A genetic algorithm-based fixture locating positions and clamping schemes optimization

Abstract

Optimizing the locator positions and clamping schemes of a fixture was proven to improve the dimensional and form accuracy of a workpiece significantly. A number of approaches have been developed to optimize the designs of sheet-metal assembly fixtures and machining fixtures. However, in these previous works, the optimal selection of the positions of locators and clamps were based on a stationary set of locator and clamp conditions; i.e. the numbers of the locators and clamps were fixed during optimization. This paper proposes a genetic algorithm (GA)-based optimization method to select automatically the optimal numbers of locators and clamps as well as their optimal positions in sheet-metal assembly fixtures, such that the workpiece deformation due to the gravity effect and resulting variation due to part dimensional variation are simultaneously minimized. The application result of a real industrial part demonstrated that the proposed algorithm effectively achieves the objective.