NEW PRODUCTION COST-TOLERANCE MODELS FOR TOLERANCE SYNTHESIS

Several new production cost-tolerance models and a hybrid-model tolera nce optimization formulation for tolerance synthesis are presented. Th ese new models are introduced based upon the empirical cost-tolerance data of typical production processes, including hole producing, turnin g, milling, grinding and casting. The introduced models fit empirical cost-tolerance data with considerably less errors, and provide more re liable results for tolerance synthesis. In addition, the hybrid-model tolerance optimization formulation provides further modeling error red uction. The systematic evaluation of various cost-tolerance models pro vides model selection guidelines for tolerance synthesis. A typical to lerance design example is used to illustrate the method.