This thesis describes a method of classifying machined surface features. The classification system is based on the observation that the entire surface of a workpiece to be machined is easily decomposed into Machined Surfaces(eg, holes, pockets and slots) and that each Machined Surface(MS) can further be decomposed into Elementary Machined Surfaces(EMS). An EMS is a portion of a MS which is generated by a unit machining operation or a simple processing cycle(SPC).
To demonstrate and test the proposed classification methodology, a prototype coding system was developed for the hole type MS. The coding system is machining technology oriented in that a coded EMS has all the information necessary to select cutting tools and to plan machining processes. File structure for the MS file, tool file, process data file, and SPC file are proposed together with a systematic tool selection and process planning procedure. The EMS based process planning logic not only utilizes the technological relationships between EMS's and cutting tools(ie, EMS-TOOL matching) but also makes use of historical process plans. The file structures and process planning procedure have been implemented in BASIC for the hole type EMS's.
