Development of an innovative autonomous machine tool for dynamic product planning

Abstract In the area of machining, laborsaving and automation are comparatively realized mainly by the contribution of NC machine tools so far. However, conventional NC machine tools are not autonomous and intelligent because they don’t have any feedback mechanisms during machining operations. Therefore, in order to realize dynamic product planning for an innovative autonomous machine tool, it is indispensable that machine tools have feedback mechanism to adapt cutting parameters to monitoring information. As a matter of course, it is needed for the mechanism to include a function of tool path generation in real time. Because the real time tool path generation can perform to change not only feed speed but also depth of cut during an operation. In this paper, digital copy milling system that can generate tool paths in real time is developed by applying the traditional copy milling principle. And also, machining strategy is proposed to adapt cutting parameters considering cutting load, and integrated into the digital copy milling. Feedback machining control can be realized using the digital copy milling system with the proposed machining strategy. Furthermore, in order to achieve dynamic product planning, an automatic function of product planning is added by customizing commercial CAD software. By using this automatic planning system, even in case of a cutting trouble, it is possible to reschedule product planning immediately. Autonomous machining based on dynamic product planning can enable to realize high flexibility and high durability in machining operations.