Research Initiation: Automated Process Planning from a Feature Graph

本研究通过对CAD与CAM集成的研究， 从3D CAD自动生成制造工艺计划 部件描述。 该项目有四个目标。 首先，将开发一种方法来定义重要的形状特征， 制造（如孔、螺纹等）这使得自动 从CAD数据库中识别特征。 第二，研究人员将 实施先前开发的算法来分离连接的 在零件型腔中形成特征并将其描述存储在数据中 结构称为特征节点。 第三，A的详细结构 将根据必要的信息定义要素节点 制造每一个特征。 这些要素节点将 连接成一个更大的全局结构，称为特征图。 的 链接表示部件中的特征之间的关系。 第四、 最重要的是，将开发一种方法， 通过遍历所述生成工艺计划来生成用于所述部件的生成工艺计划。 特征图 这最后一步将涉及到与一位专家 具有实体建模器的工艺规划系统 加工参数和机床排序。 评价 软件将通过广泛的测试与行业提供的部分 工业用户的描述和评论。

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.