Application of neural networks to an expert system for cold forging

The technique of neural networks is applied to an expert system for cold forging in order to increase the consultation speed and to provide more reliable results. A three-layer neural network is used and the back-propagation algorithm is employed to train the network.

By utilizing the ability of pattern recognition of neural networks, a system is constructed to relate the shapes of rotationally symmetric products to their forming methods. The cross-sectional shapes of the products which can be formed by one blow are transformed into 16 × 16 black and white points and are given to the input layer. After learning about 23 products, the system is able to determine the forming methods for the products which are exactly the same or slightly different from the products used in the network training. To exploit the self-learning ability, the neural networks are applied to the prediction of the most probable number of forming steps, from information about the complexity of the product shape and the materials of the die and billet, and also to the generation of rules from the knowledge acquired from an FEM simulation. It is found that the prediction of the most probable number of forming steps can be made successfully and that the FEM results are represented better by the neural networks than by the statistical methods.