This research addresses the integration of CAD and CAM through the automatic generation of a manufacturing process plan from a 3-D CAD part description. The objectives of this project are four-fold. First, a method will be developed to define form-features important to manufacturing (such as holes, threads, etc.) that enables automatic recognition of features from a CAD database. Second, researchers will implement previously developed algorithms to separate joined form-features in a part cavity and store their descriptions in a data structure called a feature node. Third, the detailed structure of a feature node will be defined according to the necessary information required to manufacture each feature. These feature nodes will be linked into a larger global structure called a feature graph. The links represent relationships among the features in the part. Fourth, and most important, a method will be developed to automatically generate a generative process plan for the part by traversing the feature graph. This final step will involve interfacing an expert system for process planning with a solid modeler to calculate optimal machining parameters and machine tool sequencing. Evaluation of the software will be through extensive testing with industry supplied part descriptions and comments from industrial users.

Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1985-08-15
Budget End
1988-01-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1985
Total Cost
$60,000
Indirect Cost
Name
Arizona State University
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Tempe
State
AZ
Country
United States
Zip Code
85281