Group Assignment

DEANS CHIMHUNDU H121075B

GERALD FUNGURANI

Factors that would influence the choice of a CAPP approach

a) Availability of hardware and software

though investment in this area is small, it remains a factor for the successful
implementation of the CAPP approach such as the variant approach. Computers which
form the hardware are required for storing the files related to part description and routing.
Hardware also includes memory for storing the codes for retrieval. Combinations of
attributes such as material, geometry, size, precision, quality, alternate processing
sequence and machine loading among many other factors must also be considered when
choosing a CAPP approach as some are incompatible or example it is difficult to store
and combine these in the variant approach.
b) Background knowledge of process planners
this is key in implementing any CAPP approach and in formulating a knowledge base
that will form the expert system. The standard plans are created manually by process
planners. The standard process plans (which must contain sequence of fabrication steps or
operation) are based on current part routings in use in the factory, or on an ideal plan that
is prepared for each family in the derivative approach. The quality of the final process
plan largely depends on the knowledge and experience of process planner and this may
present disadvantages if the variant approach is used.
c) Size of manufacturing firm and its production output
CAPP is most efficient if production output units are small and in the case of those that
use Group technology variant approach is the best to implement since machine parts are
coded. GT approach is required for parts classification and coding system to organize the
computer files and to permit efficient retrieval of the appropriate process plan in the
derivative approach.
d) To successfully implement a generative approach the first ingredient is the technical
knowledge of manufacturing and the logic that is used by successful process planners
 must be captured and coded into a computer program. In an expert system as it would be
applied to process planning, the knowledge and logic of the human process planners is
incorporated into a so called "knowledge base". The generative CAPP system would then
use that knowledge base to solve process planning problems (i.e., create route sheet).
e) The second ingredient in generative process planning is a computer-compatible
description of the part to be produced. This description contains all the pertinent data and
information needed to plan the process sequence.

Two possible ways of providing this description are:

e1) The geometric model of the part that is developed on a CAD system during product
design.

e2) A GT code number of the part that defines the part features in detail.

Successful implementation of the generative approach requires the following key

developments:

Process-planning knowledge must be identified and captured.

The part to be produced must be clearly and precisely defined in a computer-readable
format (e.g., three-dimensional model and GT code).
The captured process-planning knowledge and the part description data must be
incorporated into a unified manufacturing database.

f) Consistency during editing is another factor in that needs to be considered for cases
where new parts are to be manufactured. The CAPP approach should ensure consistence
as in the case of generative approach.

REFERENCES

Mikell P. Groover & Emory W. Zimmres. Jr, Computer Aided Design and
Manufacturing, Prentice Hall Publication, 1994.
CAPPturing Manufacturing, The Machinist, May-June 2003
http://www.cimplex.com/metcapp.hmt