Artificial Intelligence Planning for Generative Computer Aided Process Planning

Several approaches and systems have been proposed in generative Computer Aided Process Planning field (CAPP), with different advantages and drawbacks. Most of these works are based on expert systems, production rules or special-purpose planning systems. In expert systems and production rules systems much knowledge representation is required, and special-purpose planning systems, on the other hand, are specific of each industry and manufacturing capabilities, which makes it difficult and expensive to implement or extend them to other cases. In this paper an artificial intelligence planning model for CAPP is presented, which has the advantage of being more easily adapted and extended for different industries and manufacturing capabilites, because of the declarative definition language it supports. An analysis of the advantages and drawbacks of this kind of techniques is also presented, and some problems and possible improvements are discussed and proposed for further development.