Abstract: Based on the analysis of characteristic of cable harness process planning in virtual environment, a discrete control point modeling (DCPM) method of cable harness in virtual environment and the cable harness assembly routing technique based on DCPM are proposed. DCPM converts a cable harness into continuous flexed line segments connected by a series of section center points, and the design can realize cable harness process planning through controlling the control point. This method of cable harness routing in the virtual environment breaks the status that virtual assembly process planning is just suitable for the rigid components at present, and puts the virtual assembly process planning to be more practical. Relation algo-rithms are verified in the self-developed system named virtual assembly process planning (VAPP) system, and this system has been applied in assembly process planning of aerospace-related products.

Key words: Discrete control point modeling, Virtual assembly, Cable harness process planning, Virtual reality