TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 CAD

1.2 CAM

2. PROCESS PLANNING

2.1 APPROACHES TO PROCESS PLANNING

3. COMPUTER AIDED PROCESS PLANNING

3.1 APPROACHES TO COMPUTER-AIDED PROCESS PLANNING

3.1.1 VARIANT CAPP METHOD

3.1.2 GENERATIVE CAPP METHOD

3.2 VARIANT OR GENERATIVE, WHICH TO USE?

4. CAPP APPLICATIONS

4.1 COMPUTER AIDED PROCESS PLANNING IN AIRCRAFT

MANUFACTURING

4.2 COMPUTER AIDED PROCESS PLANNING FOR RAPID

PROTOTYPING

5. RECENT TRENDS IN CAPP

6. CONCLUSIOIN
BIBLIOGRAPHY
 TABLE OF FIGURES

Sl no Name Page

3.1 Synergy of CAM 5

3.2 Framework for Computer Aided Process Planning 6

3.3 Variant process planning system 8

3.4 Regions for the different planning systems 12

3.5 Advance level information 14

4.1 Transformer software 15

 1.Introduction

Products and their components are designed to perform certain specific

functions. Every product has some design specifications which ensure its
functionality aspects. The task of manufacturing is to produce components such that
they meet design specifications. Process planning acts as a bridge between design
and manufacturing by translating design specifications into manufacturing process
details. Process planning involves determining the sequence of processing and
assembly steps that must be accomplished to make the product. It is concerned with
the engineering and technological issues of how to make the product and its parts.
What types of equipment and tooling are required to fabricate the part and assemble
the product. It involves determining the most appropriate manufacturing and
assembly process and sequence in which they should be accomplished to produce a
given part or product according to the specifications set forth in the product design
documentation. All the related information is documented on a Route Sheet .The
planning begins with engineering drawings, specifications, parts or material lists
and a forecast of demand. 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 the plant.
The primary purpose of process planning is to translate the design
requirements into manufacturing process details. Thus a system was developed in
which design information is processed by the process planning system to generate
manufacturing process details. CAPP is usually considered to be part of CAM,
however this results CAM as a standalone system. Synergy of CAM can be
achieved by integrating it with CAD system and CAPP acts as a connection between
the two.
Readymade CAPP systems are available today to prepare route Sheets.
CAPP integrates and optimizes system performance into the inter organizational
flow. For example, when one changes the design, it must be able to fall back on
CAPP module to generate manufacturing process and cost estimates for these
design changes. Similarly, in case of machine breakdown on the shop floor, CAPP
must generate the alternative actions so that most economical solution can be
adopted in the given situation.

1.1 CAD

A product must be defined before it can be manufactured. Computer Aided

Design involves any type of design activity that makes use of the computer to
develop, analyze or modify an engineering design. There are a number of
fundamental reasons for implementing a computer aided design system.
a. Increase the productivity of the designer: This is accomplished by helping
the designer to visualize the product and its component subassemblies and parts;
and by reducing the time required in synthesizing, analyzing, and documenting
the design. This productivity improvement translates not only into lower design
cost but also into shorter project completion times.
b. To improve the quality of the design: A CAD system permits a more thorough
engineering analysis and a larger number of design alternatives can be
investigated. Design errors are also reduced through the greater accuracy
provided by the system. These factors lead to a better design.
c. To improve communications: Use of a CAD system provides better
engineering drawings, more standardization in the drawings, better
documentation of the design, fewer drawing error, and greater legibility.
d. To create a database for manufacturing: In the process of creating a the
documentation for the product design (geometries and dimensions of the
product and its components, material specification for components, bill of
materials etc), much of the required data base to manufacture the product is also
created.
Design usually involves both creative and repetitive tasks. The repetitive tasks
within design are very appropriate for computerization.
1.2 COMPUTER AIDED MANUFACTURING (CAM)

