Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

CHAPTER 6

CASE STUDIES AND DISCUSSION

Two case studies are performed to demonstrate the performance of the developed CAPP
system. Since the top plate and window clamp are the most important components of the
lead frame wirebonding clamping assembly and the process planning for these
components are more complex than rest of the components, only case studies for these
components are discussed in this chapter. For each case study, two major areas of the
system, generation of process plan and generation of CNC tool path are discussed with an
example. In the section, generation of process plan, two major steps, preliminary
selection of process plan parameters and the final selection of the parameters by using
optimization technique are also discussed.

6.1 CASE STUDY 1

The case study is performed for the particular top plate type (type 2). The features of the
specific top plate type are shown in the Fig. 6.1. From the figure, it can be observed that
the component consists of manufacturing features such as face, angle face, through hole,
counter sink hole, slot, dove tail face, pocket, profile and so on. Each of these features
can be machined in one or more operations and an operation may have more than one sub

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Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

operations. The generated optimal process plan and CNC tool path for these operation
and sub-operation for this case study, is described in next two sections.

Counter

Face 6

sink Hole
Hole 1

Face 12

Vacuum ways

Face 7

Vacuum holes
Face 13
Hole 2

Face 11

Slot 1 Face 5
Face 8

Face 3
Angle face 2

Dove tail 2

Fitting
hole
Face 1

Face 9

Dove tail 1

Slot 2
Face 4

Angle face 1
Face 2

Face 10

Fig. 6.1 Feature identifications of a specific Top plate type

6.1.1 Generated process plan

There are 33 operations needed to manufacture the component shown in Fig. 6.1. For
each operation, various constraints are applied to select the process plan parameters
preliminarily such as preliminary selection of machine tool, cutter, cutting conditions etc.
For the final solution for each operation, a SA-based algorithm searches, which
combination gives optimum or near optimum solution for minimum processing cost for
the component. Fig. 6.2 shows the convergence of the algorithm with the decreasing of

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Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

the temperature. From the figure, it is shown that in the initial stages; up to an iteration of
100, the algorithm does not reject the solution, which is worse than the previous one,
instead it selects the solution with certain probability, which ensure that the system is not
trapping for the local minima. After 100 iterations, the system starts to converge and end
up with the final value of the processing cost of the component as S$ 280.

600

Fitness Value (in S$)

500
400
300
200
100
0
0

20

40

60

80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260

No. of iteration

Fig. 6.2 Convergence of SA algorithm with the iteration number for case study 1
After optimizing, the list of the operations and generated process plan to manufacture the
features are shown in the table 6.1. The first operation of the manufacturing process of
the component is to select the appropriate raw material. For that, the specification of the
designed

component

is

extracted

from

the

CAD

model

and

it

is

108 mm 50 mm 9.5 mm . Keeping 2 mm machining allowance in all direction, the

dimension of the minimum blank size is calculated as110 mm 52 mm 11.5 mm . From

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Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

the available stocks (as shown in table 3.2), it is found that the smallest blank size is
110 mm 55 mm 15 mm and B50 is assigned as the raw material to be used. In operation
2, the extra material in selected raw blank, B50 is premilled to the blank size,
110 mm 52 mm 11.5 mm by a saw cutter. In column 3 of Table 6.1, the generated
process plan for each operation are represented according to the representation equation
(4.1).
In operation 3, a step in face 5 is machined with process of P05, which is step-machining
process (please refer to Fig. 3.5). Machine number 2 (M02) of Machine type CNC
milling machine (MY04) is selected for this process. Under Machine number 2, cutter
number 31 (T31) of Cutter type end mill (CT02) is selected. Selected cutting conditions
for this operation are speed 800 rpm, feed 120 mm/min and depth of cut 0.6 mm.
In operation 9, a countersink hole is machined by 4 sub-operations. Machine number 01
(M01) of machine type Radial drill (MY02) is used for these 4 sub-operations. In first
sub-operation, a cutter type center drill (CT06) is used to initialize the hole by the process
of hole initializing (P12). In the second sub-operation, cutter type drill (CT05) is selected
to make the hole by process of hole making (P02).

6.1.2 Generated CNC tool path

By inputting into the CNC template from the selected process plan parameters and
retrieving the CNC template for the component, the CNC tool path is generated. Fig. 6.3
shows the generated tool path and the generated cutter location source file (text file) for
operation 4. Table 6.2 shows the parameters used for this tool path.

