A KNOWLEDGE-BASE FOR METAL WELDING PROCESS SELECTION

Metal welding process selection calls for extensive know-how which dea ls with a huge amount of knowledge. Hence, automation of knowledge thr ough a knowledge-based system will greatly enhance the decision-making process. This paper describes a knowledge-base system developed for i dentifying the most appropriate welding processes to suit specific cir cumstances. Here, 30 welding processes of industrial importance have b een incorporated into the system. In this study, only the product type and some of the process capabilities, namely material type, material thickness, method of use, quality level, joint type and welding positi on, are used to determine the best selection among competitive welding processes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.