Process planning, in the manufacturing context, is the determination of processes and resources needed for completing any of the manufacturing processes required for converting raw materials into a final product to satisfy the design requirements and intent and respect the geometric and technological constraints. Process planning is the link between product design and manufacturing (Scallan 2003). At the “macrolevel,” the sequence of operations and the selection of appropriate resources are the main concerns, whereas at the “micro” process planning level, the focus is on defining parameters of each operation, determining the time it takes to perform that operation, and selecting tools and fixtures as needed (ElMaraghy 1993). Computer-aided process planning (CAPP) is the application of computer software to assist in these activities.
Process planning techniques can also be classified into variant and generative.
