CAD AND CAM INTEGRATION

 After a part has been designed, it is

converted to a finished product by a
manufacturing process using CAD-CAM.
 CAM software includes:
– computer-aided process planning (CAPP)
systems in the process planning phase;
– NC software, for programming numerically
controlled machine tools in the production
phase;

1
CAD AND CAM INTEGRATION
– Inspection software for use in the inspection
phase; and
– Software for programming robots, for use in the
assembly phase.
 In many CAD and CAM systems the CAD
and the CAM are poorly integrated.
Therefore stronger integration of CAD and
CAM is needed to increase productivity.

2
CAD AND CAM INTEGRATION
 The need to automate process planning is
the most urgent because that phase is the
bridge between design and manufacturing.
 Thus the primary research efforts at the
interface between CAD and CAM have
been in the development of computer-aided
process planning systems that attempt to
automate communication between product
engineers and manufacturing engineers.

3
 PROCESS PLANNING
 Process planning is the function in a
manufacturing facility that establishes
which processes and parameters are to be
used, as well as the machines performing
these processes.
 Alternatively, process planning can be
defined as the act of preparing detailed
work instructions to machine or assemble a
part or parts

4
 PROCESS PLANNING
 The process plan is sometimes called an
operation sheet, route sheet, or operation
planning summary.
 Figure 10.2 illustrates a process plan for
producing the part shown in Figure 10.3.
 In addition to operation sequencing and
operation selection, the selection or design
of tooling and jigs/fixtures is also a major
part of process planning.

5
 PROCESS PLANNING
Figure: 10.2

6
 PROCESS PLANNING
Figure: 10.3

7
 PROCESS PLANNING
 Many factors influence the process plan for
a part or an assembly. These factors include
the part geometry, the required accuracy
and surface finish, the quantity to be
produced, and the material to be used.
 For example, a very smooth surface finish
may call for a grinding operation, whereas a
less fine finish may require a turning
operation, for the same part geometry.

8
 PROCESS PLANNING
 Similarly, small numbers of a part may be
produced by a machining process, whereas
large numbers may be produced by a
forming process using a die.

9
 MANUAL APPROACH
 In the manual approach a skilled individual,
often a former machinist, examines the
drawing of a part and develops the
necessary instructions for the process plan.
 The process plan being generated can be
elaborate or simply an aggregation of
individual operation descriptions,
depending on the shop environment.

10
 MANUAL APPROACH
 For a model shop, where all the machinists
are highly skilled the process plan is usually
nothing but a list of workstation routes and
the details are left to the machinists.
 To develop process plans for new products.
process planners often follow more or less a
consistent set of steps.
 Study the overall shape of the part.

11
 MANUAL APPROACH
 Identify datum surfaces and determine
setups from this information.
 Identify part features. Typical features and
sub features for machining are illustrated in
Figures 10.4 and 10.5, respectively.
 Group the part features based on the
required setups.
 Order the sequence of the operations.

12
TYPICAL MACHINING FEATURES

13
TYPICAL MACHINING
SUBFEATURES

14
 MANUAL APPROACH
 Select tools for each operation.
 Select or design fixtures for each setup.
 Make a final check on the plan.
 Prepare the final process plan document.
 We can illustrate manual process planning by
following these steps in the next Example.

15
Process Plan Example

16
 PROCESS PLANNING
Figure: 10.3

17
 Prepare a process plan for the part shown
in Figure 10.6. Assume that precut bar
stock and only conventional machine tools
are used.

18
 MANUAL APPROACH
 Figure 10.6

19
 MANUAL APPROACH
 ANSWER
 The part is a rotational component, so a lathe
most likely will be used. The datum surfaces
S1 and S2 indicated in Figure 10.7 can be
machined in one setup in the lathe operation.
 However, at least two setups are required
because of the threaded area. Specifically,
part features S1, S2, S3, S4, and S5 can be
machined in one setup and S6 and S7
machined in the other setup.

20
PART FEATURES TO BE
MACHINED

21
 MANUAL APPROACH
 In addition, the holes S8 cannot be drilled
on a lathe, and thus we need one more setup
for a drill press. Therefore the following
sequence of operations can be used to
produce the part.

22
 MANUAL APPROACH
 Setup 1
– Chuck the workpiece on S6.
– Turn S3 to a 100 mm diameter. Face S1.
– Core drill S2.
– Counter bore S4 and S5.
 Setup 2
– Chuck the workpiece on S3.
– Turn S6 to 50 mm diameter.
– Undercut the neck.
– Thread S6. Face S7.

