An investigation of knowledge-based models for automated procedure generation in the arc welding domain

The potential of expert systems in manufacturing is now well documented, if not unanimously accepted. However, particularly in the welding domain, there is comparatively little evidence of their practical realisation or regular utilisation in industry. The main objective of this work was to evaluate recent computing advances in the context of planning for arc welding. Thus the objectives of this study were not so much concerned with simply producing another 'expert system7apos;, but rather to extract more generic knowledge about the application of expert system techniques to advanced manufacturing problems. Furthermore it was intended to evaluate the claims made about expert systems regarding their ease of use, extendability and modifiability. A prototype system is described which can generate welding procedures to the specification of BS4870.