ETES - Extrusion Tools Expert Selector

ETES is an extrusion tool management environment maintaining a database of existing tools and automatically finding the most appropriate tools for reuse. Image processing, pattern matching and non-linear optimization techniques are utilized. The system has its own graphical editor and a database management system. The product has been marketed to extrusion tools manufacturers worldwide.

Extrusion Tools Expert Selector is part of an intelligent CAD/CAM system developed to design, manufacture and operate aluminum extrusion tools. ETES covers layout, geometry and tools management system. Its main features are:

• database with tool parameters and tool graphical design
• support of various types of extrusion tools: dies, backers, bolsters, etc.
• pattern matching for automatic selection of the best tools for reuse
• best fitting for tongues maximum support
• a finite-element analysis subsystem for stress analysis of critical areas (tongues)
• internal graphical editor for shapes editing and manual fitting of matched tools
• import/export from CAD/CAM files for seamless integration with existing software systems
• import from scanned images for easy data entry of tools for which designs in electronic form do not exist
• planning calculator for optimization of production parameters and costs
• internal graphical editor
• user friendly interface
• context sensitive help

ETES is developed to satisfy the specific needs of aluminum extrusion tooling. ETES facilitates and accelerates the production process. It also facilitates the design of tools and ensures low maintenance costs and competitive prices.

Although ETES operates a specific production process, it contains modules and algorithms which may have much more general use.

One of these modules is the pattern recognition module. It analysis complex graphical or multidimensional parametric information. Such analysis can be applied in:

• mail sorting
• inspection for quality control
• assembly of mechanical parts
• best fitting of mechanical parts
• analysis of aerial and satellite images
• analysis in nuclear physics
• automated radiograph scanning
• robotics system
• blood cell counting, etc.

The other module with generic application is the image processing module. It performs various manipulations to generate a vector representation of object shapes in an image. In combination with pattern matching, image processing can be used for classification and recognition of objects from photographs and other images.

ETES runs in MS Windows. The design of the system is object-oriented and is implemented in C++. CodeBase library is used for the database management.