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Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

Table 6.1 Optimal Process plan generated for the Top plate type shown in Fig. 6.1
Opera
-tion
No.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23

Feature

Raw
Material
selection
Premill
Step for
face 5
Face 6
Face4
Chamfering on
face 4
Face 7
Chamfering on
face 7
Countersink hole
Slot 1 on
face 5
Face 1
Face 2
Face 3
Angle
face 1
Angle
face 2
Face 8
Face 9
Face 10
Face 11
Dove tail
1
Dove tail
2
Blind
pocket on
face 9
Slot 3 on
face 9

Process Plan parameter

Processing
cost (in S$)

Material: AISI 420

Blank Size: 110 mm X 55 mm X 15 mm

280

Sawing
S (P05, MY04, M02, CT02, T31, {800, 120, 0.6})
S (P04, MY04, M02, CT02, T23, {2500, 250, 0.85})
S (P04, MY04, M01, CT2, T31, {800, 120, 0.65})
S (P09, MY04, M02, CT08, T05, {8000, 50, 0.95})
S (P04, MY04, M01, CT02, T31, {800, 120, 1})
S (P09, MY04, M01, CT08, T05, {8000, 50, 1.5})
S (P12, MY02, M01, CT06, T09, {2000, 100, N/A})
S (P02, MY02, M01, CT05, T09, {1300, 100, N/A})
S (P03, MY02, M01, CT13, T01, {1300, 100, N/A})
S (P03, MY02, M01, CT12, T01, {2500, 100, N/A})
S (P12, MY04, M01, CT06, T01, {2000, 100, N/A})
S (P06, MY04, M01, CT02, T07, {8000, 100, 1.3})
S (P04, MY04, M02, CT01, T36, {900, 1000, 0.95})
S (P04, MY04, M01, CT02, T21, {1000, 100, 1.3})
S (P04, MY04, M01, CT02, T25, {1000, 100, 1.5})
S (P04, MY04, M02, CT08, T04, {9000, 50, 0.85})
S (P04, MY04, M02, CT08, T04, {9000, 50, 1.5})
S (P04, MY04, M02, CT01, T38, {500, 250, 0.75})
S (P04, MY04, M01, CT01, T37, {600, 550, 1.4})
S (P04, MY04, M01, CT02, T30, {2400, 300, 1})
S (P04, MY04, M02, CT02, T29, {800, 120, 1.2})
S (P08, MY04, M02, CT09, T03, {6000, 60, 1.3})
S (P08, MY04, M01, CT09, T02, {5000, 60, 0.5})
S (P12, MY04, M02, CT06, T01, {2000, 100, N/A})
S (P07, MY04, M02, CT02, T27, {1200, 150, 1.4})
S (P12, MY04, M02, CT06, T01, {2000, 100, N/A})
S (P06, MY04, M02, CT02, T05, {10000, 100, 1.2})
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Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

24
25

Grinding
in all faces
Heat
treatment

26

Hole 1

27

Hole 2

28

Slot 2

29

30

31

32
33

Face 12 in
composite
feature 4
Face 13
and
vacuum
ways in
composite
feature 4
Blind
Vacuum
holes in
composite
feature 4
Fitting
holes
Polishing

S (P10, MY05, M01, CT10, T01, {3000, 4500, 0.01})

Sand blasting Heat treatment
S (P12, MY04, M01, CT06, T01, {2000, 100, N/A})
S (P02, MY04, M01, CT05, T03, {2500, 100, N/A})
S (P12, MY04, M01, CT06, T01, {2000, 100, N/A})
S (P02, MY04, M01, CT05, T03, {2500, 100, N/A})
S (P12, MY04, M08, CT06, T01, {2000, 100, N/A})
S (P06, MY04, M08, CT02, T05, {10000, 100, 0.45})
S (P04, MY04, M08, CT08, T03, {8000, 60, 0.5})

S (P11, MY04, M08, CT02, T04, {18000, 100, 0.45})

S (P12, MY04, M10, CT06, T01, {2000, 100, N/A})

S (P02, MY04, M10, CT02, T04, {18000, 100, 0.55})

Super drill

Table 6.2 Tool path parameters for the operation 4 shown in table 6.1
Component
Process
Cutter
Cutter diameter
Number of flute
Stepover
Blank distance
Depth per cut
Cut pattern
Cut method
Machining strategy
Speed
Feed

Top Plate type 2

End milling
End mill carbide cutter
4 mm
2
30% of cutter diameter
1.7 mm
0.85 mm
Serial pattern
Zig with contour
Down milling
2500 rpm
250 mm/min

