On computer integrated process planning and job shop scheduling

Integrated process planning and job shop scheduling is an essential part of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM). The research reported in this thesis involves the use of emerging technologies to investigate the methodologies of integrated process planning and scheduling at an advanced level. The major remaining challenges in the area of integrated process planning and scheduling are addressed and highlighted in this thesis, including component representation, component recognition, modeling of manufacturing processes, generation of multiple process plans, generation of job shop scheduling, optimisation of job shop schedules and process plans. Particular issues related to the proposed integration, such as component coding techniques, semi-generative computer aided process planning (CAPP), supervised job shop scheduling, and an evolutionary approach to integrated process planning and job shop scheduling, are examined in detail