A Fixture Assembly Sequence Planning Method Based on Ant Colony Algorithm

Abstract

In order to solve the assembly sequence planning problem of fixtures, an ant colony algorithm is presented according to the principle that an assembly can be assembled if it can be disassembled. The disassembly constraint relations among the parts in a fixture are used to construct an integrated disassembly interference matrix. The key technologies are discussed, including feasible disassembly direction derivation based on an interference matrix, state transition probability of disassembly parts, pheromone updating rule of the ant colony algorithm and so on. The objective function takes the changing times of disassembly directions and tools. A program is realized in Matlab and verified by an example. The algorithm can effectively find the optimal assembly sequences for fixtures. Introduction