Case-Based Process Planning with Hierarchical Process
Plan Merging
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721
Abstract
This research focuses on the development of
(1) a case-based process planner which combines the advantages of the variant
and generative approaches to process planning, and (2) a systematic hierarchical
plan merging mechanism.
The case-based process planner operates on general 3D prismatic parts,
represented by a collection of features (eg: slots, pockets, holes, etc.).
Feature subplans are merged into a global plan with a minimized number of
fixtures and toolings using a hierarchical plan graph.
Abstracted feature subplans
correspond to cases, which are used in subsequent planning operations to
solve new planning problems. The abstracting and storing of feature subplans
as cases is a mechanism by which the planner learns from its
previous experiences to become
more effective and efficient.