Case-Based Retrieval Approach of Supporting Process Planning in Layer-Based Additive Manufacturing

The process planning task for a given design problem in additive manufacturing can be greatly enhanced by referencing previously developed process plans. In this research, a case-based retrieval method, called the DFM (Design For Manufacturing) framework, that retrieves previously formulated process plans is proposed to support process planning. To support the DFM Framework, we have developed an information model (ontology) of manufacturing process knowledge in the domain of additive manufacturing processes, including design requirements, process plans, and rules that map requirements to plans. Description Logic (DL) is identified as an appropriate mathematical formalism to encode the ontology and realize the computational mapping between the design and manufacturing domains. Storage and retrieval algorithms are presented that, first, structure the repository of previous DFM problems and, second, enable DFM problems to be retrieved.