Systems and methods for automated tube design

• US 5,768,149 A
• Filed: 12/20/1995
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wright, John J., Hall, Eric G.V., Ashton, Kenneth J., Umney, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOPPNOW, MATTHEW CLAY
• Application Number:
  US08/575,923
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 364/512, 364/518, 235/151.1, 395/500, 395/900, 395/902, 395/904, 395/919, 395/921, 395/964
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/10 Numerical modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2113/14 Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

A design system for designing a tube for a gas turbine engine is described. The system including, in one embodiment, a computer workstation having a plurality of executable modules stored therein. The modules include a tube design module for routing a tube between tube fittings, a tube editing module for editing tube assembly geometry, and a tube detailing module for preparing detail drawings.

Claims

1. A design system for designing a tube for a gas turbine engine, said design system comprising a computer workstation having a plurality of executable modules stored therein, said modules comprising:

a tube design module for routing a tube for the engine said tube design module comprising a fitting selection and placement routine;

a tube editing module for editing tube assembly geometry; and

a tube detailing module for preparing detail drawings.

2. A design system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said system is implemented as a user function sub-system to a computer aided design system.

3. A design system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said design system is implemented on a UNIX workstation.

4. A design system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tube design module comprises a tube parameter setting routine, a tube definition routine, a tube control point creation routine, a tube control point naming routine, an inspection coordinate system definition routine, a data file generation routine, a display symbols routine, and a validation routine.

5. A design system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tube editing module comprises an edit fitting section and an edit segment section.

6. A design module in accordance wtih claim 5 wherein said edit fitting section comprises a delete fitting routine and a transforming fitting routine.

7. A design module in accordance with claim 5 wherein said edit segment section comprises an edit tube parameters routine, a move fitting routine, an edit bend radius routine, a delete segment routine, a move vertex routine, a delete vertex routine, a connect tube to fitting routine, a disconnect tube routine, a split segment routine and a concatentating segements routine.

8. A design module in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tube detailing module for preparing detail drawings comprises a drawing format and annotation routine, a charts generation and placement routine, a tube view placement routine, a fitting view placement routine, a notes generation and placement routine, an item ballooning routine, a tube control point label placement routine, and a template drawing routine.

9. A computer for designing tubes for a gas turbine engine, said computer programmed to enable:

routing a tube along the engine;

selecting and placing fittings on the engine;

editing tube assembly geometry; and

preparing detail drawings of the tube.

10. A computer in accordance with claim 9 wherein said computer is programmed to selectably execute a tube parameter setting routine, a tube definition routine, a fitting selection and placement routine, a tube control point creation routine, a tube control point naming routine, an inspection coordinate system definition routine, a data file generation routine, a display symbols routine, and a validation routine.

11. A computer in accordance with claim 9 wherein for editing tube assembly geometry, said computer is programmed to selectably execute an edit fitting section and an edit segment section.

12. A computer with claim 11 wherein said edit fitting section comprises a delete fitting routine and a transforming fitting routine.

13. A computer in accordance with claim 11 wherein said edit segment section comprises an edit tube parameters routine, a move fitting routine, an edit bend radius routine, a delete segment routine, a move vertex routine, a delete vertex routine, a connect tube to fitting routine, a disconnect tube routine, a split segment routine and a concatentating segements routine.

14. A computer in accordance with claim 9 wherein for preparing detail drawings of the tube, said comptuer is programmed to selectably execute a drawing format and annotation routine, a charts generation and placement routine, a tube view placement routine, a fitting view placement routine, a notes generation and placement routine, an item ballooning routine, a tube control point label placement routine, and a template drawing routine.