Knowledge-based integration of design and assembly process planning

Concurrent engineering is an approach for fast product development. To support concurrent product design and process planning effective tools are needed. This paper desribes the development of a knowledge-based system for this approach. lt consists of tools for feature-based product design, design for assembly analysis, and process planning. All tools work on an integrated product and process model. The integrated model and the data structure of the developed assembly-features are discussed. The perspective of using knowledge-based methods for realizing concurent engineering is described.