SUMMARY Computer Aided Process Planning (CAPP) has been recognized as playing a key role in Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM). In the last two decades, a tremendous effort has been made in developing CAPP systems. However, the benefits of CAPP in the real industrial environment are still to be seen. In this paper, a comprehensive summary on the state-of-the-art and projection of future trends in CAPP is presented to help make decisions concerning CAPP implementation today and to aid in guiding research for tomorrow. We systematically overview the historical background of the development of CAPP and discuss the current techniques which includes the implementation approaches, GT technology, application of AI techniques, programming languages, etc., for implementation CAPP systems. About 14 well-known CAPP systems, which are based on the variant, generative or semi-generative approach, are briefly introduced in this paper. In total about 156 currently existing CAPP systems are listed in Table 1 in the ...

Computer Aided Process Planning: the state-of-the-art survey

State of The Art-Intense Review on Artificial Intelligence Systems Application in Process Planning and Manufacturing

This paper presents a review of knowledge-based expert systems for process planning and related methods and problems. It is based mainly on literature and partially on a questionnaire investigation carried out by the author. After a general presentation of process planning, the main problems are classified and the related methods and approaches for solving them are discussed. Finally, a list of fifty-two prototype systems is presented and their main characteristics are summarised in two tables.

A review of knowledge-based expert systems for process planning. Methods and problems

In this paper, an effort has been made for intense review on Knowledge-Based Expert System (KB-ES) applications in manufacturing planning. Uniqueness of the present review work is addressed in term...

Knowledge-based expert system in manufacturing planning: state-of-the-art review

In this paper we describe the architecture of a new integrated process planning system, called 3I-PP, which is comprised of three modules: feature completion, process selection, and process sequencing. We have applied a knowledge-based approach to feature completion and process selection, and the space search algorithm for process sequencing. The resulting process planning system provides for both upstream and downstream integration of CAPP with CAD and scheduling systems, respectively. Description of the methodologies and procedures is provided and some experimental results that demonstrate the system performance are presented.

An integrated process planning system using feature reasoning and space search-based optimization

Fully integrated manufacturing systems, the ultimate goal of today's production engineering research, cannot be realized without automated process planning systems. A knowledge-based expert system incorporating heuristic algorithms as well as analytical and empirical models and which can thus provide a partial replacement for human expertise is the only key to automated process planning. This paper presents an attempt to develop an expert system for automatic process planning using artificial intelligence. In this system, a structural database was incorporated with a knowledgebase for the execution of rules. The programs developed are user-friendly and highly interactive. They allow dialog between the system and the user and require only that the operator answer questions in a familiar workshop language.

V. Narayanan

Papers

An expert system for process planning