Expert system for mold quotation

Abstract

The biggest challenge for any company in the process of making an offer to a potential client is to determine the cost and the time required for item machining. This is especially apparent for mold tool calculation, because the production of only one part requires the development and design of several dozen items. Only a small portion of the quotations result in an order and this is the main reason why calculations must be done as quickly as possible, with minimal engagement of resources and all of this has to be done without a detailed tool design. Mold manufacturers usually “estimate” the tool price, with calculation methods based on previous experience, comparison with similar cases or by using some parameters, like mass, overall dimensions etc. This is a quick way of getting results, but it comes with a large estimation range, varying up to ± 50%. The most precise estimation method would be the one that includes a detailed calculation of all costs and the time required time for item machining. In this case, the estimation range can be as low as ± 5%. This is the main need in preparing and establishing a computer aided system for mold calculation and quote preparation, based on systematized knowledge that eliminates all subjective factors and the possibility of something being missed.