In recent years, networked manufacturing has become a prominent research focus in the field of advanced manufacturing technology. To meet the demands of modern teaching, many universities have established CAD/CAM laboratories and CNC machine tool labs. For instance, the NC Technology Teaching Experimental Center in Jiangsu Province is equipped with LANs for designing NC programs, processing drawings, and 3D modeling, along with individual CNC machining equipment. However, students currently rely on floppy disks to transfer NC programs to the machines, which is inefficient. Moreover, administrators lack visibility into the operations of various devices, and there is no centralized control mechanism. This highlights the urgent need to integrate CNC equipment with CAD/CAM systems through effective networking strategies, ultimately forming an experimental environment suitable for networked manufacturing.
This paper presents a networked manufacturing experiment system, analyzing its information interaction model and exploring key technologies such as task management and equipment monitoring. The system architecture consists of three main components: design subnets, servers, and device subnets. The design subnet includes the CAD/CAM lab, while the device subnet connects CNC machines via Ethernet. These include flexible production lines (using Kingview 5.1), machining centers with PC-based control systems, and CNC milling and lathe machines using Siemens 802D systems. A server acts as a gateway to link these subnets and form a cohesive networked manufacturing environment.
The networked manufacturing process begins when the management department receives an order and assigns it to the design team via the network. After completing product design and process planning, the design team sends the results back for review. Once approved, the task is forwarded to the device subnet through a web server. The server then distributes tasks based on workshop conditions, handling job scheduling, device monitoring, and communication services. Task scheduling and device monitoring are the core functions of the system.
The system’s information interaction model involves three key participants: the designer, the dispatcher (server), and the device (executor). After completing the design and generating an NC program, the designer specifies the task status, processing time, completion time, and required equipment. Using task sending software, this information is transmitted to the dispatcher. The server organizes tasks into queues according to priority, arrival time, processing duration, and deadlines. When a task is completed, the device requests the next one, and the system confirms the delivery of the NC program.
The task scheduling module was developed using VB6.0, focusing on three stages: task sending, queuing, and acceptance. The designer's software, or "task transmitter," encapsulates job details and sends them to the dispatcher. The dispatcher handles communication, scheduling, and queue management. On the equipment side, the software allows devices to request and accept tasks.
For equipment monitoring, the system uses a client/server model, enabling remote screen capture and coordinate conversion. The server displays the client’s screen and simulates mouse clicks using API functions like SetCursorPos and mouse-event. This ensures real-time monitoring and control of the CNC machines.
In conclusion, the networked manufacturing experiment system integrates design and production aspects but does not yet cover enterprise management or market networking. It has been successfully implemented in a hospital’s CNC practice center, meeting all design requirements and operating smoothly. Further research is needed to expand its capabilities and improve its functionality.
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