Computer-aided Process

Planning
CHAPTER 6
 1. Process Planning
• Process planning consists of determining the most appropriate
manufacturing and assembly processes and the sequence in which they
should be accomplished to produce a given part or product according to
specifications set forth in the product design documentation.
• The scope and variety of processes that can be planned are generally
limited by the available processing equipment and technological
capabilities of the company or plant. Parts that cannot be made
internally must be purchased from outside vendors. The choice of
processes is also limited by the details of the product design.
• Process planning is usually accomplished by manufacturing engineers.
They must be familiar with the particular manufacturing processes
available in the factory and be able to interpret engineering drawings.
Based on the planner’s knowledge, skill, and experience, the processing
steps are developed in the most logical sequence to make each part.
• In manufacturing, the goal is to produce components that meet the design specifications.
The design specification ensures the functionality aspect. Next step to follow is to
assemble these components into final product. Process planning acts as a bridge
between design and manufacturing by translating design specification into
manufacturing process detail. Hence, in general, process planning is a production
organization activity that transforms a product design into a set of instruction (sequence,
machine tool setup etc.) to manufacture machined part economically and competitively.
• The information provided in design includes dimensional specification (geometric shape
and its feature) and technical specification (tolerance, surface finish etc.)
• Now-a-days, process planning is applied to many manufacturing industries like metal
cutting, sheet metal forming, composite and ceramic fabrication and other
manufacturing processes
• Also called : operation sheet, route sheet, operation planning summary, or
another similar name
 List of the many decisions and details usually included within the
scope of process planning
• Interpretation of design drawings. First, the planner must analyze the part or product design (materials,
dimensions, tolerances, surface finishes, etc.).
• Choice of processes and sequence. The process planner must select which processes and their sequence are
required, and prepare a brief description of all processing steps.
• Choice of equipment. In general, process planners must develop plans that utilize existing equipment in the
plant. Otherwise, the company must purchase the component or invest in new equipment.
• Choice of tools, dies, molds, fixtures, and gages. The process planner must decide what tooling is required for
each processing step. The actual design and fabrication of these tools is usually delegated to a tool design
department and tool room, or an outside vendor specializing in that type of tooling.
• Analysis of methods. Workplace layout, small tools, hoists for lifting heavy parts, even in some cases hand
and body motions must be specified for manual operations. The industrial engineering department is usually
responsible for this area.
• Setting of work standards. Work measurement techniques are used to set time standards for each operation.
• Choice of cutting tools and cutting conditions. These must be specified for machining operations, often with
reference to standard handbook recommendations. Similar decisions about process and equipment settings
must be made for processes other than machining.
 Process planning for parts
• For individual parts, the processing sequence is documented on a form
called a route sheet (operation sheet). Just as engineering drawings
are used to specify the product design, route sheets are used to specify
the process plan. They are counterparts, one for product design, the
other for manufacturing.
• A typical route sheet includes the following information: (1) all
operations to be performed on the work part, listed in the order in
which they should be performed; (2) a brief description of each
operation indicating the processing to be accomplished, with
references to dimensions and tolerances on the part drawing; (3) the
specific machines on which the work is to be done; and (4) any special
tooling, such as dies, molds, cutting tools, jigs or fixtures, and gages.
• Some companies also include setup times, cycle time standards, and
other data. It is called a route sheet because the processing sequence
 Conventional Process Planning
Traditionally, skilled planners perform process planning. Planning is based on
planner’s decisions. The quality of the plan highly depends on individual skill,
knowledge and experience. Planning is very time consuming
Computer-aided Process Planning
• Problems arise when process planning is accomplished manually. Different
process planners have different experiences, skills, and knowledge of the
available processes in the plant. This means that the process plan for a given part
depends on the process planner who developed it. This leads to variations and
inconsistencies in the process plans in the plant. Manufacturing firms are
interested in automating the task of process planning using computer-aided
process planning (CAPP). The benefits derived from CAPP include the
following:
- Process rationalization and standardization. Automated process planning leads to
more logical and consistent process plans than manual process planning. Standard
plans tend to result in lower manufacturing costs and higher product quality.
- Increased productivity of process planners.
- Reduced lead time for process planning.
