CNC Front-End Control Interface for Multi-Vendor Machine Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Machine tool builders face challenges in providing common operability across different CNC units from various vendors, leading to increased complexity and reduced machining accuracy due to vendor-specific interface language protocols and communication protocols, making it difficult to operate and maintain CNC machines efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A control system comprising a back-end and front-end control device with an interface server module that converts between multiple interface language protocols, allowing for universal communication and control independent of vendor-specific protocols, enabling a unified control environment for numerically controlled machine tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If vendor-specific interface language protocols and communication protocols are used for CNC units, then each vendor can optimize their control systems for specific functions, but the complexity of operating and maintaining multiple CNC units from different vendors increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protocol conversion device as an intermediary component that translates between different vendor-specific communication protocols (such as Siemens, Fanuc, Heidenhain, Mitsubishi, Bosch-Rexroth) and a standardized protocol. This mediator enables seamless communication between diverse CNC units and the machine tool control system without requiring operators to learn multiple proprietary protocols, thus reducing operational complexity while preserving vendor-specific adaptability
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple vendor-specific CNC units are supported, then the system can utilize specialized features from each vendor, but the knowledge required to operate these machines increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal communication interface that can handle multiple vendor-specific protocols through a single standardized entry point. The protocol conversion device provides multi-functional capability to interface with various CNC manufacturers (Siemens, Fanuc, Heidenhain, Mitsubishi, Bosch-Rexroth) while presenting a uniform interface to the machine tool control system, thereby maintaining ease of operation across multi-vendor environments
3Stability of the object's composition
If vendor-specific communication protocols are used, then each CNC unit can maintain its original characteristics, but the difficulty of recognizing differences and maintaining machining accuracy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protocol conversion device acts as an intermediary that transparently translates vendor-specific protocols into a standardized format, allowing each CNC unit to maintain its original characteristics and communication methods while presenting a uniform interface to the control system. This eliminates the difficulty of detecting and measuring protocol differences, as all communications are normalized through the conversion layer
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a control system for controlling operation of a numerically controlled machine tool 100, the system comprising a back-end control device 300 and a front-end control device 200 communicably connected to the back-end control device 300. The back-end control device 300 comprises a numerical controller 310, a programmable logic controller 320, a first communication interface 330 being communicably connected to the numerical controller 310 and the programmable logic controller 320, and an interface server module 410 of a second communication interface 400 being communicably connected to the first communication interface 330. The front-end control device 200 comprises an interface client module 420a of the second communication interface 400 being adapted to communicably connect to the interface server module 410, second processing means 210 for executing a second operating system 213, a basic module application 211, and a plurality of control applications 212a-212g, the basic module application 211 being for accessing data in the numerical controller 310 and the programmable logic controller 320 via the one or more interface client modules 420a, the interface server module 410 and the first communication interface 330, a display unit 230 for displaying one or more control screens to a user, an input unit 240 for receiving control input operations from the user, and a first human-machine interface 250 being communicably connected to the display unit 230 and the input unit 240, and including a first graphical user interface 251 for controlling the one or more control screens displayed on the display unit 230 and for processing control input operations of the user.