A novel methodology for computer-aided process planning

A well-constructed generative computer-aided process planning (CAPP) system is suitable for computer-integrated manufacturing systems and intelligent manufacturing systems. Most generative CAPP systems developed in the last d ecade employed a linear and batch approach as their underlying methodology, but because of low efficiency and quality, many such systems cannot be app lied effectively to industrial enterprises. To overcome these weaknesses, a novel methodology, called prototype-based incremental process planning (PI PP), is presented for CAPP in this paper which offers a new approach for in creasing the efficiency and quality of process planning, and for fully supp orting concurrent engineering. Based on this methodology, and experimental CAD/CAPP concurrent design system (HFCAD/CAPP) has been built, and a case s tudy is presented to illustrate the characteristics of this system.