On the Development of Machine Controller Systems with Enhanced Facility for Process Monitoring Integration

Abstract:

This paper reports on the progress achieved with the specification and development of a flexible, innovative open-architecture grinding machine control system. The aim is to unify the design and implementation of key machine tool features such as hardware configuration parameters, operational parameters, process variables and machining cycles into a rationalized, extendable, object-oriented framework. The application is PC/Windows based and developed in Visual Studio .NET software. The control design is extendable to surface as well as cylindrical grinding operations and cycles. It was intended from the outset to allow simpler integration of 3^rd party sensor-based process monitoring equipment to facilitate optimised machining, including Adaptive or Intelligent control techniques. These peripheral devices from different suppliers must be analysed and classified depending on specific functionality, and a common programming and operating interface presented to the developer and user. Other device types on the machine such as operator panels and motion /axis control hardware have been identified and incorporated. An Open Device Interface (ODI) framework is proposed and defined: the development of this generic software structure and associated libraries masks specific underlying details of a devices implementation and allows simpler incorporation of additional features to the machine. The requirements for the transmission, handling, display and logging of process data is presented, and the successful demonstration of the new system on a universal grinding machine with sample peripheral devices is reported. The applicability of the Open Device Interface structure to other generalised control devices and monitoring applications is also discussed.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 581)
• Pages: 533-538
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.581.533
• Online since: October 2013
• Authors: Michael Morgan, John J. Moruzzi, David R. Allanson, Xun Chen
• Keywords: Grinding, Machine Controller, Open-Architecture, Process Monitoring

References

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[2] Balance Systems VM20 User and Installer Manuals: VM20 Operation, Profibus Interface, Remote Programming Version 9.

[3] Statham C G 1999 An Open CNC Interface for Intelligent Control of Grinding PhD thesis Liverpool John Moores University UK.