A novel framework for discovery and reuse of typical process route driven by symbolic entropy and intelligent optimisation algorithm

Manufacturing enterprises accumulate numerous manufacturing instances as they run and develop. Being able to excavate and apply the instance resources reasonably is one of the most effective approaches to improve manufacturing and support innovation. A novel framework for the discovery and reuse of typical process routes driven by symbolic entropy and intelligent optimisation algorithm so as to scientifically determine reuse objects and raise the reuse flexibility is proposed in this paper. A similarity measurement method of machining process routes based on symbolic entropy is developed in this framework. Subsequently, a typical process route discovery method based on the ant colony clustering model and similarity measurement is devised, and two reuse approaches based on the typical process route are analysed. Finally, three case studies are rendered. These case studies cover the aspects of similarity analysis, mining, and reuse of manufacturing instances, which systematically explains the whole procedure of discovery and reuse based on typical process route. The case studies show that (i) the similarity measurement method based on symbolic entropy can accurately evaluate the similarity among ten machining process routes, (ii) ant colony clustering model can realize adaptive clustering for these ten process routes, and (iii) indirect reuse approach for the typical process route can support the generation of new machining plan effectively. This reveal that the proposed framework comprehensively considers various aspects of retrieval and reuse of manufacturing instances, which can effectively support process instance reuse. Can better support process instance reuse.