modeling strategy for automatic product configuration

Once a new product has been designed, or when creating a new model, most of the times, variations are needed (different configurations) that allow us to study its behavior, feasibility, etc. In the way designers traditionally design, models and products are very rigid in the sense that, albeit certain modifications may be applied, they are not flexible enough to obtain the desired new product designs or configurations. This work presents a modeling strategy, which has been implemented by mean of rules using Autodesk Inventor's iLogic tool. This strategy considers the study of the parameters prior to modeling and the implementation of certain rules, which based on a few parameters, allow the complete generation of the new model or product automatically. To illustrate this strategy, a basic explosion engine with a V-cylinder arrangement has been used as an example of a product. With the modification of a minimum number of parameters through a user interface, the new product automatically varies in number of cylinders, their capacity, the stroke ratio and the V angle, what will allow their study through dynamic simulation and FEM of the new desired motor without the need to carry out modifications to the models or to create a new assembly of the product. This strategy has been implemented in the Graphic Engineering department and used for the training of students of the Degree in Engineering in Industrial Technologies.