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Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

Fig. 6.3 Generated tool path and CLSF in Unigraphics for case study 1

6.2 CASE STUDY 2

In this case study, the features, generation of optimal process plan and the CNC tool path
for the particular window clamp type (type 1) is presented. The features of the specific
window clamp type are shown in the Fig. 6.4a and 6.4b. From the figures, it can be
observed that the component consists of manufacturing features such as face, angle face,
through hole, slot, pocket, profile and so on. Each feature on this list, can be machined in
one or more operations and an operation may have more than one sub- operations. The
generated optimal process plan and CNC tool path is described in next two sections.

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Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

Face 1

Hole 1
Slot 1

Angle
face 4

Window
Clamp cavity
Face 2
Hole 3
Hole 2

Face 5
Angle
face 2
Face 3

Angle
face 1

Face 6
Face 4
Angle
face 3

Fig. 6.4a Feature identifications in the top view of a specific Window clamp type

Pocket on face 13
Face 13
Angle face 6

Face 11

Face 12

Angle face 8
Face 14
Face 9
Face 3

Pocket on face 14

Face 7

Angle face 5

Fig. 6.4b Feature identifications in the bottom view of a specific Window clamp type

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Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

6.2.1 Generated process plan

There are 33 operations needed to manufacture the component shown in Fig. 6.4a and
6.4b. For each operation, various constraints are applied to select the process plan
parameters preliminarily such as selection of machine tool, cutter, cutting conditions etc.
For final solution of each operation, a SA-based algorithm searches, which combination
gives optimum or near optimum solution for minimum processing cost for the
component. Fig. 6.5 shows the convergence of the algorithm for the case study with the
decreasing of the temperature. From the figure, it is shown that in the initial stages; up to
an iteration of 135, the algorithm does not reject the solution, which is worse than the
previous one. After 135 iterations the system starts to converge and end up with the final
value of the processing cost of the component as S$ 246.23.
After optimizing, the list of the operations and generated process plan to manufacture the
features are shown in the table 6.3. The first operation of the manufacturing process of
the component is to select the appropriate raw material. For that, the specification of the
designed

component

is

extracted

from

the

CAD

model

and

it

is

117 mm 50 mm 4.75 mm . Keeping 2 mm machining allowance in all direction, the

dimension of the minimum blank size is calculated as119 mm 52 mm 6.75 mm . From
the available stocks (as shown in table 3.2), it is found that the smallest blank size is
120 mm 55 mm 10 mm and B59 is assigned as the raw material to be used. In
operation 2, the extra material in the selected raw blank, B59 is premilled to the blank
size, 119 mm 52 mm 6.75 mm by a saw cutter. . In column 3 of Table 6.3 the generated

75

Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

process plan for each operation are represented according to the representation equation
(4.1).

320

Fitness Value (in S$)

300

280

260

240

220

200

50

100

150

200

No. of iteration

Fig. 6.5 Convergence of SA algorithm with the iteration number for case study 2

In operation 3, a face is machined with the process of P04, which is face milling process.
Machine number 2 (M02) of Machine type CNC milling machine (MY04) is selected for
this process. Under Machine number 2, cutter number 37 (T37) of Cutter type face mill
(CT01) is selected. Selected cutting conditions for this operation are speed 600 rpm, feed
550 mm/min and depth of cut 0.95 mm.
In operation 4, a step in face 2 is machined by the process of step machining (P05).
Machine number 2 (M02) of machine type CNC milling machine (MY04) is used for the
process. Under Machine number 2, cutter number 30 (T30) of Cutter type end mill

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Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

(CT02) is selected. It is noted here, that for this operation, face milling is not selected for
the process knowledge constraints. The leftover of the feature is two sidewalls, which
cannot be created by the face milling.
In operation 8, an angle face is machined by the process of chamfer milling (P09). Cutter
number 5 (T05), under the cutter type chamfer cutter (CT08) is selected for this
operation. Selected cutting conditions for this operation are speed 9000 rpm, feed 50
mm/min and depth of cut 0.95 mm.
Table 6.3 Optimal Process plan generated for the Window clamp type shown in Fig. 6.4a
and 6.4b
Opera
-tion
No.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Feature

Process Plan parameter

Raw
Material
selection
Premill
Face 1
Step on
Face 2
Face 3
Face 4
Face 5
Angle
face 1
Angle
face 2
Angle
face 3
Angle
face 4
Face 8
Face 6
Step on
face 6
Angle
face 7

