Computer Aided Process

Planning

Laukik P Raut
Department of Mechanical Engineering

3/27/2017 13 - 1
 PROCESS ENGINEERING
• Process planning is also called: manufacturing planning, process
planning, material processing, process engineering, and machine
routing.

• Which machining processes and parameters are to be used (as well

as those machines capable of performing these processes) to
convert (machine) a piece part from its initial form to a final form
predetermined (usually by a design engineer) from an engineering
drawing.

• The act of preparing detailed work instructions to produce a part.

PRODUCT REALIZATION
Product design

Process,
machine
Process planning knowledge

Operation programming

Verification

Scheduling Scheduling
knowledge

Execution
 PROCESS PLANNING

Design Machine
Tool

Process
Planning

Scheduling and Production Control

 How do we process engineer?

• How can we make it?

• How much does it cost?
• How long will it take us to complete it?
• How reliable will it be?
• How can we recycle it
 How can we make it?

• Is this like something else that we’ve done?

– Yes; What methods were used?

– No; Design a new process

 What methods were used?

• Machining methods
• Pressworking
• Welding/fabrication
• Casting
• Powder materials
• Layered deposition
• Others
 Welding/fabrication:
Additive techniques

Final Product
Weld Weld
Initial Add-on Add-on
Stock
 Machining Methods:
Subtractive techniques

Final Product
Initial Slotting Drilling
Stock
 Casting:
Form Methods
ENGINEERING DESIGN MODELING
2" +0 .01
-0.01 0.0 01 A B

10 "+0 .01
-0.01

4" +0 .01
-0.01

7" +0 .05
-0.05

3" +0 .01
-0.01 B
1'-4" +0 .01
-0.01 5" +0 .01
-0.01

U*
S.F. 64 u inch

Fa c e

Lo o p - *

Ed g e

V e rt e x
CSG MODEL
B-REP MODEL
 INTERACTION OF
PLANNING FUNCTIONS
SETUP PLANNING
GEOMETRIC REASONING • feature relationship
• approach directions
• process constraints
PROCESS SELECTION • fixture constraints
• process capability
• process cost FIXTURE PLANNING
• fixture element function
• locating, supporting, and
CUTTER SELECTION clamping surfaces
• available tools • stability
• tool dimension and geometry
• geometric constraints
CUTTER PATH GENERATION
MACHINE TOOL SELECTION • feature merging and split
• machine availability, cost • path optimization
• machine capability • obstacle and interference
avoidance
 PROCESS PLAN

• Also called : operation sheet, route sheet, operation planning

summary, or another similar name.
• The detailed plan contains:
route
processes
process parameters
machine and tool selections
fixtures
• How detail the plan is depends on the application.
• Operation: a process
• Operation Plan (Op-plan): contains the description of an operation,
includes tools, machines to be used, process parameters,
machining time, etc.
• Op-plan sequence: Summary of a process plan.
 EXAMPLE PROCESS PLANS
Route Sheet by: T.C. Chang

Part No. S1243

Part Name: Mounting Bracket
workstation Time(min)
1. Mtl Rm
2. Mill02 5 Detailed Process Plan
3. Drl01 4
4. Insp 1
PROCESS PLAN ACE Inc.
Part No. S0125-F Material: steel 4340Si
Part Name: Housing
Oper. Routing Summary Original: S.D. Smart Date: 1/1/89 Changes: Date:
Checked: C.S. Good Date: 2/1/89 Approved: T.C. Chang Date: 2/14/89

No. Operation Workstation Setup Tool Time

Description (Min)

10 Mill bottom surface1 MILL01 see attach#1 Face mill 3 setup

for illustration 6 teeth/4" dia 5 machining
20 Mill top surface MILL01 see attach#1 Face mill 2 setup
6 teeth/4" dia 6 machining
30 Drill 4 holes DRL02 set on surface1 twist drill 2 setup
1/2" dia 3 machining
2" long
 FACTORS AFFECTING PROCESS
PLAN SELECTION
• Shape
• Tolerance
• Surface finish
• Size
• Material type
• Quantity
• Value of the product
• Urgency
• Manufacturing system itself etc
PROCESS PLANNING CLASSIFICATION
• MANUAL

• COMPUTER-AIDED
VARIANT
GT based
Computer aids for editing
Parameters selection

GENERATIVE
Some kind of decision logic
Decision tree/table
Artificial Intelligence

