Current research is targeted on automation of the computer aided process planning based on a CAM oriented model. Instead of bonding the CAM data directly on top of the CAD model, a CAM oriented model separates the manufacturing related information from the design process and translate the design model to a set of machining features that is semantically compatible with the CAM operations. With parameterization of the CAM oriented model, another objective of this research is to improve the efficiency and accuracy of current integration system.

Motivated by this goal, there are four relevant topics of this concern are addressed in this research: 1). A data exchange scheme of CAD/CAM integration based on CAM oriented model. 2). Data representation and architecture design for CAM oriented model. 3). Process planning of roughing machining based on morphing theorems and parameterization of CAM oriented model. 4). A parameterization technology for tool path generation and verification.

To show the feasibility to fully automate process planning and tool path generation with the CAM oriented model, the morphing based theorem is applied to modeling the manufacturing process particularly for machining process. The mathematical model of machining process enables the automation of process planning for the rough operation. Meanwhile the parameterization technology of tool path generation is exploited particularly to for the machining feature with tessellated geometry.