23
 MANUAL APPROACH
 Setup 3
– Locate the workpiece, using S 1 and S2.
– Mark six holes, S8.
– Center drill and drill six holes, S8.
 The elaborate process plans require,
selection of tools and parameters.

24
 VARIANT APPROACH
 There are two approaches used to develop
using computer-aided process planning
(CAPP):
– The variant approach is a semi automated
computer-aided process planning (CAPP).
– Whereas, generative approach is a fully
automated process plan development method.

25
 VARIANT APPROACH
 The variant approach can be regarded as an
advanced manual approach in which the planner's
memory retrieval process is aided by the computer.
 In this approach the planner's workbook is stored
in the computer file.
 A typical process plan of a similar part can then be
retrieved automatically from the computer file and
the retrieved process plan can be edited
interactively for the specific part being planned.

26
 VARIANT APPROACH
 Thus a variant system requires a database
containing a standard process plan for each
family of parts.
 Such a plan consists of all instructions that
would be included in a process plan for any
part in that family.
 The parts are classified by family, using the
group technology concept.

27
 VARIANT APPROACH
 In group technology, each part is assigned a
code based on its features, and the parts are
grouped into a family according to their
codes. Group technology has been
discussed previously.

28
 VARIANT APPROACH
 A process plan is developed in the variant
approach as follows.
 The process planning task for a new part
starts with coding, which is equivalent to
describing the part using the group
technology concept.
 Then the part is assigned to the proper
family according to its code.

29
 VARIANT APPROACH
 The standard process plan for this family
can then be retrieved from the computer.
 This plan contains general instructions for
handling all the parts in the family,
however, some editing may be required for
the specific part of interest.
 The editing can easily be performed with
the editing capabilities provided in the
variant systems.

30
 VARIANT APPROACH
 Often very little editing is required because the
new plan is simply a variation of the standard
process plan.
 Consequently, considerable time is saved in
preparing the plan, and the resulting plans are
much more consistent than those prepared
manually.
 If the part being planned cannot be assigned to
an existing family of parts, the planner can
develop a new standard process plan
interactively.
31
 COMPUTER-AIDED PROCESS
PLANNING SYSTEMS
 Most existing computer-aided process planning
systems based on the variant approach are: CAM-
1 CAPP, Ml PLAN, MITURN, MIAPP,
ACUDATA/UNIVATION, CINTURN, and COM­
CAPPV).

32
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 The CAM-1 CAPP system was developed
from CAM-1 in 1976.
 CAM-1 CAPP is a database management
system written in FORTRAN;
 It provides a structure for a database,
retrieval logic, and interactive editing
capability.
 The coding scheme for part classification
and the output format are added by the user.

33
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 Thus a coding scheme tailored to the user's
specific environment is allowed if the code
is not longer than 36 digits. For example,
Lockheed-Georgia used a modified Opitz
code for its CAPP system.
 The CAM-1 CAPP coding scheme also
allows the user to use any existing GT
system.

34
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 For each family of parts, a standard process
plan is maintained in a standard sequence
file. The detailed description of each op
code is stored in the operation plan file.
 In each family matrix file, the matrix
defines which parts belong to that family
from the codes assigned to the parts by the
coding system.

35
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 One such matrix is illustrated in Figure
10.9.
 The columns represent the positions of the
digits in the group technology code, and the
rows represent the digits that can be
assigned to any one position for the code.
 In this case, the group technology code
comprises five positions, and each position
can have a value of 0-9.

36
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 Figure 10.9: A part family matrix

1 2 3 4 5
0
1 x
2 x x
3 x x
4 x
5 x x
6 x x
7 x
8
9
37
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 The matrix in Figure 10.9 shows that the
parts represented by the codes 31632,
32646, and 35638, for example, belong to
the same family.

38
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 A process plan is generated by a CAM-1
CAPP system in four main and 7 detailed
steps, as illustrated in Figure 10.8.
 Step 1: After the part being planned has
been classified by family, a search for the
part family is performed by the system,
using the stored part family matrix and the
code of the part.

39
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 A graphical description of the CAM-1
CAPP system is shown in Figure 10.8.

