THE SIMULTANEOUS GENERATION OF PRODUCTION CODE WITHIN A CONTEMPORARY METAL WORKING SME

This paper is directed at exploring issues related to the information requirements regarding workshop-oriented machining and inspection within an holonically enhanced small manufacturing enterprise (SME). It introduces the fundamental philosophy of holonic manufacturing systems and discusses its relevance within the context of the operation of a contemporary metalworking SME. A novel prototype manufacturing and inspection framework is outlined which is supported by the use of production information models. A major characteristic of the framework is the ability to rapidly produce and validate, through simulation, both NC part programs and inspection programs from one source of geometrical information held within an enhanced CAD model representation and production data residing in the form of a production resource model. The work is validated through generation of inspection programs, from a single source of information, in both DMIS and Co-ordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) native formats for execution under PC control on the CMM.