Technological process planning by the use of neural networks.

The central objective of the present author's research is to develop a system supporting the design of a technological process (a computer-aided process planning system) that functions similarly to a human expert in the field in question. The use of neural networks makes the creation of such a system possible. The proposed method uses a system of three blocks of neural networks, and involves the creation of neural networks to be used for the selection of machines, tools, and machining parameters. These networks are built for each process operation separately; that is, a set of neural networks is created for each selection. For the construction of models, different types of neural networks (multilayer networks with error backpropagation, radial basis function, and Kohonen) with different structures were employed, and the networks that made the best selections were identified. A method was also developed for the elimination of defects occurring during the production process. When a defect comes to light, this method suggests changes to the technological process, thus improving the quality of that process. Guidelines for the elimination of defects are produced in the form of decision rules. Such a computer-aided process planning system will be especially useful for process engineers who do not yet have sufficient experience in the design of technological processes, or who have only recently joined a particular manufacturing enterprise and are not fully familiar with its machines and other means of production (tools and instrumentation). It should be emphasized that such a system performs an advisory role, and it is always the process engineer who makes the final decision. The neural network models were tested on real data from an enterprise. A computer-aided process planning system based on rules and neural network models enables the intelligent design of technological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]