A model for building planners that design

Computer-aided process planning (CAPP) tools have the potential for assisting designers and manufacturing engineers in producing high-quality, low-cost products. AI planning research offers promising technologies for the development of such tools. However, current planning models limit the role that the planner can play in problem solving. Designers and manufacturers do more than simply generate process plans, they re-evaluate design decisions and design new tools to improve the manufacturability of a product. To assist in this effort, we need planners that understand the relationships between design and planning, and can suggest modifications to the part or to the tools used to create parts. To this end, we present a model for integrating planning and design. This model allows a planner to suggest changes to a problem description if it cannot solve the problem or to suggest new tools that will enable it to solve the problem in its original form. Thus, the model allows planners to take a more active role in the design process. We illustrate the use of this model by describing a system we have implemented which generates re-design suggestions to improve the manufacturability of machined parts