Chapter 6.

PROCESS
ENGINEERING
• Process planning is also called: manufacturing planning, process
planning, material processing, process engineering, and machine
routing.

• Which machining processes and parameters are to be used (as well

as those machines capable of performing these processes) to
convert (machine) a piece part from its initial form to a final form
predetermined (usually by a design engineer) from an engineering
drawing.

• The act of preparing detailed work instructions to produce a part.

• How to realize a given product design.

12/02/2023 13 - 1
 PRODUCT
REALIZATION
Product design

Process,
machine
Process planning knowledge

Operation programming

Verification

Scheduling Scheduling
knowledge

Execution

12/02/2023 13 - 2
 PROCESS
PLANNING
Design Machine
Tool

Process
Planning

Scheduling and Production Control

12/02/2023 13 - 3
 How do we process
engineer?

• How can we make it?

• How much does it cost?
• How long will it take us to complete it?
• How reliable will it be?
• How can we recycle it

12/02/2023 13 - 4
 How can we make
it?

• Is this like something else that we’ve done?

– Yes; What methods were used?

– No; Design a new process

12/02/2023 13 - 5
 What methods were
used?

• Machining methods
• Pressworking
• Welding/fabrication
• Casting
• Powder materials
• Layered deposition
• Others

12/02/2023 13 - 6
 INTERACTION
OF
PLANNING SETUP PLANNING
• global & FUNCTIONS
GEOMETRIC REASONING • feature relationship
local geometry • approach directions
• process constraints
PROCESS SELECTION • fixture constraints
• process capability
• process cost FIXTURE PLANNING
• fixture element function
• locating, supporting, and
CUTTER SELECTION clamping surfaces
• available tools • stability
• tool dimension and geometry
• geometric constraints
CUTTER PATH GENERATION
MACHINE TOOL SELECTION • feature merging and split
• machine availability, cost • path optimization
• machine capability • obstacle and interference
avoidance

12/02/2023 13 - 7
 PROCESS
PLAN
• Also called : operation sheet, route sheet, operation planning
summary, or another similar name.
• The detailed plan contains:
route
processes
process parameters
machine and tool selections
fixtures
• How detail the plan is depends on the application.
• Operation: a process
• Operation Plan (Op-plan): contains the description of an operation,
includes tools, machines to be used, process parameters,
machining time, etc.
• Op-plan sequence: Summary of a process plan.

12/02/2023 13 - 8
 EXAMPLE PROCESS
Route Sheet
PLANS
by: T.C. Chang

Part No. S1243

Part Name: Mounting Bracket
workstation Time(min)
1. Mtl Rm
2. Mill02 5 Detailed Process Plan
3. Drl01 4
4. Insp 1
PROCESS PLAN ACE Inc.

Part No. S0125-F Material: steel 4340Si

Part Name: Housing
Oper. Routing Summary Origi nal: S. D. Smart Date: 1/ 1/ 89 Changes: Date:
Checked: C. S. Good Date: 2/ 1/ 89 Approved: T.C . Chang Date: 2/ 14/ 89

No. Operati on Workstati on Setup Tool Ti me

Descripti on (Mi n)

10 Mi l l bot t om sur face1 MILL01 see at t ach#1 Face mi l l 3 set up

for i l l ust rat i on 6 t eet h/ 4" di a 5 machi ni ng
20 Mi l l t op surface MILL01 see at t ach#1 Face mi l l 2 set up
6 t eet h/ 4" di a 6 machi ni ng
30 Dr i l l 4 hol es DRL02 set on sur face1 t wi st dr i l l 2 set up
1/ 2" di a 3 machi ni ng
2" l ong

12/02/2023 13 - 9
 FACTORS AFFECTING
PROCESS
PLAN SELECTION
• Shape
• Tolerance
• Surface finish
• Size
• Material type
• Quantity
• Value of the product
• Urgency
• Manufacturing system itself
• etc.