By the time computer use in design began, numerical control technology (NC
technology) had matured to become cost effective for applications in machining.
An important in numerical control is part-programming. A part-program is simply
a set of statements comprehensible to the machine control unit (MCU),that oversees
slide and tool movements and other auxiliary functions. In the case of components
with complex geometries, part-programs had to carry out lengthy calculations for
which it was logical to use computers. This gave rise to machine control units
(MCU’s) with built in microprocessors- the building blocks of computers. The use
of computers in extending the applications of NC technology, especially to part-
programming was earlier termed Computer Aided Machining (CAM) and the
associated technology was called Computer Numerical Control (CNC). Later
Computer Aided Machining became an acronym for Computer Aided
Manufacturing (CAM). Earlier Computer Aided Manufacturing used to denote
computer use in part-programming only. Today it means any non design function
of manufacturing that is computer aided.
 2.Process planning

Process planning is concerned with determining the sequence of individual

manufacturing operations needed to produce a given part or product. The resulting
operation sequence is documented on a form typically referred to as operation sheet.
The operation sheet is a listing of the production operations and associated machine
tools for a work part or assembly. Process planning is an important stage of product
development since production tooling like jigs, fixtures, special tools etc. can be
designed only after the process is finalized. Process planning is that function within
a manufacturing facility, that establishes which machining process and process
parameters are to be used to convert a work material (blank) from its initial form
(raw material) to a final form defined by an engineering drawing Process planning
is a common task in small batch, discrete parts metal working industries.

The process planning activity can be divided into to following steps:

 Selection of processes and tools

 Selection of machine tools/Manufacturing equipment
 Sequencing the operations
 Grouping of operations
 Selection of work piece holding devices and datum surfaces (Set
ups)
 Selection of inspection instruments
 Determination of production tolerances
 Determination of the proper cutting conditions.
 Determination of the cutting times and non-machining times
(setting time, inspection time) for each operation
 Editing the process sheets. All the information determined by the process
planning function is recorded on. a sheet called Process plan. The process plan is
frequently called an operation Sheet, route sheet or operation-planning sheet. This
provides the instructions for the production of the part. It contains - operation
sequence, processes, process parameters and machine tools used.
2.1 APPROACHES TO PROCESS PLANNING

There are basically two approaches to process planning which are as follows :

(i) Manual experience-based process planning, and

(ii) Computer-aided process planning method.

THE MANUAL EXPERIENCE-BASED PLANNING METHOD

The manual experience-based process planning is most widely used. It is mainly

based on a manufacturing engineer's experience and knowledge of production
facilities, equipment, their capabilities, processes, and tooling. The major problem
with this approach is that it is time consuming and developed plans may not be
consistent and optimum. The feasibility of developed process plan is dependent on
many factors such as availability of machine tools, scheduling and machine
allocation etc. Computer aided process planning is developed to overcome this
problems to some extent.
 3. Computer aided process planning (CAPP)

Computer aided process planning (CAPP) is a means of implementing the

planning function by computer. The primary purpose of process planning is to
translate the design requirements into manufacturing process details. Thus a system
was developed in which design information is processed by the process planning
system to generate manufacturing process details. CAPP is usually considered to be
part of CAM, however this results CAM as a stand alone system. Synergy of CAM
can be achieved by integrating it with CAD system and CAPP acts as a connection
between the two.

Readymade CAPP systems are available today to prepare route Sheets. CAPP
integrates and optimizes system performance into the inter organizational flow. For
example, when one changes the design, it must be able to fall back on CAPP module
to generate manufacturing process and cost estimates for these design changes.
Similarly, in case of machine breakdown on the shop floor, CAPP must generate
the alternative actions so that most economical solution can be adopted in the given
situation.
 Because of the problems encountered with manual process planning,
attempts have been made in recent years to capture the logic, judgment and
experience required for this important function (Process planning) and incorporates
them into computer programmes.Based on the features of a given part, the program
automatically generates the sequence of manufacturing operations. The automated
process planning provides the opportunity to generate production routings, which
are rational, consistent and perhaps even optimal.
It has the following advantages:
 reduces the skill required of a planner
 reduces the planning time
 reduces the process planning and manufacturing cost
 creates more consistent plans
 produces more accurate plans
 increases productivity

