CAPP Planning Process

The system logic involved in establishing a variant process planning system is relatively straight forward - this is one of matching a code with a pre-established process plan maintained in the system. The primary challenge is in developing the GT classification and coding structure for the part families and in manually developing a standard baseline process plan for each part family.

The primary key to implementing a generative system is the development of decision rules appropriate for the items to be processed. These decision rules are specified by using decision trees, computer languages including logical "if-then" type statements, or artificial intelligence approaches having object-oriented programming.

The nature or the parts shall influence the complexity of the decision rules for generative planning and at last the degree of success in implementing the generative CAPP system. The majority of the generative CAPP systems implemented to date have focused on procedure planning for fabrication of sheet metal parts and less difficult machined parts. In addition, there has been vital recent effort with generative procedure planning for assembly operations, by including PCB assembly.

A second key to generative process planning is the available data associated to the part to drive the planning. Simple outline of generative planning systems might be driven by GT codes. Features technology (FT) or Group technology type classification along a numeric code might be utilized to drive CAPP. This approach will involve a user responding to a series of questions regarding a part that in essence capture in same information as in a GT of FT code. Eventually, when features-oriented data is captured in CAD system during the design process, this data might directly drive CAPP.