Traditional machining centre selection methods may not guarantee a cost effective solution. Properly trained back‐propagation artificial neural network (BPANN) tend to select reasonable machining centres when presented with machining parameters that they have never seen before. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the applicability of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to machine centre selection problems.
A three‐layer feedforward back‐propagation supervised training approach is selected to address the machining centre selection problem and demonstrated its potential through an example. This is intended to help readers understand implications on manufacturing system design and future research.
Very limited studies attempted the machining centre selection problem. Feedforward ANN approach has been applied to a wide variety of manufacturing problems. Neural networks have training capability to solve problems that are difficult for conventional computers or human beings. The developed BPANN model has potential to solve the machine centre selection problem with notable consistency and reasonable accuracy.
The BPANN model is an innovative approach fundamentally based on artificial intelligence, which is not directly visible to the user, but is able to solve through a simpler and supervised feedforward back‐propagation training process. The model consists of an input layer, a hidden layer and an output layer. The 18 neurons fixed in the input layer are same as the set of machining centre parameters which are taken directly from the machine tool manufacturer's catalogues. Evidently the proposed three‐layer ANN model has the capability of solving the machine centre selection problem with three hidden neurons for threshold level of 0.9, noise level of 0.05 and tolerance of 0.01.
The work size, weight, travel range, spindle speed range, horse power, feed, accuracy, tool magazine and price are used as machining centre selection parameters. Machining centres' information in the form of 24 patterns along with the desired machining centres' were used to train and test the network.
