Planner for sheet metal components to obtain optimal bend sequence using a genetic algorithm

Bending is one of the vital operations to obtain a three-dimensional (3D) shape in a sheet metal component. While planning for its manufacture, it is important to select proper tools, tool stages and sequence for collision-free bending at every stage. Collinear bends can be performed in a single operation. Tools and tool stages can be reused in a sequence depending on length of tool stage, intermediate shape of the component and availability of tools. When a component has many bends and different tools and tool stages are available, number of alternative bend sequences is very large. Evaluation of all such sequences to obtain a collision-free sequence is very tedious. In the present work, bending is carried out virtually for each sequence and an elitist genetic algorithm is used to determine a near optimal bend sequence for which number of tools, tool stages and handling requirements are minimal. The proposed planner for bend sequencing is developed as a part of an integrated manufacturing planning system for sheet metal components.