Information management in process planning

A recently proposed reference model indicates the use of structured information as the basis for the control of design and manufacturing processes. The model is used as a basis to describe the integration of design and process planning. A differentiation is made between macro- and micro process planning. Macro process planning employs production method knowledge and context information to evaluate candidate production methods. Decisions in this respect are already relevant in the design stage. In working in the opposite direction, method knowledge can be applied to generate geometry and to supply material information. This enables both the completion of abstract features and the selection of production methods for the less functional, roughly defined parts of a product, ultimately resulting in a fully specified design. This approach is primarily based on Information Management.