Apparatus and method for integrating intelligent manufacturing system with expert sheet metal planning and bending system

In an integrated sheet metal manufacturing and production system comprising an expert planning system having a plurality of expert modules, a method for developing a bending plan for producing a sheet metal part in accordance with one of a plurality of bending applications, said bending applications including a robot-assisted bending application and a manual, operator-assisted bending application, said method comprising:

• creating a bend model of said sheet metal part to be produced, said bend model comprising bend model data;
• selecting a set of said plurality of expert modules in accordance with one of said plurality of bending applications;
• developing a proposed bending plan based on said set of said plurality of expert modules that are selected;
• displaying said proposed bending plan;
• and
• storing said proposed bending plan as a final bending plan under a predetermined condition.

An integrated sheet metal manufacturing and production system, comprising:

• an intelligent manufacturing system to develop a bend model of a sheet metal part to be produced;
• an expert planning system to develop and propose a bending plan for producing said sheet metal part based on said bend model;
• and
• a constraint system to selectively constrain said bending plan developed by said expert planning system based on a defined constraint, said constraint system including a constraint manager which develops a constraint phrase in accordance with said defined constraint, wherein said expert planning system develops said bending plan in accordance with said constraint phrase.

In an integrated sheet metal manufacturing and production system, a method for developing constraint phrases based on defined constraints, said method comprising:

• creating a bend model of a sheet metal part to be produced;
• defining a constraint, said defining comprising developing a constraint phrase in accordance with said defined constraint;
• and
• developing and proposing a bending plan for producing said sheet metal part, said bending plan being developed based on said bend model of said sheet metal part and said constraint phrase.

An integrated system for developing a bending plan for a sheet metal part to be produced, said system comprising:

• an intelligent manufacturing system which creates a bend model of said sheet metal part;
• an expert planning system which develops and proposes bending plan information related to a bending plan for producing said sheet metal part based on said bend model;
• and
• an interface module which generates and transfers messages from said intelligent manufacturing system to said expert planning system, said expert planning system developing said bending plan information based on said messages,
• said expert planning system comprising a plurality of expert modules, said integrated system further comprising a system to select a set of said plurality of expert modules in order to adapt said expert planning system for different bending applications, wherein said bending plan information is developed by said set of said plurality of expert modules that are selected.

An integrated system for developing a bending plan for a sheet metal part to be produced, said system comprising:

• an intelligent manufacturing system which creates a bend model of said sheet metal part;
• an expert planning system which develops and proposes bending plan information related to a bending plan for producing said sheet metal part based on said bend model;
• an interface module which generates and transfers messages from said intelligent manufacturing system to said expert planning system, said expert planning system developing said bending plan information based on said messages;
• and
• a constraint system which selectively constrains said bending plan information developed by said expert planning system based on a defined constraint,
• said constraint system comprising a constraint manager which develops a constraint phrase in accordance with said defined constraint, said interface module comprising an indicating module which indicates said constraint phrase to said expert planning system, said expert planning system developing said bending plan information based on said constraint phrase.

An integrated sheet metal manufacturing and production system, comprising:

• an intelligent manufacturing system for creating a bend model of a sheet metal part to be produced, said bend model comprising bend model data;
• an expert planning system for developing, based on said bend model data, bending plan information for producing said sheet metal part;
• and
• a system for selectively activating said expert planning system for different bending applications, whereby an operator may independently develop a bending plan based on said bend model or selectively activate said expert planning system to develop said proposed bending plan information.

An integrated sheet metal manufacturing and production system, comprising:

• an intelligent manufacturing system for creating a bend model of a sheet metal part to be produced, said bend model comprising bend model data;
• an expert planning system for developing, based on said bend model data, bending plan information for producing said sheet metal part;
• and
• a system for selectively activating said expert planning system for different bending applications, whereby an operator may independently develop a bending plan based on said bend model or selectively activate said expert planning system to develop said proposed bending plan information,
• said expert planning system comprising a plurality of expert modules, said integrated system further comprising a system for selecting a set of said plurality of expert modules, wherein said bending plan information is developed by said set of said plurality of expert modules that are selected.