GARI: A Problem Solver That Plans How to Machine Mechanical Parts

In t h i s pape r , we d e s c r i b e a p l a n g e n e r a t o r f o r p l a n n i n g the sequence o f mach in ing c u t s o f mechanic a l p a r t s . Th i s sys tem, named GARI, makes use of we igh ted p i eces o f adv ice r e p r e s e n t i n g the e x p e r t i s e o f human s p e c i a l i s t s . The c o m p l e x i t y o f the a p p l i c a ­ t i o n domain gu ided us toward the i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of a r a t h e r s o p h i s t i c a t e d c o n t r o l s t r u c t u r e i n c l u d i n g h y p o t h e s i s g e n e r a t i o n , f a c t d e d u c t i o n , and c o n f l i c t r e s o l u t i o n . Exper iments w i t h GARI suggest t h a t more resea rch e f f o r t shou ld b e devoted t o a b s t r a c t r e p r e ­ s e n t a t i o n o f c o n t r o l as opposed to the e x h a u s t i v e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s defended by s e v e r a l a u t h o r s d u r i n g the l a s t few y e a r s .