This thesis describes a system to advance the automation of the fixture planning process with modular fixture components.
Algorithms consider both physical constraints of metal cutting principles and geometric constraints.
These algorithms automatically generate fixture plans with a minimal number of machined test parts. In order to generate practical fixture plans, the system considers actual fixture components available in the fixture library. The system considers fixture requirements such as geometric, kinematic, and force constraints in order to automate the generation of fixture plans with little or no human assistance. Since the number of clamps in a fixture plan is often related to the cost, candidate fixture plans with a small number of clamps are first generated by placing clamps on discretized candidate clamp locations on the part. The algorithm to generate fixture plans using a vise determines various valid candidate jaws positions and the parallel bars heights using extensive geometric reasoning on cutter paths, the part, and the vise geometry.