This chapter has discussed the fundamentals of CAPP research, including product modelling, process plan modelling, Variant and Generative systems. It then went on to discuss techniques used for interpreting the product model. A detailed look at a CAPP system for machining is then presented, including operation planning. Finally, a list of many of the systems reviewed is given, with a brief description of each.
At this point the reader will have some appreciation for the implementation of CAPP systems, and the environments they operate in. Most of the techniques discussed in this section can be used when planning for specific technologies, but there is a notable absence of techniques for planning across multiple manufacturing domains. In terms specific to the thesis, process planners described in this section are all best suited to the Operation Planning aspects of CAPP, as will be covered in Chapter 6.