12/02/2023 13 - 10
 PROCESS PLANNING
MANUAL CLASSIFICATION
COMPUTER-AIDED
VARIANT
GT based
Computer aids for editing
Parameters selection
GENERATIVE
Some kind of decision logic
Decision tree/table
Artificial Intelligence
Objective-Oriented
Still experience based
AUTOMATIC
Design understanding
Geometric reasoning capability

12/02/2023 13 - 11
 REQUIREMENTS
IN
• ability to MANUAL
interpret an engineering drawing.
• familiar PROCESS
with manufacturing processes and
PLANNING
practice.
• familiar with tooling and fixtures.
• know what resources are available in the shop.
• know how to use reference books, such as
machinability data handbook.
• able to do computations on machining time and
cost.
• familiar with the raw materials.
• know the relative costs of processes, tooling, and
raw materials.
12/02/2023 13 - 12
 PROCESS PLANNING
• STEPS
Study the overall shape of the part. Use this
information to classify the part and determine the type
of workstation needed.
• Thoroughly study the drawing. Try to identify every
manufacturing features and notes.
• If raw stock is not given, determine the best raw
material shape to use.
• Identify datum surfaces. Use information on datum
surfaces to determine the setups.
• Select machines for each setup.
• For each setup determine the rough sequence of
operations necessary to create all the features.

12/02/2023 13 - 13
 PROCESS PLANNING
STEPS
• (continue)
Sequence the operations determined in the
previous step.
• Select tools for each operation. Try to use the same
tool for several operations if it is possible. Keep in
mind the trade off on tool change time and
estimated machining time.
• Select or design fixtures for each setup.
• Evaluate the plan generate thus far and make
necessary modifications.
• Select cutting parameters for each operation.
• Prepare the final process plan document.

12/02/2023 13 - 14
 COMPUTER-
AIDED
PROCESS
ADVANTAGES
PLANNING

1. It can reduce the skill required of a planner.

2. It can reduce the process planning time.
3. It can reduce both process planning and
manufacturing cost.
4. It can create more consistent plans.
5. It can produce more accurate plans.
6. It can increase productivity.

12/02/2023 13 - 15
 WHY
AUTOMATED
PROCESS
• Shortening the lead-time
PLANNING
• Manufacturability feedback
• Lowering the production cost
• Consistent process plans

12/02/2023 13 - 16
 PROCESS
PLANNING

Design Machining features

Workpiece Selection
Process Selection
Tool Selection
Feed, Speed Selection
Operation Sequencing
Setup Planning
Fixturing Planning
Part Programming

12/02/2023 13 - 17
 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

GROUP TECHNOLOGY BASED RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

12/02/2023 13 - 18
 PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED
WITH
THE VARIANT APPROACH
1. The components to be planned are limited to
similar components previously planned.
2. Experienced process planners are still
required to modify the standard plan for the
specific component.
3. Details of the plan cannot be generated.
4. Variant planning cannot be used in an
entirely automated manufacturing system,
without additional process planning.

12/02/2023 13 - 19
 ADVANTAGES OF
THE
VARIANT
1. APPROACH
Once a standard plan has been written, a variety
of components can be planned.
2. Comparatively simple programming and
installation (compared with generative systems)
is required to implement a planning system.
3. The system is understandable, and the planner
has control of the final plan.
4. It is easy to learn, and easy to use.

12/02/2023 13 - 20
 GENERATIVE
APPROACH
A system which automatically synthesizes a
process plan for a new component.

MAJOR COMPONENTS:
(i) part description
(ii) manufacturing databases
(iii) decision making logic and
algorithms

12/02/2023 13 - 21
 ADVANTAGES OF
THE
GENERATIVE
APPROACH
1. Generate consistent process plans rapidly;

2. New components can be planned as easily as

existing components;

3. It has potential for integrating with an

automated manufacturing facility to provide
detailed control information.

12/02/2023 13 - 22
 KEY
DEVELOPMENTS
1. The logic of process planning must be
identified and captured.

2. The part to be produced must be clearly and

precisely defined in a computer-compatible
format

3. The captured logic of process planning and the

part description

12/02/2023 13 - 23
 DATA ASSOCIATED
WITH
DESIGN FEATURES
Mechanical Engineering Part Design

• Feature Type
• Dimension
• Location
• Tolerance A Slot

• Surface finish
• Function

12/02/2023 13 - 24
 DATA ASSOCIATED
WITH
MANUFACTURING
• Feature type
• Dimension
FEATURES Approach

• Location
Approach
• Tolerance
• Surface finish
• Relations with other features
• Approach directions

° Feature classifications are not the same.

12/02/2023 13 - 25