【正文】 ated process planning include the following: .Process rationalization and standardization. Automated process planning leads to more logical and consistent process plans than when process is done pletely manually. Standard plans tend to result in lower manufacturing costs and higher product quality. .Increased productivity of process planner. The systematic approach and the availability of standard process plans in the data files permit more work to be acplished by the process planners. .Reduced lead time for process planning. Process planner working with a CAPP system can provide route sheets in a shorter lead time pared to manual preparation. .Improved legibility. Computerprepared rout sheets are neater and easier to read than manually prepared route sheets. .Incorporation of other application programs. The CAPP program can be interfaced with other application programs, such as cost estimating and work standards. Computeraided process planning systems are designed around two approaches. These approaches are called: (1) retrieval CAPP systems and (2) generative CAPP systems .Some CAPP systems bine the two approaches in what is known as semigenerative CAPP. Concurrent Engineering and Design for Manufacturing Concurrent engineering refers to an approach used in product development in which the functions of design engineering, manufacturing engineering, and other functions are integrated to reduce the elapsed time required to bring a new product to market. Also called simultaneous engineering, it might be thought of as the anizational counterpart to CAD/CAM technology. In the traditional approach to launching a new product, the two functions of design engineering and manufacturing engineering tend to be separated and sequential, as illustrated in Fig.(1).(a).The product design department develops the new design, sometimes without much consideration given to the manufacturing capabilities of the pany, There is little opportunity for manufacturing engineers to offer advice on how the design might be alerted to make it more manufacturability. It is as if a wall exits between design and manufacturing. When the design engineering department pletes the design, it tosses the drawings and specifications over the wall, and only then does process planning begin. Fig.(1). Comparison: (a) traditional product development cycle and (b) product development using concurrent engineering By contrast, in a pany that practices concurrent engineering, the manufacturing engineering department bees involved in the product development cycle early on, providing advice on how the product and its ponents can be designed to facilitate manufacture and assembly. It also proceeds with early stages of manufacturing planning for the product. This concurrent engineering approach is pictured in Fig.(1).(b). In addition to manufacturing engineering, other function are also involved in the product development cycle, such as quality engineering, the manufacturing departments, field service, vendors supplying critical ponents, and in some cases the customer who will use the product. All if these functions can make contributions during product development to improve not only the new product’s function and performance, but also its produceability, inspectability, testability, serviceability, and maintainability. Through early involvement, as opposed to reviewing the final product design after it is too late to conveniently make any changes in the design, the duration of the product development cycle is substantially reduced. Concurrent engineering includes several elements: (1) design for several manufacturing and assembly, (2) design for quality, (3) design for cost, and (4) design for life cycle. In addition, certain enabling technologies such as rapid prototyping, virtual prototyping, and anizational changes are required to facilitate the concurrent engineering approach in a pany. Design for Manufacturing and Assembly It has been estimated that about 70% of the life cycle cost of a product is determined by basic decisions made during product design. These design decisions include the material of each part, part geometry, tolerances, surface finish, how parts are anized into subassemblies, and the assembly methods to be used. Once these decisions are made, the ability to reduce the manufacturing cost of the product is limited. For example, if the product designer decides that apart is to be made of an aluminum sand casting but which processes features that can be achieved only by machining(such as threaded holes and close tolerances), the manufacturing engineer has no alternative expect to plan a process sequence that starts with sand casting followed by the sequence of machining operations needed to achieve the specified features .In this example, a better decision might be to use a plastic molded part that can be made in a single step. It is important for the manufacturing engineer to be given the opportunity to advice the design engineer as the product design is evolving, to favorably influence the manufacturability of the product. Term us