Process Planning

Process Planning refers to a set of

instructions that are used to make a
component or a part so that the design
specifications are met.
Input: Final Design

Output: Process Plan/ Route Sheet

A process plan lists a sequence of manufacturing and assembly

operations that will be used to produce the part or assembly. For
each operation, it describes details such as which material will be
used, which machine will be used, which settings, etc.

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Example of a Process Plan

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 Process Planning Automation
There are three approaches to Process Planning:

a) Manual Process Planning

1 • Manual Approach
Not Computer-Aided.
b) Computer Aided Process Planning
2 • Variant Approach
Computers store/match existing process plans.
3 • Generative Approach
Computers generate a process plan from scratch.
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 Manual Approach
The process plan is developed by a skilled
planner who is familiar with the company’s
manufacturing capabilities.
 most widely used method
 time consuming
 inconsistent plans
 requires highly skilled,
therefore, costly planners

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The development of process plans involves a
number of activities:

 Analysis of part – (Features, dimensions & tolerances)

 Selection of raw workpiece – (Shape, size & material)
 Determining manufacturing operations and their
sequences
 Selection of machine tools – (Based on type of workpiece,
prodn volume and type of machine)
 Selection of tools, workholding devices, and
inspection equipment
 Determining machining conditions (Cutting speed, feed
and depth of cut) and manufacturing time

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If the process planner’s productivity is
significantly improved:

 More time can be spent on methods,

improvements and cost-reduction activities.
 Routings can be consistently optimized.
 Manufacturing instructions can be provided in
greater detail
 Preproduction lead times can be reduced.
 Responsiveness to engineering changes can
be increased.

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Automated process planning

CAM
CAD Process design
Process planning (CNC
Conceptual design codes)
Mathematical analysis Tool selection
Geometric data Facilities management
(graphical
representation)

CAPP
COMPUTER
AIDED
PROCESS
PLANNING

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 Introduction to CAPP
38.6 Computer-Aided Process Planning (CAPP)
 Computer Aided Process Planning (CAPP) is concerned with
selecting methods of production: tooling, fixtures, machinery,
sequence of operations, and assembly.
 When done manually by process planners, this task is highly labor-
intensive and time-consuming and relies heavily on their
experience.
 In CAPP individual steps involved in making each part are
coordinated with others and are performed efficiently and reliably.
 CAPP is effective particularly in small-volume, high-variety parts
production.

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 COMPUTER-AIDED PROCESS PLANNING
METHOD:

 it can systematically produce accurate and

consistent process plans
 it can reduce the cost and lead time of process
planning
 less skilled process planners may be employed
 it increases the productivity of process planners
 manufacturing cost, manufacturing lead time and
work standards can easily be interfaced with the
CAPP system

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There are two basic methods used in computer-
aided process planning:

1. Variant CAPP method

2. Generative CAPP method

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The Variant CAPP Method:

In the variant approach, parts that have

similar features are grouped into families.
There is a “standard” plan for each family.

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 Operational Stages of Variant Process Planning System:
a) Preparatory Stage -
1. Existing components are coded, classified and subsequently grouped into
families.
2. A family matrix is formed.
3. Standard plans are then stored in a database and indexed by family matrices.
b) Production Stage -
1. Identify important features of part.
2. Identify which family a part belongs to.
3. Retrieve the “standard” plan.
4. Edit the “standard” plan if required.

Note: If the part does not belong to an existing family, a new “standard” plan
needs to be developed.

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The Variant CAPP Method:

User enters Part family Part

Search Family
part code
matrix file

Standard
Machine routing Machine
retrieve routing file

Standard
operation Operation
retrieve/edit Sequence file

Process plan Other

Process Plan Application
formatter
programs 13
Advantages of variant process planning:

 efficientprocessing and evaluation of

complicated activities and decisions, thus
reducing the time and labor requirements
 standardized procedures by structuring
manufacturing knowledge of the process
planers to company’s needs
 lower development and hardware costs and
shorter development times

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Disadvantages of variant process planning:

 maintaining consistency in editing is difficult

 it is difficult to adequately accommodate various
combinations of
 material,
 geometry,
 size,
 precision,
 quality,
 alternative processing sequences,
 machine loading
 The quality of the final process plan generated
depends to a large extent on the knowledge and
the experience of the process planners

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 The Generative CAPP Method:
In generative approach process plans are generated by means of decision
logic, formulas, technology algorithms, and geometry based data to
perform uniquely the processing decisions for converting a part from raw
material to finished state.

It requires the computer to perform these steps:

1. Enter design specification:

- input/recognize stock material
- recognize machining features
2. Generate process plan
– determine optimal setups
– determine optimal sequence of operations
– determine optimal fixture types and locations

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Generative CAPP
The Generative Approach is not widely used
because:
- required information (such as tolerances) are not
usually available in the CAD model
- a lot of knowledge must be added to the system
to make it capable of handling all the different
types of parts that occur.
- evaluating all the combinations of possibilities is
computationally intense.
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The Generative CAPP Method:

User starts Get the drawing Part

file Family
software
matrix file

Std keyway and spline Std shaft size

dimensions Feature
extraction
Std thread size
Std tolerances
Analysis,
recognition and M/c database
Cutting time arrangement of
calculation module features
Tool database
Process
Process Plan
plan
output
development
Cutting parameters
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 Computer-Integrated Manufacturing
(CIM)

 Computerized
integration
 Instantaneous
communication of
subsystems
 Can be expensive
Computer-Integrated Manufacturing
(CIM)
 Computer-Integrated Manufacturing
(CIM)

Benefits:
 Better process control

 Product quality

 Efficiency

 Total control