CSIRO OF AUSTRALIA AND HOOVER (AUST) PTY LTD, A WORLDWIDE MANUFACTURER OF HOME APPLIANCES, ARE COLLABORATING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOFTWARE TO SUPPORT PLANNING FOR ASSEMBLY. THE PROJECT COMMENCED IN MARCH 1990 AND HAS TWO MAIN AIMS: FIRSTLY TO ENHANCE THE ACTIVITIES INVOLVED IN THE VARIOUS STAGES OF PLANNING FOR ASSEMBLY VIA NEW SOFTWARE TOOLS, SECONDLY TO INTEGRATE THE INFORMATION PROCESSING FOR ASSEMBLY WITH A VIEW TO EVOLVING A COMPUTER-INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE COMPANY. THIS OVERVIEW PAPER DESCRIBES THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE PROJECT AND DISCUSSES THE STRUCTURE OF THE SOFTWARE. THE PROJECT IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BY MID-1992.