Expert fixture-design system for an automated manufacturing environment

In the bridging of CAD and CAM activities in flexible manufacturing systems, the development of an automated fixture-design system capable of handling various part geometries is a pertinent link. The paper discusses the design task relating to the development and implementation of an automated fixture-design system. An automated fixture-design system requires an intelligent feature recognizer, a sophisticated design system, a good knowledge-representation scheme, and sound interfacing of these modules. A CAD model is used as an input to the system. A feature recognizer is developed to recognize the machining features represented in the CAD model. A rule/object-based approach is used to group the machining features into appropriate fixture setups, and to recommend suitable clamping, locating and supporting points. The appropriate fixturing elements are then selected and assembly sequences are planned. Relevant fixturing constraints and the representation of the design knowledge in the system are also discussed.