AM Feature and Knowledge Based Process Planning for Additive Manufacturing in Multiple Parts Production Context

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has played an important role in manufacturing, especially in customized production. It is an ideal 'Concurrent Manufacturing' which enables fabricating a group of same or even different multiple parts simultaneously within one build volume due to its unique layer by layer processing way. However, there is very few available methods or tools for users, e.g. the AM manufacturing service bureaus, to optimize the process and production plan in multiple parts production context. To deal with this problem, this paper introduces an AM feature and knowledge based systematic process planning strategy. The main contents and key issues of process planning for AM in multiple parts production context are analyzed. Then, a developing CAPP system based on a systematic process planning framework for AM in this multiple parts production context is presented. Finally, some test examples are applied to demonstrate the functions and effectiveness of some key modules of the developing system.