Material: AISI 420

Blank Size: 120 mm X 55 mm X 10 mm
Blank No. B59
Sawing
S (P04, MY04, M02, CT01, T37, {600, 550, 0.95})

Processing
cost (in S$)

246.23

S (P05, MY04, M02, CT02, T30, {2400, 300, 0.85})

S (P04, MY04, M01, CT01, T37, {600, 550, 0.95})
S (P04, MY04, M01, CT02, T22, {8000, 400, 0.85})
S (P04, MY04, M02, CT02, T23, {1300, 150, 0.85})
S (P09, MY04, M01, CT08, T05, {9000, 50, 0.95})
S (P09, MY03, M01, CT08, T05, {9000, 50, 0.95})
S (P09, MY04, M02, CT08, T05, {9000, 50, 0.95})
S (P09, MY04, M01, CT08, T05, {9000, 50, 0.95})
S (P04, MY04, M02, CT01, T37, {600, 550, 0.95})
S (P04, MY04, M01, CT01, T38, {500, 250, 0.95})
S (P05, MY04, M02, CT02, T17, {2500, 120, 0.85})
S (P09, MY04, M01, CT08, T05, {9000, 50, 0.95})

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Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

16
17
18
19
20

21
22
23
24
25

Face 7
Step on
face 7
Angle
face 5
Face 12
Step on
face 12 for
face 13
Step on
face 12 for
face 14
Angle
face 8
Angle
face 6
Pockets
on face 13
Pockets
on face 14

26

Hole 1

27

Hole 2

28
29

Grinding
in all faces
Heat
treatment

30

Hole 3

31

Slot 1

32
33

Window
clamp
cavity
Polishing

S (P04, MY04, M01, CT01, T38, {500, 250, 0.95})

S (P05, MY04, M02, CT02, T15, {3000, 150, 0.85})
S (P09, MY04, M02, CT08, T02, {8000, 60, 0.95})
S (P04, MY04, M02, CT01, T38, {500, 250, 0.95})
S (P05, MY04, M02, CT02, T30, {2400, 300, 0.85})

S (P05, MY04, M01, CT02, T20, {9000, 270, 0.85})

S (P09, MY04, M01, CT08, T05, {9000, 50, 0.95})
S (P09, MY04, M01, CT08, T05, {9000, 50, 0.95})
S (P07, MY05, M02, CT02, T16, {12000, 350, 0.85})
S (P07, MY04, M02, CT02, T20, {9000, 270, 0.85})
S (P12, MY03, M01, CT06, T09, {2000, 100,N/A})
S (P02, MY03, M01, CT05, T09, {1300, 100, 1.2})
S (P12, MY03, M01, CT06, T09, {2000, 100,N/A})
S (P02, MY03, M01, CT05, T12, {1100, 100, 1.2})
S (P10, MY04, M01, CT10, T01, {3000, 4500, 0.01})
Sand blasting Heat treatment
S (P12, MY04, M01, CT06, T09, {2000, 100,N/A})
S (P02, MY04, M01, CT05, T04, {2500, 100, 0.6})
S (P03, MY04, M01, CT12, T01, {2500, 100, N/A})
S (P12, MY04, M08, CT06, T09, {2000, 100,N/A})
S (P06, MY04, M08, CT02, T05, {10000, 100, 0.45})
S (P11, MY04, M02, CT02, T23, {1300, 150, 0.85})

6.2.2 Generated CNC tool path

By inputting into the CNC template from the selected process plan parameters and
retrieving the CNC template for the component, the CNC tool path is generated. Fig. 6.6
shows the generated tool path and the portion of the generated cutter location source file
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Chapter 6: Case Studies and discussion

(text file) for operation 4. Table 6.4 shows the parameters used for this tool path.
Appendix B shows the full details of the generated cutter location source file.

Fig. 6.6 Generated tool path and CLSF in Unigraphics for case study 2
Table 6.4 Tool path parameters for the operation 4 shown in table 6.3.
Component
Process
Cutter
Cutter diameter
Number of flute
Stepover
Blank distance
Depth per cut
Cut pattern
Cut method
Machining strategy
Speed
Feed

Window Clamp type 1

End milling
End mill carbide cutter
16 mm
2
40% of cutter diameter
0.85 mm
0.85 mm
Serial pattern
Zig with contour
Down milling
2400 rpm
300 mm/min

79