Method and apparatus for evaluating the suitability of an article for a given operation.

摘要

An operability or processability evaluating method and apparatus for facilitating design evaluation even by an unskilled user by determining quantitatively and definitely evaluation indexes for article or a part or parts subjected to evaluation and relation between the evaluation index and cost/time involved in operation performed on the article or a part/part. States of the article or a part/part of concern corresponding to the kinds of operations such as processing, assembling or inspection are categorized into a variety of basic elements (mX) of which the element corresponding to a relatively simple state is defined as a standard element (mXo). An index formula is prepared for determining an index (m epsilon x) indicating degree of difficulty of operation by comparing cost (mCx) and/or time (mTx) involved in operation performed on the basic element (mX) or an index (mIx) thereof with those for the standard element. A program indicating relation between the basic elements (mX) and the indexes (m epsilon x) is stored in a memory (2). Standard article having predetermined states (mo, ao, m l b) serving as the standard for the article to be evaluated is previously defined. When the cost/time involved in the operation determined in accordance with the index formula in response to the input of the basic elements (mX) or indexes for the article/part subjected to evaluation by the user increases beyond the cost/time for the standard, an operability evaluation score (mEi) indicating difficulty of operation or processing is calculated in accordance with an arithmetic program on the basis of a predetermined evaluation standard value (100) to be subsequently displayed in an evaluation form desired by user.