Advancing design-for-assembly-the next generation in assembly planning

At the 1995 IEEE Symposium on Assembly and Task Planning, Sandia National Laboratories introduced the Archimedes 2 Software Tool. The system was described as a second-generation assembly planning system that allowed preliminary applications of assembly planning for industry, while solidly supporting further research in planning techniques. Sandia has worked closely with industry and academia over the last four years. The results of these working relationships have bridged a gap for the next generation in assembly planning. The goal of the paper is to share Sandia's technological advancements in assembly planning over the last four years and the impact these advancements have made on the manufacturing community.