Beruflich Dokumente
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Abstract
The aim of the next generation of computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines is to be portable, interoperable and adaptable. Over the
years, G-codes (ISO 6983) have been extensively used by the CNC machine tools for part programming and are now considered as a bottleneck for
developing next generation of CNC machines. A new standard known as STEP-NC is being developed as the data model for a new breed of CNC
machine tools. The data model represents a common standard specifically aimed at the intelligent CNC manufacturing workstation, making the
goal of a standardised CNC controller and NC code generation facility a reality. It is believed that CNC machines implementing STEP-NC will be
the basis for a more open and adaptable architecture. This paper outlines a futuristic view of STEP-NC to support distributed interoperable
intelligent manufacturing through global networking with autonomous manufacturing workstations with STEP compliant data interpretation,
intelligent part program generation, diagnostics and maintenance, monitoring and job production scheduling.
# 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: CNC; Interoperability; STEP; STEP-NC
1. Introduction
From the start of craft production in the 1800s to the
pioneering mass production of the early 1900s there have been a
number of revolutionary changes to manufacturing systems
configurations. The most recognised traditional configuration of
manufacturing systems was the dedicated transfer (machine)
line, which enabled mass production at high efficiency and low
cost. With the need of the 1970s and 1980s to produce a wider
range of parts, flexible manufacturing was developed to meet
these needs for the production of smaller batches of different
parts. These systems used groups of computer numerically
controlled (CNC) machines that could be reprogrammed to make
different parts combined with automated transport systems and
storage. These CNC machines became the central elements in the
systems such as flexible transfer lines, flexible manufacturing
systems (FMS) and flexible manufacturing cells (FMC).
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +64 9 373 7599x84527; fax: +64 9 373 7479.
E-mail address: x.xu@auckland.ac.nz (X.W. Xu).
0166-3615/$ see front matter # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.compind.2005.06.002
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interfacing with other CAPP/CAM programs through languages such as Visual Basic, Visual C++ and Delphi. The
STEPcNC Converter can understand and process STEP-NC
codes, and interface with the CNC controller through a Human
Machine Interface. It makes use of STEP-NC information such
as Workplan, Workingstep, machining strategy, machining
features and cutting tools that is present in a STEP-NC AIM
file.
5.4. Collaborative STEP-NC enabled machining
It can be said that the ultimate goal for the STEP-NC enabled
machining is to support Web-based, distributed and collaborative
manufacturing (Fig. 4), a scenario of design anywhere/build
anywhere. This is possible as a STEP-NC program can separate
the generic manufacturing information (what-to-do), from the
manufacturing information (how-to-do) that is native to a
specific machine tool. Therefore, a generic STEP-NC program
can be made machine-independent and has an advantage over the
conventional, G-code based NC program which is always
generated for a particular CNC machine. For this type of STEPNC program to be implemented on a native CNC system, the
native manufacturing knowledge has to be incorporated. To fulfil
this function, a native STEP-NC mapping system called Native
STEP-NC Adaptor has been developed [40]. The adaptor is
built with three parts: a native CNC system knowledge database,
a Translator and a HumanComputer Interface. The native CNC
system knowledge database has a proprietary data structure so
that the work in developing the Translator is made simpler and
coherent programming of NC components across the enterprise
is enabled.
Recently, there has been a trend of using XML (or rather ISO
10303 Part 28) instead of EXPRESS language (or ISO 10303
Part 21 [41]) to represent the STEP-NC information. The
reason for this is obvious. The XML processing ability can
Workingstep
ID
Feature
Operation
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Planar_face
Closed_pocket
Round_hole
Round_hole
Slot
Slot
Round_hole
Slot
Plane_rough_milling
Bottom_and_side_rough_milling
Drilling
Drilling
Bottom_and_side_rough_milling
Bottom_and_side_rough_milling
Drilling
Bottom_and_side_rough_milling
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Xun W. Xu received a BSc and MSc from Shenyang
Jianzhu University and Dalian University of Technology, PR China in 1982 and 1988, respectively. In
1996, he received a PhD from the Department of
Mechanical Engineering, University of Manchester
Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), UK.
He is now a senior lecturer at the Department of
Mechanical Engineering, the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Dr. Xu is a member of ASME
and IPENZ. In addition to his teaching and research
activities at the University of Auckland, Dr. Xu has been actively engaged in
various industrial consultancy work. He heads the Manufacturing Systems
Laboratory and the CAD/CAM Laboratory in the University of Auckland. His
main interests lie in the areas of CAD/CAPP/CAM, STEP, and STEP-NC.
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