Decision support tool for blank selection in workshop machining processes

Abstract

Purpose

Nowadays there is a trend in industry to optimize processes through computerization. In the field of machining, computer assistance is available to design and describe the product, analyze and simulate its behaviour, describe the manufacturing conditions and generate the corresponding orders. These are the CAD, CAM and computer aided process planning systems. However, there are no computer applications for machining processes that offer assistance to determine the characteristics of the blank. This task is usually done by workshop operators, numerical control programmers, process planners or other professionals whose knowledge and, especially, experience allow them to carry it out. This paper aims to present a computer application that provides assistance to select the characteristics of the blanks used in machining processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology applied consists of studying the methods experts use to choose blanks, analyzing the variety of parts that are currently machined in the workshops, designing the application and then implementing and validating it.

Findings

The system developed calculates the characteristics of the blank and optimizes the decision according to the experience, knowledge and methods of the experts. This application can carry out calculations for any of the parts that are usually manufactured in a workshop. The solutions that the programme offers can be developed using current‐cutting techniques or the profiles that suppliers sell in the market. The paper includes a case study to demonstrate how the tool is used. Implementation of this computer application brings the present industry closer to production optimization and computerization of the processes (computer integrated manufacturing).

Originality/value

This is the first time the knowledge and the reasoning methods of experts have been analyzed and implemented in a computer tool that gives assistance to determine the characteristics of the blank.

Citation

Quintana, G., Ciurana, J. and G‐Romeu, M.L. (2008), "Decision support tool for blank selection in workshop machining processes", Engineering Computations, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 140-154. https://doi.org/10.1108/02644400810855959