CIRPP Design of Technological Processes

The engineering function is composed of processes in the integrated design of products (PP) and technology (T). These engineering fields have, for many years, been the subject of research of several world institutes whose results are represented through developed PP&T tools for simultaneous design of products and technology.

Dividing of activities of technological process design into phases (steps) of engineering design provides quality through the application of the concept of integrated PP&T. The scenario connects the cycles of engineering design PP&T by using the skill of a multifunctional team in creation of a model as a representative of the developing cognitive process. In this sense, PP&T is not a production process but a process leading to creation of products.

The activities of technological process design aims at defining how a part should be made, by what methods, with what production means, what processes and semiproducts, with thorough generation of operational instructions up to the level of operation . Introduction of advanced technologies in engineering activities at the level of PP&T should provide:

• considerable shortening of the period for preparation of technological documentation,
• elimination of bottle necks in the production chain,
• balance and quality of designed technological processes.

In computer-aided activities of PP&T (CAD/CAPP/CAM), designers of technology in an integrated environment have the possibility of using information from part geometry to the quality of treated surfaces. The shape of technological primitives, sequence of operations, selection of modes, etc. are automatically defined by application of the generative way of process design. However, the practice that a technologist makes the final decision (on the basis of recommendations) on selection of tools, cutting modes, plan of the technological process is, even today, present to a great extent.