Rule-fused technology for typical processes representation and automatic process decision

In order to represent process knowledge simply and efficiently, and enhance the automation and flexibility of process making-decision, a rule-fused method for representation of typical processes and automatic decision is presented. In the method, the relative information of a typical process is divided into invariable and variable parts. The invariable part is expressed by the united model of typical process, but the variable part is expressed by production rules embedded into the typical process. Because each typical process has an independent rule set, which keeps close relationship with the process, it is easy to conclude the correlative rules of the process and to realize process making-decision automatically. Using the cases of the typical processes of aircraft structure parts, the presentation of rule-fused typical process, the classification of production rules based on manufacturing features and the automatic process making-decision are discussed in detailed. The method was applied successfully to a computer aided process planning (CAPP) system of an aircraft manufacturing enterprise. The implementation proved that the method of process knowledge presentation was simple, efficient and maintained easily, and the process decision was realized automatically.