Integrated intelligent design and assembly planning: A survey

This paper reviews the relevant literature of the development of methodologies and systems for integrated intelligent design of assembled products and processes. Based on a combination of the concurrent engineering approach and artificial intelligence techniques, an assembly oriented intelligent scheme for the integration of design and planning is proposed, in which the following components or activities are considered and carried out concurrently and intelligently: assembly modelling and design (conceptual design; preliminary design; detailed design), assembly process planning, assembly system layout and design, assembly simulation, econo-technical (e.g. assembl-ability, assembly time and cost) and ergonomic analysis and evaluation. The literature is reviewed and discussed in relation to the methodologies and systems of implementing the above components or activities and an integrated environment to support them. In addition, some research of our group on this topic is introduced.