Development of machining alternatives, based on MRSEVs

One missing link between CAD and CAM is the lack ofa systematic methodology for generating and evaluating al-
ternative ways to manufacture a proposed design. To ad-
dress this problem, we are developing a systematic approach
for generating and evaluating alternative ways to manufac-
ture machined parts, in order to provide information to the
designer about the manufacturability of the proposed de-
sign, and information to the process engineer about how
best to machine the part. This paper describes our overall
approach, and how MRSEVs (Material Removal Shape El-
ement Volumes, a STEP library of machining features) can
be used to support it.