Neural computing-based design of components for cellular manufacturing

In this paper, a neuro computing approach for integrating design and manufacturing engineering is developed. Products and components have been traditionally designed without considering constraints imposed by a manufacturing system. With the introduction of concurrent engineering, design and manufacturing engineering are viewed as an integrated area. A three layer neural network that integrates several manufacturing functions is constructed for designing a cellular manufacturing system. The neuro computing system proposed provides a designer with the desired features that meet the current manufacturing constraints for design of a new component. The proposed methodology overcomes the typical limitations of neutral networks such as the internal representation and training problem, and proves to be appropriate for concurrent engineering.