An Assembly Sequence Planning Method Considering the Characteristics of Flexible Components

Assembly is a critical step of product manufacturing and processing. With the continuous development of the manufacturing industry, many mechanical and electrical products that need to be assembled have some components that belong to flexible components, which have physical differences from rigid components, such as that flexible components are deformable under the action of force to avoid interference, causing differences in the assembly process and requirements of flexible components compared to rigid components. This paper proposes a novel assembly sequence planning method that considers the characteristics of flexible components. Firstly, in response to the difference between flexible components and rigid components in terms of interference and collision judgment during the assembly process, a novel assembly stress matrix for flexible components is defined. Secondly, considering the influence of flexible components on product assembly, a mathematical model for assembly sequence planning is established, the Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) is applied to solve the optimal feasible assembly sequence. Finally, through the case study, the effectiveness of the proposed assembly sequence planning method is verified.