COMPUTER AIDED PROCESS PLANNING SYSTEM FOR PIPE WELDING
Open Access
- Graduate Program:
- Industrial Engineering
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- None
- Committee Members:
- Dr Medeiros, Thesis Advisor
- Deborah Jean Medeiros, Thesis Advisor
- Mark Thomas Traband, Thesis Advisor
- Keywords:
- mechanized equipment
- pipe welding
- Computer Aided Process Planning (CAPP)
- sequencing operations
- machine selection
- Abstract:
- In this thesis, a Computer Aided Process Planning (CAPP) system for pipe welding is presented. The focus of the CAPP system is for highly variable pipe assemblies, each to be produced in low quantity. In this environment, welding machinery is mechanized, as opposed to robotic. The CAPP system encompasses machine selection, operation sequencing and setup planning. The goal is to produce a process plan (or plans) with the maximum use of automated equipment. A second goal is to minimize the number of fitting setups. The CAPP logic evaluates the geometry of each pipe assembly, with respect to pre-defined machine capabilities. The CAPP logic is then applied to five example assemblies; each assembly is composed of between four and six commonly used pipe parts. For machine selection, the examples consider three commonly available mechanized welding machines and a manual welder. The returned process plans demonstrate the ability of the proposed decision logic to create process plans for fabricating the pipe assembly with the maximum use of automated equipment and the minimum number of setups at that automation level.