In this paper, we present a method to determine the capability envelope of a machining process which consists of a sequence of parameterized machining operations. First, operations as well as workpiece in a machining process are represented using a Parametric Feature Relational Graph (P-FRG). Second, the workpiece P-FRG within a process is updated step-by-step by mixing with operation P-FRGs as the operations in the process are successively applied to it. Since alternative setups may exist for an operation, a tree of workpiece P-FRGs can be generated for a process. All the P-FRGs at the leaf nodes of the tree together form the capability envelope of the machining process, that is, the envelope of the parts that can be produced using the process from a given initial workpiece. The parameter mappings, from the parameters of a machining process to the parameters of a part P-FRG in the capability envelope, are also given in this paper. The capability envelope can be applied to the integration of part design and process planning.

Issue Section:
Technical Papers
Keywords:
machining, cutting, graph theory, process control
Topics:
Machining
1.
Gao
,
J. X.
, and
Huang
,
X. X.
, 1996, “Product and Manufacturing Capability Modeling in an Integrated CAD/Process Planning Environment,” International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 11, pp. 43–51.
2.
Case
,
K.
, 1994, “Using a Design by Features CAD System for Process Capability Modeling,” Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, 7(1), pp. 39–49.
3.
Feng
,
C-X
, and
Kusiak
,
A.
,
1995
, “
Constraint-Based Design of Parts
,”
Comput.-Aided Des.
,
27
(
5
), pp.
343
–
352
.
4.
Gupta
,
S. K.
, and
Nau
,
D. S.
,
1995
, “
Systematic Approach to Analyzing the Manufacturability of Machined Parts
,”
Comput.-Aided Des.
,
27
(
5
), pp.
323
–
342
.
5.
Lee
,
J. Y.
, and
Kim
,
K.
, 1999, “Generating Alternative Interpretations of Machining Features,” International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 15, pp. 38–48.
6.
Das
,
D.
,
Gupta
,
S. K.
, and
Nau
,
D. S.
,
1996
, “
Generating Redesign Suggestions to Reduce Setup Cost: A Step Towards Automated Redesign
,”
Comput.-Aided Des.
,
28
(
10
), pp.
763
–
782
.
7.
Chu
,
C. P.
, and
Gadh
,
R.
,
1996
, “
Feature-Based Approach for Set-Up Minimization of Process Design from Product Design
,”
Comput.-Aided Des.
,
28
(
5
), pp.
321
–
332
.
8.
Feng
,
C-X
,
Kusiak
,
A.
, and
Huang
,
C-C
,
1996
, “
Cost Evaluation in Design with Form Features
,”
Comput.-Aided Des.
,
28
(
11
), pp.
879
–
885
.
9.
Van Houten, F. J. A. M., van’t Erve, A. H., and Kals, H. J. J., 1990, “PART: A Feature Based CAPP System,” Proc. 21st CIRP Seminar on Manufacturing Systems, Stockholm, Vol. 19, pp. 25–39.
10.
Huang
,
Z.
, and
Yip-Hoi
,
D.
,
2002
, “
High-Level Features Recognition Using Feature Relationship Graphs
,”
Comput.-Aided Des.
,
34
(
8
), pp.
561
-
582
.
11.
Rong
,
Y.
,
Liu
,
X.
,
Zhou
,
J.
, and
Wen
,
A.
, 1997, “Computer-Aided Setup Planning and Fixture Design,” International Journal of Intelligent Automation and Soft Computing, 3(3), pp. 191–206.
12.
Zhang
,
Y.
,
Hu
,
W.
,
Rong
,
Y.
, and
Yen
,
D. W.
,
2001
, “
Graph-Based Setup Planning and Tolerance Decomposition for Computer-Aided Fixture Design
,”
International Journal of Production Research
,
39
(
14
), pp.
3109
–
3126
.
13.
Wu
,
Y.
,
Rong
,
Y.
,
Ma
,
W.
, and
LeClair
,
S. R.
,
1998
, “
Automated Modular Fixture Planning: Accuracy, Clamping, and Accessibility Analyses
,”
Rob. Comput.-Integr. Manufact.
,
14
, pp.
17
–
26
.
Copyright © 2003
 by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.