A case-based reasoning approach towards learning from experience connecting design and shop floor

Many problems in manufacturing cannot be completely covered by theoretical models but can only be solved with the help of experience. This paper presents a case-based reasoning approach towards systems that learn from experience, A case-based decision support system for design aids the designing engineer to choose working principles for functions of a product based on prior experiences with them. A diagnostic system supports fault detection on the shop floor, The two systems work together, forming quality control loops breaking from taylorism. A prototypical implementation to evaluate the concept was built up for the domain of injection mold design and the injection molding process. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.