An Agent-Based Framework for STEP-NC Controllers of CNC Machine Tools

2010 ◽  
Vol 44-47 ◽  
pp. 889-893 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ri Liang Liu ◽  
Cheng Rui Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Data Model ◽  
Machine Tools ◽  
Cnc Machine Tools ◽  
Shop Floor ◽  
Cnc Machine ◽  
Working Mechanism ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Operational Flow ◽  
Control Modules ◽  
First Time

STEP-NC is a promising data interface for CNC, by which a comprehensive set of information regarding the product to be manufactured can be conveyed for the first time to the shop floor. In this paper, the new data model is briefly overviewed and analyzed. Then functionalities and considerations as for implementation of STEP-NC controllers are identified, followed by a conceptual framework proposed for such STEP-NC controllers for a new breed of CNC machine tools featuring autonomy and cooperation. The proposed system is constituted with a planning agent and a machining agent. The former is designed to take responsibility to cooperate with the external systems, to prepare all the data needed in machining and schedule them into unit tasks, while the latter, as one of the planning agent’s local control modules in light of an excellent combination of functionality and reliability, controls the machine tools adaptively. The working mechanism of the whole system is also introduced with an illustration of the operational flow.

scholarly journals A Low-Cost Vision-Based Monitoring of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machine Tools for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (20) ◽  
pp. 4506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyungjung Kim ◽  
Woo-Kyun Jung ◽  
In-Gyu Choi ◽  
Sung-Hoon Ahn
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Machine Tools ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Computer Numerical Control ◽  
Numerical Control ◽  
Smart Factory ◽  
Cnc Machine Tools ◽  
Shop Floor ◽  
Cnc Milling ◽  
Cnc Machine

In the new era of manufacturing with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the smart factory is getting much attention as a solution for the factory of the future. Despite challenges in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), such as short-term strategies and labor-intensive with limited resources, they have to improve productivity and stay competitive by adopting smart factory technologies. This study presents a novel monitoring approach for SMEs, KEM (keep an eye on your machine), and using a low-cost vision, such as a webcam and open-source technologies. Mainly, this idea focuses on collecting and processing operational data using cheaper and easy-to-use components. A prototype was tested with the typical 3-axis computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine. From the evaluation, availability of using a low-cost webcam and open-source technologies for monitoring of machine tools was confirmed. The results revealed that the proposed system is easy to integrate and can be conveniently applied to legacy machine tools on the shop floor without a significant change of equipment and cost barrier, which is less than $500 USD. These benefits could lead to a change of monitoring operations to reduce time in operation, energy consumption, and environmental impact for the sustainable production of SMEs.

scholarly journals Study of Machining of Gears with Regular and Modified Outline Using CNC Machine Tools

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 2913
Author(s):  
Rafał Gołębski ◽  
Piotr Boral
Keyword(s):  
Machine Tools ◽  
Coordinate Measuring Machine ◽  
Optical Microscope ◽  
Numerical Control ◽  
Cnc Machine Tools ◽  
Cnc Milling ◽  
Cnc Machine ◽  
Cylindrical Gears ◽  
Measuring Machine ◽  
Five Axis

Classic methods of machining cylindrical gears, such as hobbing or circumferential chiseling, require the use of expensive special machine tools and dedicated tools, which makes production unprofitable, especially in small and medium series. Today, special attention is paid to the technology of making gears using universal CNC (computer numerical control) machine tools with standard cheap tools. On the basis of the presented mathematical model, a software was developed to generate a code that controls a machine tool for machining cylindrical gears with straight and modified tooth line using the multipass method. Made of steel 16MnCr5, gear wheels with a straight tooth line and with a longitudinally modified convex-convex tooth line were machined on a five-axis CNC milling machine DMG MORI CMX50U, using solid carbide milling cutters (cylindrical and ball end) for processing. The manufactured gears were inspected on a ZEISS coordinate measuring machine, using the software Gear Pro Involute. The conformity of the outline, the tooth line, and the gear pitch were assessed. The side surfaces of the teeth after machining according to the planned strategy were also assessed; the tests were carried out using the optical microscope Alicona Infinite Focus G5 and the contact profilographometer Taylor Hobson, Talysurf 120. The presented method is able to provide a very good quality of machined gears in relation to competing methods. The great advantage of this method is the use of a tool that is not geometrically related to the shape of the machined gear profile, which allows the production of cylindrical gears with a tooth and profile line other than the standard.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document