So it is easier to understand CAPP as an application of computer to assist the human

process planer in the process planning function. In its lowest form it will reduce the
time and effort required to prepare process plans and provide more consistent
process plan. In its most advanced state, it will provide the automated interface
between CAD and CAM and in the process achieve the complete integration with
in CAD/CAM.
 Fig>Framework for Computer Aided Process Planning

3.1 APPROACHES TO COMPUTER-AIDED PROCESS PLANNING

In recent days, several computer-aided process planning systems are available for
use for a variety of manufacturing operation.
These systems can broadly be clarified into two categories :
(i) Variant computer aided process planning method.
(ii) Generative computer aided process planning method.

3.1.1 Variant computer aided process planning method

A variant process planning system uses the similarity among Components to

retrieve the existing process plans. A process plan that can be used by a family of
components is called a Standard plan. A standard plan is stored permanently with a
family number as its key. A family is represented by a family matrix, which includes
all possible members. The majority of existing processes planning systems are
variant in nature. Some of them are: CAPP, MIPLAN, MITURN, MIAPP,
UNIVATION, CINTURN, COMCAPPV, etc.

The variant process planning system has two operational stages:

1. Preparatory stage
2. Production stage.

During the preparatory stage, existing components are coded, classified, and
subsequently grouped into families. The process begins by summarizing process
plans already prepared for components in the family. Standard plans are then stored
in a database and indexed by family matrices.
The production stage occurs when the system is ready for production. An
incoming part is first coded. The code is then input to a part family search routine
to find the family to which the component belongs. The family number is then used
to retrieve a standard plan. Some other functions, such as parameter selection and
standard time calculations, can also be added to make the system more complete.
This system is used in a machine shop that produces a variety of small components.
DESIGN OF VARIABLE PROCESS PLANNING SYSTEM:

The following are the sequences in the design of a variant Process planning
system:

1. Family formation
2. Data base structure design
3. Search algorithm development and implementation Plan editing
4. Process parameter selection/updating
Family Formation

Part family classification and coding are done based on the manufacturing features
of a part. Components requiring similar processes are grouped into the same family.
A general rule for part family formation is that all parts must be related. Then, the
entire family can share a standard process plan. Minimum modification on the
standard plan will be required for such family members.

Data Base Structure Design

The database contains all the necessary information for an application, and can be
accessed by several programs for specific application. There are three approaches
to construct a database: hierarchical, network, and relational.

Search Procedure

The principle of a variant system is to retrieve process plans for similar components.
The search for a process plan is based on the search of a part family to which the
component belongs. When, the part family is found, the associated standard plan
can then be retrieved. A family matrix search can be seen as the matching of the
family with a given code. Family matrices can be considered as masks. Whenever
a code can pass through a mask successfully, the family is found.

Plan Editing and Parameter Selection

Before a process plan can be issued to the shop, some modification of the standard
plan may be necessary, and process parameters must be added to the plan. There
are two types of plan editing: One is the editing of the standard plan itself in the
data base, and the other is editing of the plan for the component. For editing a
standard plan, the structure of the database must be flexible enough for expansion,
additions, and deletions of the data records. A complete process plan includes not
only operations but also process parameters. The data in the process parameter files
are linked so that we can go through the tree to find the speed and feed for an
operation. The parameter file can be integrated into variant planning to select
process parameters automatically.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF VARIANT CAPP

Following advantages are associated with variant process planning approach:

(i) Processing and evaluation of complicated activities and managerial

issues are done in an efficient manner. Hence lead to the reduction of
time and labor requirement.

(ii) Once a standard plan has been written, a variety of components can be
planned.

