What is process planning for assembling products?
Deciding the sequence of assembly steps.
Besides processes, what must process planning determine?
Tooling requirements.
What factory constraints should process planners consider?
Available equipment, capacity, and in-house manufacturing limits.
What happens if a part can’t be made in-house?
It must be purchased from external suppliers.
Who performs process planning?
Manufacturing engineers.
What’s the main goal of manufacturing engineering?
Optimize production operations.
Name two functions of manufacturing engineering.
Problem solving/continuous improvement and design for manufacturability.
What is design for manufacturability?
Creating product designs that meet specs and can be produced cost-effectively with minimal issues.
What key details must be interpreted from design drawings?
Starting material (stock), dimensions, and tolerances.
What should the process plan describe?
All processing steps and the order in which they will be performed.
What is a typical sequence in part fabrication?
Form initial geometry → refine geometry → apply surface coating/finish.
What’s the equipment selection rule?
Use existing plant equipment when possible; otherwise buy the part or install new equipment.
Who designs special tooling like dies and fixtures?
The tool design group; fabrication is done by the tool room.
Why select basic processes carefully?
To minimize the need for secondary operations.
Give an example of a property-enhancing process followed by finishing.
Hardening (heat treatment), then finishing grinding to final size and tolerance.
What design requirement must process sequences satisfy?
Dimensions, tolerances, surface finish, and other product specifications.
What quality requirements affect process selection?
Tolerances, surface integrity, consistency, and repeatability.
How does production volume influence process selection?
Different processes and systems suit low, medium, or high production rates.
If making parts in-house, what must planners select?
Processes and equipment already available in the factory.
What is material utilization?
Efficient use of materials and minimizing waste; prefer net or near-net shape processes.
What are precedence constraints?
Technological sequencing that restricts the order of operations (e.g., drill before tap).
What are reference surfaces used for?
Early-formed surfaces used to locate and dimension subsequent features.
Why minimise setups?
To reduce time and cost and allow combining operations at the same workstation.
What should be eliminated in process sequences?
Unnecessary processing steps.
