Method and system for optimizing a manufacturing process

A computing device operable for optimizing manufacturing data in a subtractive manufacturing system, the manufacturing system being arranged to manufacture an object based on a three-dimensional model, the object having a plurality of features, the computing device comprising:

• processing circuitry ;
• and
• a memory , said memory containing instructions executable by said processing circuitry , whereby said computing device is operative for:
• obtaining a model of and tolerance requirements for the object to be manufactured;
• performing measurements on the manufacturing system in a static condition, in order to obtain static system information, the static system information describing positions and dimensions of components in the manufacturing system;
• simulating a manufacturing process in the subtractive manufacturing system using the obtained static information, in order to obtain runtime information, the runtime information describing behavior of the manufacturing system during a manufacturing process;
• determining which manufacturing data is responsible for producing each feature of the object in a manufactured object;
• simulating manufacturing of the object using the obtained static information and the obtained runtime information;
• comparing the simulated finished product of the object with the three-dimensional model of the object;
• detecting a deviation between the simulated finished product and the obtained tolerance requirements comprised in the model of the object;
• and
• based on the detected deviation and the determination of which manufacturing data is responsible for producing each feature, optimizing the manufacturing data such that an object manufactured based on the optimized manufacturing data complies with the obtained tolerance requirements.

A computer program including computer readable code means to be run in the computing device, which computer readable code means when run in the computing device causes the computing device to perform the following steps:

• obtaining a model of and tolerance requirements for the object to be manufactured;
• performing measurements on the manufacturing system in a static condition in order to obtain static system information, the static system information describing the positions and dimensions of components in the manufacturing system;
• simulating a manufacturing process in the subtractive manufacturing system using the obtained static information in order to obtain runtime information, the runtime information describing the behavior of the manufacturing system during a manufacturing process;
• determining which manufacturing data is responsible for producing each feature of the object in a manufactured object;
• simulating manufacturing of the object using the obtained static information and the obtained runtime information;
• comparing the simulated finished product of the object with the three-dimensional model of the object;
• detecting a deviation between the simulated finished product and the obtained tolerance requirements comprised in the model of the object;
• and
• based on the detected deviation and the determination of which manufacturing data is responsible for producing each feature, optimizing the manufacturing data such that an object manufactured based on the optimized manufacturing data complies with the obtained tolerance requirements.