Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Integrated knowledge-based assembly sequence planning

  • Published:
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper presents a novel approach and system for the automatic generation, selection and evaluation, optimisation, and simulation of assembly plans. The information and knowledge about a product and its assembly (e.g. assembly constraints, solid model and CAD database, heuristic rules) are described using a hybrid approach and model with numeric and symbolic representation. A new methodology is presented to generate all feasible assembly sequences of the product by reasoning and decomposing the feasible subassemblies, and representing them by the assembly Petri net modelling. Qualitative strategic constraints are then used to evaluate the feasible assembly sequences. In order to obtain a good assembly sequence, some quantitative criteria such as assembly time and cost, workstation number, operator number, and part priority index are applied to select the optimal assembly sequence. Based on DFA analysis, MTM time analysis, and assemblability analysis, estimates are made of the assembly time and cost of the product when each of these sequences is used. A knowledge-based system KAPSS has been developed to achieve the integration of generation, selection evaluation, and visualisation of the assembly sequences.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. A. Bourjault, “Contribution à une approche methodologique de l'assemblage automatise: Elaboration automatique des sequences operatoires”, Thèse d'état, Universite de Franche-Comte Besançon, France, November 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  2. T. L. De Fazio and D. E. Whitney, “Simplified generation of all mechanical assembly sequences”,IEEE Journal of Robotics and Automation, RA-3(6), pp. 640–658, December 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  3. L. S. Homen de Mello and A. C. Sanderson, “A correct and complete algorithm for the generation of mechanical assembly sequences”,IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation,7(2), pp. 228–240, 199.

  4. L.S. Homen de Mello and A. C. Sanderson, “AND/OR graph representation of assembly plans”,IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation,6(2), pp. 188–199. 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  5. L. S. Homen de Mello and A. C. Sanderson, “Representation of mechanical assembly sequences”,IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation,7(2), pp. 211–227, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  6. D. Ben-Arieh and B. Kramer, “Computer-aided process planning for assembly: generation of assembly operations sequence”,International Journal of Production Research,32(3), pp. 643–656, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  7. J. Q. Xu, B. Liang, J. S. Wang, X. D. Xu and B. P. Zhang. “An approach to automatic assembly sequences generation”,Proceedings of 2nd Asian Conference on Robotics and its Application, pp. 612–615, 1994.

  8. G. Dini and M. Santochi, “Automated sequencing and subassembly detection in assembly planning”,Annals CIRP,41(1), pp. 1–4, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  9. S. Lee and K. Ko, “Automatic assembling procedure generation from mating conditions”,Computer Aided Design,19(1), pp. 3–10, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  10. A. C. Lin and T. C. Chang, “Automated assembly planning for 3-dimensional mechanical products”,Proceeding of the 1991 NSF Designand Manufacturing System Conference, NSF, pp. 523–531. 1991.

  11. D. Ben-Arieh, “A methodology for analysis operations's difficulty”,International Journal of Production Research,32(8), pp. 1879–1895, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  12. M. Shpitalni, G. Elber and E. Lenze, “Automatic assembly of three dimensional structures via connectivity graphs”,Annals of the CIRP,38(1), pp. 25–28, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  13. S. Lee and Y. G. Shin, “Automatic construction of assembly partial order graphs”,International Conference on Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 23–25 May, pp. 383–392, 1988.

  14. H. J. Bullinger and E. D. Ammer, “Computer aided depicting of precedence diagrams — a step towards efficient planning in assembly”,Computing and Industrial Engineering,18(3/4), pp. 165–169, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  15. J. D. Wolter, “On the automatic generation of assembly plans”,Procedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, vol. 1, pp. 62–68, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  16. G. N. De Floriani, “A graph model for face-to-face assembly”,Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Vol. 1, pp. 75–78, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  17. W. Zhang, “Representation of assembly and automatic robot planning by Petri net”,IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics,29(2), pp. 418–422, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  18. A. Delchambre,Computer-aided Assembly Planning, Chapman & Hall, 1992.

  19. L. Laperriere and H. A. Eimaraghy, “Planning of product assembly and disassembly”,Annals CIRP,41(1), pp. 5–9, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Reddy B. Gottipolu and Kalyan Ghosh, “An integrated approach to the generation of assembly sequences”,International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology,1, pp. 135–138, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  21. L. Laperriere and H. A. Eimaraghy, “Assembly sequences planning for simultaneous engineering applications”,International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology,9, pp. 231–244, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  22. J. L. Peterson,Petri Net, Theory and the Modeling of Systems, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice-Hall, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  23. J. A. Cecil, K. Srihari and C. R. Emerson, “A review of Petri net applications in manufacturing”,International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology,7, pp. 168–177, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Y. Narahari and N. Viswannadham,A Petri net approach to the modeling and analysis of flexible manufacturing research, vol. 3, pp. 449–472, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  25. R. Zurawski and S. T. Dillon, “Modeling and verification of FMS using Petri nets”,Modern Tools for Manufacturing Systems, Elsevier, pp. 237–161, 1993.

  26. R. Ravichandran and A. K. Chakravarty, “Decision support in flexible manufacturing systems using timed Petri net”,Journal of Manufacturing Systems,5(2), pp. 89–102, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  27. A. A. Merabet, “Synchronization of operations in a flexible manufacturing cell: a Petri net approach”,Journal of Manufacturing Systems,5(3), pp. 161–170, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  28. T. H. Chao and A. C. Sanderson, “Task sequence planning using fuzzy Petri nets”,IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics,25, pp. 755–768, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  29. P. Alanche et al. “PSI: A Petri net based simulator for flexible manufacturing systems”,Advances in Petri Net 1984, Lecture Notes in Computer Science 188, G. Rozenberg (ed.), Springer-Verlag, pp. 1–14, 1984.

