Definition of generic relationships between design and manufacturing information for generative process planning

Abstract This paper defines the generic relationships between design and manufacturing information for generative computer automated process planning (CAPP). The relationships provide a unified format that is able to represent both the geometry, topology and technical requirements of a component and the machining operations to eliminate the complex definition and programming of logic and rules demanded by current generative process planning systems. This will reduce the efforts in developing complicated knowledge bases, applying sophisticated search algorithms and managing empirical knowledge, and therefore result in a simple software with highly automated process planning functions.