Automated Fixture Design for Concurrent Manufacturing Planning

Abstract

This paper describes an approach to automated fixture design that will enable fixture design to take place concurrently with process planning. Data needs, reasoning models, and functional requirements of automated fixture design systems are first analyzed. A system architecture of three fixture design stages—conceptual, layout, and detail design—is then proposed and its implications on process planning tasks discussed. The focus of this paper is in fixturing of complex parts. Design problems that do not arise in fixturing of simple parts but must be addressed in that of complex parts are described and their solution methodologies outlined. Finally, preliminary results of a software implementation are presented.