  30. H. Alla, P. Ladet, J. Martinez and M. Silva Suarez. “Modeling and validation of complex systems by colored Petri nets application to a flexible manufacturing system”,Advances in Petri Net 1984, Lecture Notes in Computer Science 188, G. Rozenberg (ed.), Springer-Verlag, pp. 15–31, 1984.

  31. K. H. Lee and J. Favrel, “Hierarchical reduction method for analysis and decomposition of Petri nets”,IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics,15(2), pp. 272–280, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Johnson P. Thomas, Nimal Nissanke and Keith D. Baker, “A hierarchical Petri net framework for the representation and analysis of assembly”,IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation,12(2), pp. 268–279, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  33. N. Viswanadham and Y. Narahari, “Colored Petri net models for automated manufacturing systems”,Proceedings of the 1987 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Raleigh, N.C., pp. 1985–1990, 1987.

  34. K. Jensen,Colored Petri Nets, Basic Concepts, Analysis Methods and Practical Use, vol. 1, Springer-Verlag, 1992.

  35. X. F. Zha, S. Y. E. Lim and S. C. Fok, “Integrated Knowledge Petri net based intelligent flexible assembly planning”,Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 1997. (in print).

  36. D. S. Hong and H. S. Cho, “A neural-network-based computational scheme for generating optimized robotic assembly sequences”,Engineering Applications, Artificial Intelligence,8(2), pp. 129–145, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  37. K. Thaler, “Evaluation of a knowledge-based planning system for assembly”, inSunderland Advanced Manufacturing Technology 1989: International Conference on Manufacturing Technology-ITS Integration and Management, Sunderland, UK, 1989.

  38. T. L. Ng, C. K. Choi and X. F. Zha, “Knowledge based method for the product assembly sequence generation”,Proceedings of the 7th International Manufacturing Conference with China (IMCC'95), 1995.

  39. B. Romney, C. Godard, M. Goldwasser and G. Ramkumar, “An efficient system for geometric assembly sequence generation and evaluation”,Proceedings 1995 ASME International Computers in Engineering Conference, pp. 699–712.

  40. U. A. Seidel and H. J. Bullinger, “Assembly sequence planning using operation networks”, in M. Pridham and Ch. O'Brian (eds.),Production Research: Approaching the 21st Century, Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 495–503, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  41. H. J. Bullinger and K. Thaler, “Planning of flexible assembly based on graphs — an integrated approach”,Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Assembly Automation (ICAA), Tokyo, IFS Publications/Springer, pp. 343–350, 1989.

  42. R. Richter, “Knowledge based CAD system part for the design of easy to assembly products (design for assembly), PhD Thesis, University of Stuttgart, 1991.

  43. U. A. Seidel and K. G. Swift, “Operation networks for coordinated DFA and sequence planning”, in Y. Yokohama (ed.),Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Assembly Automation (ICAA), Bedford, IFS Publications, Springer, Berlin, pp. 539–546, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  44. U. A. Seidel, “Methodology for coordinated DFA and assembly sequence planning”, inExtended Summaries of Papers Presented to the 10th International Conference on Production Research (10th ICPR), The University of Nottingham, Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 424–425, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  45. X. F. Zha, “Concurrent integrated design and planning for flexible assembly”, Research Report, Department of Manufacturing Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, p. 255, February 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  46. X. F. Zha, S. Y. E. Lim and S. C. Fok, “Concurrent integrated design and assembly planning”,Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Automation, Robotics, and Computer Vision (ICARCV'96), Singapore, 1996.

  47. X. F. Zha,Intelligent Design and Assembly Planning, Research Report, Nanyang Technological University, 1997.

  48. S. Lee, “Disassembly planning based on subassembly extraction”,Proceedings of the 3rd ORSA/TIMS Conference on Flexible Manufacturing Systems, pp. 383–388, 1989.

  49. C. K. Shin and H. S. Ho, “On the generation of robotic assembly sequences based on separability and assembly motion stability”,Robotica,12, pp. 7–15, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  50. X. F. Zha, “Product design for assembly and expert system”,Technical Report for National Natural Science Foundation of China, NNSFC-59485005, 1994.

  51. S. Kanai, S. Takahashi and H. Makino, “ASPEN: Computer-aided assembly sequence planning and evaluation system based on predetermined time standard,Annals CIRP,45(1/1), 1996.

  52. G. Boothroyd and P. Dewhurst,Product Design for Assembly, 1989.

  53. DFA 7.1a for Windows Toolkit, Boothroyd Dewhurst, Wakefield, Rhode Island, USA, 1995.

  54. CLIPS 6.0, NASA, USA, 1993.

  55. HARDY 1.86 (Window 95), AIAI, University of Edinburgh, 1996.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Design Research Center, School of Mechanical and Production Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore

    X. F. Zha, Samuel Y. E. Lim & S. C. Fok

Authors
  1. X. F. Zha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Samuel Y. E. Lim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. C. Fok
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zha, X.F., Lim, S.Y.E. & Fok, S.C. Integrated knowledge-based assembly sequence planning. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 14, 50–64 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01179417

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01179417

Keywords

Search

Navigation