A method of preliminary planning for rotational components with C-axis features using genetic algorithm

Computer aided process planning (CAPP) is an important interface between computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) in the computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) environment. A preliminary planning module developed as a part of a whole CAPP system is described in this paper. The preliminary planning deals with sequencing at the form-feature level. Processing of form feature involves certain degree of abstraction, as it is done independent of the shop-floor resources. Firstly, various feasible sequences are generated from the feature precedence relation based on the precedence and geometric tolerance constraints using an intelligent search strategy. In the next step, optimal/near-optimal sequences are generated using a genetic algorithm (GA) which prunes the initial feasible sequences using multiple optimality criteria with respect to feature adjacency, datum/reference features and preference in processing the features. © 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.