- Improved legibility. Computer-prepared route sheets are neater and easier to read
than manually prepared route sheets.
- Incorporation of other application programs.
* CAPP systems are designed around two approaches: (1) retrieval CAPP systems
and (2) generative CAPP systems.
Process planning is concerned with selecting
methods of production, tooling, fixtures, and
machinery, sequence of operations and assembly
Computer-aided process planning (CAPP)
is the use of computer technology to aid in
the process planning of a part or product, in
manufacturing.
CAPP is the link between CAD and CAM
in that it provides for the planning of the
process to be used in producing a designed
part.
Hybrid CAPP system
A hybrid planner, for example, might use a variant, GT-based approach to
retrieve an existing process plan, and generative techniques for modifying this
plan to suit the new part.
Retrieval Capp systems
• A retrieval CAPP system, also called a variant CAPP system, is based on the
principles of group technology (GT) and parts classification and coding. In this form
of CAPP, a standard process plan (route sheet) is stored in computer files for each
part code number. The standard route sheets are based on current part routings in use
in the factory or on an ideal process plan that has been prepared for each family.
Developing a database of these process plans requires substantial effort.
• A retrieval CAPP system operates as illustrated in Figure. Before the system can be
used for process planning, a significant amount of information must be compiled and
entered the CAPP data files. It consists of (1) selecting an appropriate classification
and coding scheme for the company, (2) forming part families for the parts produced
by the company, and (3) preparing standard process plans for the part families. Steps
(2) and (3) are ongoing as new parts are designed and added to the company’s design
database.
• After the preparatory phase has been completed, the system is ready for use. For a
new component for which the process plan is to be determined, the first step is to
derive the GT code number for the part. With this code number, the user searches the
part family file to determine if a standard route sheet exists for the given part code. If
the file contains a process plan for the part, it is retrieved and displayed for the user.
The variant approach,
which is also called retrieval
approach, uses a group
technology (GT) code to
select a generic process plan
from the existing master
process plans developed for
each part family and then
edits to suit the requirement
of the part
 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

- GT based
- Computer aids for editing
- Parameters selection
Generative Capp systems
• Generative CAPP systems represent an alternative approach to automated process
planning. Instead of retrieving and editing an existing plan contained in a
computer database, a generative system creates the process plan based on logical
procedures similar to those used by a human planner. In a fully generative
CAPP system, the process sequence is planned without human assistance and
without a set of predefined standard plans.
• Designing a generative CAPP system is usually considered part of the field of
expert systems, a branch of artificial intelligence. An expert system is a computer
program that is capable of solving complex problems that normally can only be
solved by a human with years of education and experience. Process planning fits
within the scope of this definition. There are several necessary ingredients in a
fully generative process planning system.
• First, the technical knowledge of manufacturing and the logic used by successful
process planners must be captured and coded into a computer program. In an
expert system applied to process planning, the knowledge and logic of the human
process planners is incorporated into a so-called knowledge base. The generative
CAPP system then uses that knowledge base to solve process planning problems
(i.e., create route sheets).
• The second ingredient in generative process planning is a computer-compatible
description of the part to be produced. This description contains all of the
pertinent data and information needed to plan the process sequence. Two possible
ways of providing this description are (1) the geometric model of the part that is
developed on a CAD system during product design and (2) a GT code number of
the part that defines the part features in significant detail.
• The third ingredient in a generative CAPP system is the capability to apply the
process knowledge and planning logic contained in the knowledge base to a given
part description. In other words, the CAPP system uses its knowledge base to
solve a specific problem—planning the process for a new part. This problem-
solving procedure is referred to as the inference engine in the terminology of
expert systems. By using its knowledge base and inference engine, the CAPP
system synthesizes a new process plan from scratch for each new part it is
presented
GENERATIVE
- Some kind of decision logic
- Decision tree/table
- Artificial Intelligence
- Objective-Oriented
- Still experience based
In a generative approach, a
process plan for each
component is created from
scratch without human
intervention. These systems
are designed to automatically
synthesize process
information to develop a
process plan for a part.
EXAMPLE
References
• In IT-Systemen zur Arbeitsplanerstellung (CAP: Computer Aided Planning) ist die Planungslogik häufig in
Form von Entscheidungstabellen implementiert.