Research Planning Grant: Process Planning Using an Integrated Neural Network and Expert System Approach

本项目将探索由专家系统和人工神经网络组成的异构型智能软件在制造工艺规划中的应用。工艺规划是制造生命周期的重要组成部分，在这个生命周期中，产品设计被转化为制造的步骤和过程。工艺计划对后续的产品质量和制造过程中的单位成本至关重要。因此，它是一个组织通过其产品的制造成本、实用性和性能来进行竞争的能力的重要贡献者。该项目将侧重于发展对工艺规划及其在智能计算方面的机会的全面了解。这包括许多制造操作，每个操作如何适用于每个产品设计功能和正确的操作顺序。对在制造阶段带来效率和生产线上的成本效益的最佳工艺/顺序组合的认识是以有效方式应用智能计算的最终项目的基础。

This project will explore the application of heterogeneous intelligent software composed of expert systems and artificial neural networks to manufacturing process planning. Process planning is an important component of the manufacturing life cycle where product designs are translated to steps and processes for manufacturing. Process planning is critical to the subsequent quality of the product, and the unit cost during manufacturing. Therefore, it is an important contributor to an organization's ability to compete through the cost to manufacture, utility and performance of its products. The project will focus on developing a complete understanding of process planning and its opportunities for intelligent computing. This includes the many manufacturing operations, how each applies to each product design feature and the correct sequence of operations. An appreciation for the best process/sequence combinations leading to efficiency during the manufacturing phase and cost effectiveness on the line is fundamental for a final project which applies intelligent computing in an effective manner.