Design and Manufacturing Optimization of Single-Cylinder Engine Block Prototype Using CATIA Environment

Abstract

This paper presents a complex project, implemented in CATIA V5 environment, used for mechanical design and prototype obtaining of the single-cylinder engine block. The main features which are implemented allow reducing the time for design, using the end user design parameters for the prototype manufacturing, reducing the material consumption, optimization of the numerical control technology for milling process. The paper also presents a software system, developed with Visual Basic in CATIA environment, which can be used to automate the process of 3D model generating, creating the data files for rapid prototyping equipments, designing of CNC machining technology, and automatic generating of the numeric control files for the milling process using multi-axes machining centre. The NC files are verified using simulation capabilities of the virtual environment provided by CATIA V5.