Dynamic Reconfigurable Machine Tool Controller Dynamic Reconfigurable Machine Tool Controller

by Li, Wei 1971-

This dissertation presents a dynamic reconfigurable control strategy based on the Direct Machining And Control (DMAC) research at Brigham Young University. A reconfigurable framework is proposed which will allow a machine tool to be controlled by a variety of applications and control laws. This Reconfigurable Mechanism for Application Control (RMAC) paradigm uses a hierarchical architecture to configure a mechanism into a device driver for direct control by an application like CAD/CAM. The RMAC paradigm is one of a mechanism device driver assigned to each mechanism class or model, and uses only the master model to control the mechanism. The traditional M&G code language is no longer necessary since motion entities are passed directly to the mechanism.

The design strategy of using dynamic-link libraries (DLL) to form a mechanism device driver permits a mechanism to assume different operating configurations, depending on the number of axes and machine resolution. For example, the machine can perform as a material removal machine in one instant, and then, by loading a new device driver, act as a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). This strategy is possible because RMAC is a software and networked-based control architecture. Both the CAD/CAM planning software and the real-time control software reside on the same PC. The CAM process plan can thus directly control the machine without need for process plan decomposition into the forms supported by the controller.

The architectural framework is explained in detail and the methodology for control software reconfiguration into a device driver is presented. For demonstration purposes two device drivers are implemented on a prototype machine to demonstrate feasibility and usefulness.