40
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 Step 2: The planner inputs the header
information to identify the process plan
being generated. The header information
includes the part number, material, planner,
part name, and revision.
 Step 3: The operation sequence required to
manufacture a part, sometimes called a
routing, is generated by editing the general
op sequence file.
 Sample op codes are shown in Figure 10.10.
41
 CAM-1 CAPP system
Figure 10.10: Sample op codes
10 RAWMTL
20 SAWBAR
30 CNCLATH
40 INSP
50 HTRT
60 SAND

42
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 70 HOB
 80 NCLATH
 90 DEBUR
 100 CNCGRIND
 110 SLURRY
 120 INSP
 130 LASERMK
 140 PKG

43
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 Step 4: The text describing the work performed at each
operation is then created and/or edited.
 Figure 10.11 illustrates the operation plan for an op code
CNCLATH.
 Step 5: Once an operation plan has been completed for
each operation, the operation plans of all the op codes
are merged to form the complete process plan. .
 Step 6: The operation plan created are then formatted.
 Step 7: The formatted operation plan is then saved or
printed.

44
Figure 10.11

45
 CAM-1 CAPP system
 A graphical description of the CAM-1
CAPP system is shown in Figure 10.8.

46
 MIPLAN and MultiCAPP
 MIPLAN and MultiCAPP were developed
in conjunction with the Organization for
Industrial Research, Inc. Both are variant
systems that use the MICLASS coding
system for part description.
 Process plan retrieval is based on part
code, part number, family matrix, and
code range.

47
 MIPLAN and Multi-CAPP
 Part code input results in retrieval of similar
parts, and each process plan displayed can
be subsequently edited by the planner.
 These systems are similar to the CAM-1
CAPP system with MICLASS embedded as
part of the system.

48
GENERATIVE APPROACH
 In the generative approach, a process plan
is generated automatically from engineering
specifications of the finished part.
 The first step in generating a process plan
for a new part using a generative system is
to enter the engineering specifications into
the system. Ideally, these specifications
would be read directly from a CAD
database.

49
GENERATIVE APPROACH
 For this to occur, the generative CAPP system
must have the ability to recognize the
machining features of a part, such as a hole,
slot, pocket, etc.
 However, the design features used in the
feature-based modeling system may still have to
be converted to the proper machining features.
 Some design features have one-to-one
correspondence with machining features, but
many require a complicated process.

50
GENERATIVE APPROACH
 In addition, feature information alone does
not provide all the information necessary
for process planning.
 For example, most CAD models do not
contain tolerance and materials information,
which must be provided manually. These
are some of the reasons why a truly
automatic generative process planning
system has not yet been developed.

51
 GENERATIVE APPROACH
 Instead, a manual approach to coding the
engineering specifications of the part is
often used.
 The coding scheme utilized must define all
the geometric features and their associated
details, such as locations, tolerances, and
sizes.
 The coded data are accompanied by textual
information. Additionally, the shape of the
raw stock must be provided.
52
GENERATIVE APPROACH
 The second step is to transform the coded
data and accompanying textual information
into a detailed process plan.
 During this phase, the best sequence of
operations and the detailed conditions for
each operation must be determined.
 These conditions include tooling, fixtures,
gauges, clamping, feeds, and speeds.

53
GENERATIVE APPROACH
 A large database and complex built-in
decision logic would certainly be required
to generate a process plan for an arbitrarily
complex parts at this level of detail.
 As a result, the generative approach has
been restricted to special classes of parts
that have a relatively limited set of part
features.

54
 COMPUTER-AIDED PROCESS
PLANNING SYSTEMS
 Some systems based on the generative approach
are: CPPP. AUTAP, APPAS, GENPLAN, CAR,
MetCAPP, and ICEM-PART.

55
 MetCAPP
 MetCAPP is a typical CAPP system based
on the generative approach.
 MetCAPP generates a process plans as
follows:
 First, the feature extraction module in
MetCAPP extracts the feature information
from a geometric model created by a CAD
system.

56
 MetCAPP
 Once the machining features have been
identified, it uses the inference rules stored
in the knowledge base to determine the
machining methods and their orders.
 MetCAPP can be classified as a knowledge-
based generative CAPP system.
 It can also estimate the machining cost and
time from the generated process plans.

57
 MetCAPP
 Currently, MetCAPP has the inference rules
and the necessary data for milling, turning,
and hole making processes in its knowledge
base.

58
 ICEM-PART
 ICEM-PART was originally developed at
the Laboratory of Production and Design
Engineering of University of Twente in
Holland and then later commercialized by
ICEM.
 It is a generative CAPP system, mainly used
for machining 21/2 dimensional prismatic
parts.

59
 ICEM-PART
 ICEM-PART generates a process plan as follows.
– First, it reads a geometric model in either ACIS format
or STEP AP203/AP214 format and extracts the
machining features.
– Then it selects the setup, cutter, and machine tool
automatically and suggests the optimal order of
processing.
– It also generates the NC tool paths for each machining
feature.
– ICEM-PART is an example of CAD/CAPP/CAM
integration.

60