Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!lll-winken!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!psuvax1!psuvm!psuecl!djm
From: djm@ecl.psu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: CAD/CAM Modeling to manufacturing
Message-ID: <1991May24.115748.1246@ecl.psu.edu>
Date: 24 May 91 15:57:47 GMT
Organization: Engineering Computer Lab, Pennsylvania State University
Lines: 24

I have used several NC packages:  from Computervision, CADAM, CATIA ("big"
CAD systems) and from MasterCAM and SmartCAM ("small" pc based systems).
All require the NC programmer to specify the feature to be cut, specify the
tool, and set cutting parameters (speed, feed, depth of cut for multiple
passes).  Some of the problems associated with automatically doing this are
workpiece orientation (how should it be fixtured), size of raw stock,
preferred order of manufacturing operations, as well as recognizing
manufacturing features from the CAD database.  There has been some work on
automated NC machining - primarily an approach which defines raw stock,
subtracts the finished part, and decomposes the remaining volume into
subvolumes that can be removed by machining.  This is still at the research
stage.

A number of people are working on automated "generative" process planning,
which will be needed to provide the non-geometric machining information
required for automatic manufacture.  At least one group (RAMP program in
South Carolina) is working on generative process planning from a PDES database.

Hope this helps.
--

Deb Medeiros
IE Dept.
Penn State University
djm@psuecl.bitnet or djm@ecl.psu.edu