Title: Computer-aided process planning support functions

Authors: Ramy Harik, Vincent Capponi, William Derigent, Muriel Lombard, Gabriel Ris

Addresses: Industrial and Mechanical Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Architecture, Lebanese American University, LAU, P.O. Box 36, Byblos, Lebanon. ' Institute of Production and Robotics, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, EPFL-STI-IPR-LICP, Station 9, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland. ' CRAN, Research Center for Automatic Control, Nancy, CNRS UMR 7039, Faculte des Sciences, Universite Henri Poincare, Nancy I, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, Cedex, BP 239 – 54506, France. ' CRAN, Research Center for Automatic Control, Nancy, CNRS UMR 7039, Faculte des Sciences, Universite Henri Poincare, Nancy I, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, Cedex, BP 239 – 54506, France. ' CRAN, Research Center for Automatic Control, Nancy, CNRS UMR 7039, Faculte des Sciences, Universite Henri Poincare, Nancy I, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, Cedex, BP 239 – 54506, France

Abstract: Aiming at automating the different trades intervening in mechanical parts| design activities, one finds the weakest link within the interface linking the computer-aided design (CAD) trade and the computer-aided process planning (CAPP) trade where a huge semantic gap is detected. Works generally tend to optimise the pre-process planning trade (design/CAD) and post-process planning trade (machining/computer-aided manufacturing). So as to bridge in between CAD and CAPP, we present at first support functions that helps a process planner setting a process plan for an aircraft structural part. The proposed functions will be forwarded in the same order the planner questions himself during his first analysis. Each function is justified by presenting the need behind. We end up on the benefits of having such an assistance tool as we mention the future perspectives of our works.

Keywords: automation; CAD; CAPP; CAM; flank milling; geometric modelling; computer-aided process planning; semantics; aircraft components; structural parts.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPLM.2008.027009

International Journal of Product Lifecycle Management, 2008 Vol.3 No.4, pp.319 - 334

Published online: 12 Jul 2009 *

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