A design-with-features approach for rotational machined components

A major problem in integrating Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) arises from the difference in thinking between the design and manufacturing people. Designers think of designing a new product in terms of its intended function whereas manufacturing engineers think in terms of decomposing a product design into a set of manufacturing operations. Feature Recognition and Designing with Features have been recognised as alternative approaches to the integration of design and manufacturing functions. In this thesis the second approach has been investigated by developing a feature-based front-end to a CAD solid modeller. This produces the geometric representation of the component in terms of manufacturing features and processes, and simultaneously captures this information in a form suitable for an outline process plan. [Continues.]