An integrated application for historical knowledge management with mould design navigating process

In a knowledge-based economy, in addition to capital, equipment, land and natural resources, the preservation and application of technology are crucial to the development of various enterprises. This study used webpage technology, combined with ontology, computer-aided design (CAD) secondary development tools and knowledge management, to construct the knowledge classification of the historical knowledge platform of plastic injection products. Meanwhile, by recording relevant product information and issues encountered in design, this study achieved standardisation and knowledge to facilitate the design, manufacturing and testing of moulds through the mould design navigating process. Valuable hand-on knowledge in the design process was accumulated to provide knowledge assistance in follow-up product and mould designs, preventing costs from improper designs and in this case effectively shortening design time by 26%. Also, the historical knowledge platform can be applied in various design stages of plastic injection moulding products. This integration could considerably improve and optimise the production efficiency of the mould industry. The proposed knowledge platform in this study could better meet the urgent needs of the mould industry, and bring competitive advantages to enterprises.