The University of Auckland

Project #53: MTConnect-based Cyber Physical Machine Tool

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Description:

This is an Industry 4.0 project.

Cyber-Physical Machine Tool (CPMT) is the integration of machine tool, machining processes, computation and networking, where embedded computers and networks can monitor and control the machining processes, with feedback loops in which machining processes can affect computations and vice versa. The core of the CPMT is the Machine Tool Cyber Twin (MTCT). MTCT is a digital abstraction of the physical machine tool with embedded computational capabilities. It represents the real-time status of the machine tool and its components, takes full advantage of the real-time data collected from the physical world and endows the physical machine tool with intelligent and autonomous functionalities.

MTConnect (www.mtconnect.org) is a lightweight, open, and extensible protocol designed for the exchange of data between shop floor equipment and software applications. MTConnect provides a very detailed information model specifically designed for machine tools, enabling real-time manufacturing data collected from different data sources (e.g. CNC controller and various sensors) to be stored, transmitted and managed in the same format.

The aim of this project is to develop a MTCT for a Sherline Milling Machine (sherline.com) based on MTConnect standard. Real-time manufacturing data need to be collected from the CNC controller and different sensors to build the information model of the machine tool. MTConnect should be used as the data communication protocol as well as the information modelling technology.

The main tasks include: (1) Real-time machining data acquisition from the CNC controller and different sensors; (2) Development of MTConnect communication environment (i.e. MTConnect adapter and MTConnect agent); (3) Development of web-based applications for data visualization and analysis; and (4) Development of intelligent decision-making functions based on the real-time machining data.

Type:

Undergraduate

Outcome:

The aim of this project is to develop a MTCT for a Sherline Milling Machine (sherline.com) based on MTConnect standard. Real-time manufacturing data need to be collected from the CNC controller and different sensors to build the information model of the machine tool. MTConnect should be used as the data communication protocol as well as the information modelling technology.

Prerequisites

Strong programming skills; knowledge of machine tool.

Specialisations

Categories

Supervisor

Team

Allocated (Not available for preferences)

Lab

Lab allocations have not been finalised