Application of neural network method to process planning in ship pipe machining

Based on artificial neural network for process planning decision in ship pipe manufacturing, a novel method is established by analyzing process characteristics of the ship pipe machining. The process knowledge of pipe machining is shifted from the expression of the external rules to the description of the internal net weight value in order for the net inferring engine to decide the process route of pipe machining rapidly and rightly. Simulation shows that the method can resolve problems of process decision, and overcome the drawbacks of “matching difficulty” and “combination explosion” in traditional intelligent CAPP based on symbol reasoning.