(iii) Reduced development and hardware cost and shorter development time.
This is an essential issue for small and medium scale companies, where
product variety is not so high and process planner are interested in
establishing their own process planning research activities.

Following disadvantages are associated with variant process planning approach:

(iv) The components to be planned are limited to similar components

previously planned.

(v) Variant planning cannot be used in an entirely automated manufacturing

system, without additional process planning.

(vi) The quality of the final process plan largely depends on the knowledge
and experience of process planner. Experienced process planners are
still required to modify the standard plan for the specific component.

3.1.2 Generative computer aided process planning method

Generative process planning is a system that synthesizes process Information in

order to create a process plan for a new Component automatically. In a generative
planning system, process plans are created from information available in
manufacturing database without human intervention. Upon receiving the design
model, the system can generate the required operations and operation sequences for
the component. Knowledge of manufacturing must be captured and encoded into
efficient software. By applying decision logic, a process Planner’s decision making
can be imitated. Other planning functions, such as machine selection, tool selection,
process optimization, and so on, can also be automated using generative planning
techniques. Some examples of generative system are METCAPP, CPPP, AUTAP,
and APPAS.

Generative process plan mainly consists of two major components :

(i) Geometry based coding scheme.

(ii) Proportional knowledge in the form of decision logic and data.

Geometry-based Coding Scheme

All the geometric features for all process such as related surfaces, feature dimension,
locations, on the features are defined by geometry based coding scheme. The level of detail
is much greater in generative system than a variant system. For example, various details
such as rough and finished state of the part are provided to transform into desired state.

Proportional Knowledge in the Form of Decision Logic and Data

Process knowledge in the form of decision logic and data are used for matching of part
geometry requirement with the manufacturing capabilities. All the methods mentioned
above is performed automatically. Operation instruction sets are automatically
generated to help the operators to run the machines in case of manual operation. NC
codes are automatically generated, when numerically controlled machines are used.

The generative planning has the following advantages:

i. It can generate consistent process plans rapidly.

ii. New components can- be planned as easily as existing Components.
 iii. It can be interfaced with an automated manufacturing facility to provide detailed
and up-to-date control information.

3.2 VARIANT OR GENERATIVE, WHICH TO USE?

What CAPP approach (Variant or Generative) is better? This question has been constantly
asked but, there is no definite answer to it.
Generally speaking, a variant system is better for manufacturing setting where
similar parts are manufactured repetitively. Because parts are similar, Group Technology
can easily be implemented and shows quick and significant return on investment (ROI).
Because similar parts are produced repetitively, process plan can be retrieved, slightly
modified and used, without going through too much trouble. On the other hand, generative
process planning is better suited for a manufacturing environment in which part does not
exhibit too much similarity and new part are introduced on a regular basis. In this case,
benefits cannot be gained from Group Technology due to dissimilarity of parts. Because,
new parts are regularly introduced, historical data does not have too much value to the
process planner.

Fig illustrates the economic regions for the different planning alternatives.
3.3 FEATURE RECOGNITION IN CAPP

As we have seen that CAPP system usually serve as link in integrating the
CAD and CAM. However, it is only the partial link due to lack of part feature
information provided by existing CAD/ Drafting system. Part feature information
is an essential data for CAPP. In other words, it is a tedious job for CAPP to
understand the three dimensional geometry of the designed part from CAD system
in terms of their engineering meaning related to assembly and manufacturing.
Generally, all CAPP planning method and systems suffered from such type of
problem and is referred as feature recognition in CAPP.
Hence, objective of feature recognition is to bridge the gap between the
database and automated process planning systems by automatically distinguishing
the feature of a part from the geometry and topological data stored in the CAD
system. The essence of feature recognition can easily be understood by taking an
example as shown in Figure below. This figure is defined by a constructive solid
geometry tree that represents a block primitive and a cylinder primitive combined
by the Boolean operator “-”. Shape and dimension can easily be identified by these
schemes but, some higher level information is not provided by this scheme such as,
whether the hole is blind hole or through hole. Such types of information are called
as feature. Hence, features play a vital role in CAPP. In order to identify features
and to solve CAD / CAPP interface problem, feature recognition is one of the most
efficient technique.

