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By: Anish Kumar.
Department of Mechanical engineering, BIT, Sindri, Jharkhand, India
Computer-Aided Process Planning (CAPP) is a key enabling technology for integrating product design and manufacturing in a Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) environment. This paper presents the development and implementation of an integrated, feature-based CAPP system for the manufacturing of an automotive leaf spring assembly. The proposed system bridges the gap between CAD and shop-floor activities by directly mapping design features to manufacturing operations. High-level manufacturing features such as base profiles, holes, circular eyes, and chamfers are interactively created and stored in a centralized database to support automated process planning. A hybrid CAPP approach combining feature-based generative planning and logical rule-based decision making is adopted to generate consistent and optimized process plans. Critical manufacturing processes, including shearing, hole punching, eye forming, and semi-elliptical forming, are systematically assigned based on feature attributes and available manufacturing resources. Multi-objective optimization of significant process parameters is achieved using a Taguchi-based Grey Relational Analysis framework to improve productivity and product quality. The system is implemented using a graphical user interface integrated with commercial CAD software and a relational database. Results demonstrate effective integration of design and manufacturing, reduced process planning time, and improved manufacturability of leaf spring assemblies.
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