Plan Reuse and Plan Merging in Manufacturing Process
Planning
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721
Abstract
This research focuses on the development of a process planning system.
This system utilizes case-based techniques for process selection and sequencing
to combine the advantages of the variant
and generative approaches to process planning.
The case-based process planner operates on general 3D prismatic parts,
represented by a collection of features (eg: slots, pockets, holes, etc.).
Each feature subplan is developed by the case-based planner. Then
the feature subplans are combined into the global process plan for the part
via a hierarchical plan merging mechanism. Abstracted feature subplans
correspond to cases, which are used in subsequent planning operations to
solve new problems. The abstracting and storing of feature subplans
as cases is the primary mechanism by which the planner learns from its
previous experiences to become more effective and efficient.