WebTurning: Teleoperation of a CNC turning center through the Internet

This work describes the implementation of a remote manufacturing system (telemanufacturing) aimed at manufacturing rotational parts in a CNC turning center (Galaxy 15 M of Romi). The system is composed of three activities that are described in an IDEF0 model: graphic user interface (GUI) for teleoperation; WebCam for image/video capture; and WebCNC for teleoperation of the CNC machine CNC. The turning center teleoperation system, called WebTurning, is based on a client-server architecture, being composed of two modules: Servers, represented by the programs located at a workstation (Linux platform), connected to the machine tool through an Ethernet network interface, responsible for the capture of images and supervisory control of the CNC turning center; and the client, represented by a Java Applet. The WebCNC teleoperation server is composed of the video server and teleoperation servers of the machine that provides command services, execution of programs, download and upload of programs, mistake proofing and other functions associated with the DNC2 communication protocol, available in CNC Fanuc 18i-TA, accomplishing the remote supervision of the machine. All control action is executed locally, based on the delay of the TCP/IP protocol. The video server is responsible for video and image capture using four cameras, and for their distribution through the TCP/IP protocol. The other servers, associated with the teleoperation services, work in a bi-directional way, receiving commands through the Internet and sending status data regarding the machine. The developed system is quite versatile and robust, allowing the production of parts remotely through the Internet, applying e-manufacturing and telemanufacturing concepts, and the teleoperation environment is part of an integrated CAD/CAPP/CAM system for the design, process planning and manufacture of parts through the Internet. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.