The key realization techniques of virtual assembly process planning (VAPP) system are analyzed,including virtual assembly model, real-time collision detection, automatic constraint recognition algorithm, cable hess assembly process planning and visual assembly process plan at the workshop. A virtual assembly model based on hierarchical assembly task list (HATL) is put forward, in which assembly tasks are defined to express component assembling operations and are sequentially and hierarchically organized according to different subassemblies, which can perfectly model the construction process of product. And a multi-layer automatic geometry constraint recognition algorithm of how to identify assembly constraint relations in the virtual environment is proposed, then a four-layer collision detection algorithm is discussed. A VAPP system is built and some simple mechanical assemblies are used to illustrate the feasibility of the proposed method and algorithms.