Feature recognition transforms a general CAD model into an application specific

feature model. In general, a generic part feature recognition system must be able to
resolve following issues.
(i) Extract design information of a part.

(ii) Identify all surfaces of part.

(iii) Recognize reasons about\and\or interpret these surfaces in terms of Part

features.

Once the features are classified, the automated planning system could develop the
required process plan to make the part and hence, eliminate the need for a human
to translate the CAD data into something that process planning system can
understand.
Here, it is pertinent to mention that feature recognition is not only applicable to
CAPP system but it can also be applied to various other engineering applications
that require information about feature of parts classification and automated coding
in GT.
 4. CAPP APPLICATIONS

4.1 COMPUTER AIDED PROCESS PLANNING IN AIRCRAFT

MANUFACTURING

Aircraft structural parts make around 1% of the total aircraft components. At present, the
production cycle of several components families is within the range of few hours.
Conversely, the production of structural parts is mainly a human-made operation with
manufacturing complexity increasing with the part’s morphology. The delicate thin
elements and the presence of complex surfaces – mainly ruled surfaces which acquires the
external aircraft body shape – sets the production time of mechanical structural parts
ranging from few hours (for basic parts) up to over 20 days (for complex parts). The main
loss of time is identified in the process planning field.
The complex morphology of aircraft structural parts made it hard to automate the
numerical chain of production. The current manufacturing process is time-consuming and
requires an experimented process planner with good knowledge of the manufacturer
workshop. This human analysis of the part induces additional visibility errors. The human
operators might miss minor manufacturing features leading to a product unfaithful to the
original design. Both reasons – Time saving and Errors reduction – forces aerospace
industries to research on automated process planning systems.

Aircraft industries use transformer softwares which are in charge of preparing the CAD
part for Process planning and manufacturing as shown below.
And the advantages are:
 The software reduces dramatically the analysis and comprehension time of the part
from days to few hours.
 The software gives a powerful tool in its geometrical recognition function, where
the visual output of the latter module helps the generation of a manufacturing
fixture.
 The liability of the results reduces human errors drastically.
 The manufacturability function helps the fast generation of manufacturing
strategies.

4.2 COMPUTER AIDED PROCESS PLANNING FOR RAPID

PROTOTYPING

Some Rapid Prototyping (RP) processes use completely subtractive manufacturing

methods (Subtractive Rapid Prototyping, or SRP) for creating the part, rather than
the traditional layer based additive methods. Unlike the exceedingly simplistic
approach in the additive layer based process, an SRP system could significantly
benefit from computer aided process planning. A process plan can improve the
speed of material removal without changing the quality of the final part can make
SRP processes more viable in the RP market. The final part created by these SRP
systems not only conveys the form of the design, but enables testing of the part’s
function. Some systems are even capable of making parts that meet the same quality
requirements of a production pa
 5. RECENT TRENDS IN CAPP

In the global competitive market, various areas such as design process planning,
manufacturing and inspection plays a vital role in reducing cost and lead time. In the various areas, different
kind of interference mechanism has been developed. A lot of difficulty arises while integrating the goal in
CIM environment. For example, all functional areas have its own standalone relational database and
associated database management system. One of the main difficulties posed in CIM environment is the
incompatibility of software and hardware incompatibility. Hence, it is not only desirable but also inevitable
to develop a single database technology to address these problems. The major challenges of and research
areas are to make CAPP system affordable to the medium and small scale manufacturing industries. Hence
recent trends in CAPP systems include :

Automated translation of the design dimensions.

Tolerances into manufacturing dimensions.
Tolerances considering process capabilities.
Dimensional chains.
And to make CAPP system affordable for small and medium scale manufacturing industries.