• AUTOMATIC
Design understanding
Geometric reasoning capability
 REQUIREMENTS IN
MANUAL PROCESS PLANNING
• ability to interpret an engineering drawing.
• familiar with manufacturing processes and
practice.
• familiar with tooling and fixtures.
• know what resources are available in the shop.
• know how to use reference books, such as
machinability data handbook.
• able to do computations on machining time and
cost.
• familiar with the raw materials.
• know the relative costs of processes, tooling, and
raw materials.
 PROCESS PLANNING STEPS
• Study the overall shape of the part. Use this
information to classify the part and determine the type
of workstation needed.
• Thoroughly study the drawing. Try to identify every
manufacturing features and notes.
• If raw stock is not given, determine the best raw
material shape to use.
• Identify datum surfaces. Use information on datum
surfaces to determine the setups.
• Select machines for each setup.
• For each setup determine the rough sequence of
operations necessary to create all the features.
 PROCESS PLANNING STEPS
(continue)
• Sequence the operations determined in the
previous step.
• Select tools for each operation. Try to use the same
tool for several operations if it is possible. Keep in
mind the trade off on tool change time and
estimated machining time.
• Select or design fixtures for each setup.
• Evaluate the plan generate thus far and make
necessary modifications.
• Select cutting parameters for each operation.
• Prepare the final process plan document.
 COMPUTER-AIDED
PROCESS PLANNING

ADVANTAGES

1. It can reduce the skill required of a planner.

2. It can reduce the process planning time.
3. It can reduce both process planning and
manufacturing cost.
4. It can create more consistent plans.
5. It can produce more accurate plans.
6. It can increase productivity.
 WHY AUTOMATED
PROCESS PLANNING
• Shortening the lead-time
• Lowering the production cost
• Consistent process plans
PROCESS PLANNING

Design Machining features

Workpiece Selection
Process Selection
Tool Selection
Feed, Speed Selection
Operation Sequencing
Setup Planning
Fixturing Planning
Part Programming
VARIANT PROCESS PLANNING

part part standard Standard

coding family plan process
formation preparation plans &
individual
process
plans
part part process
coding family plan
search retrieval

finished process
process plan
plan editing

GROUP TECHNOLOGY BASED RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH
THE VARIANT APPROACH
1. The components to be planned are limited to
similar components previously planned.
2. Experienced process planners are still
required to modify the standard plan for the
specific component.
3. Details of the plan cannot be generated.
4. Variant planning cannot be used in an
entirely automated manufacturing system,
without additional process planning.
 ADVANTAGES OF THE
VARIANT APPROACH

1. Once a standard plan has been written, a variety

of components can be planned.
2. Comparatively simple programming and
installation (compared with generative systems)
is required to implement a planning system.
3. The system is understandable, and the planner
has control of the final plan.
4. It is easy to learn, and easy to use.
 GENERATIVE APPROACH
A system which automatically synthesizes a
process plan for a new component.

MAJOR COMPONENTS:
(i) part description
(ii) manufacturing databases
(iii) decision making logic and
algorithms
 ADVANTAGES OF THE
GENERATIVE APPROACH
1. Generate consistent process plans rapidly;

2. New components can be planned as easily as

existing components;

3. It has potential for integrating with an

automated manufacturing facility to provide
detailed control information.
 KEY DEVELOPMENTS

1. The logic of process planning must be

identified and captured.

2. The part to be produced must be clearly and

precisely defined in a computer-compatible
format

3. The captured logic of process planning and the

part description
 PRODUCT REPRESENTATION
Geometrical information
Part shape
Design features
Technological information
Tolerances
Surface quality (surface finish, surface integrity)
Special manufacturing notes
Etc.
"Feature information"
Manufacturing features
e.g. slots, holes, pockets, etc.
 SPECIAL LANGUAGE

1. 2
1 +.001
-.001

K5 10 CYLINDER/3,1/
11 DFIT/K,5/
3 2. 5 12 CHAMFER/.2,2.6/
20 CYLINDER/2.5,1.2/
21 LTOL/+0.001,-0.001/

.2x2.6

AUTAP
CIMS/PRO REPRESENTATION

a2 a3
a4
a1
t
a5
sweep
direction
Y a6 Z
 BACKWARD PLANNING
.

B o rin g

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Drillin g
Fi n is h e d

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Mi l l i n g

Wo rk p ie c e
 Forward and Backward Planning: →

• In generative process planning, when process

plans are generated, the system must define an
initial state in order to reach the final state (goal).
The path taken represents the sequence of
processes.

• For example, the initial state is the raw

material and the finial state is the component
design.

• Then the planner works in modifying the raw

materials until it takes on the final design qualities.
3/27/2017
This is called forward planning . 13 - 33
 • Backward planning uses a reverse
procedure.

• Assuming that we have a finished

component, the goal is to back to the
unmachined work piece.

• Each machining process is considered filling

process.

• Forward and backward planning may seem

similar – However they affect the
programming of the system significantly.

3/27/2017 13 - 34
 • Planning each process can be characterized
by a precondition of the surface to be
machined and a post condition of machining
(it results)

• For forward planning, we must know the

successor surface before we select a
process, because the condition of the first
process becomes the precondition for
second process.

• Backward Planning eliminates these

conditioning problems since it begins with
the final surfaces from and process are
selected to satisfy the initial requirements.
3/27/2017 13 - 35
 • In forward Planning, the objective surface must be
taken to plan the result.

• On the other hand, Backward Planning stands

with the final requirements and searches for the
initial condition .

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