Refining Process Logic From CNC Part Programmes for Integrated STEP-NC Compliant Manufacturing of Prismatic Parts

Abstract

Reusing machining process information offers the industry opportunities to improve manufacturing traceability, standardization, quality, and control while enabling savings in cost and time. Rapid product development relies heavily on quick and reliable process planning and knowledge reuse to facilitate the generation of process plans efficiently and effectively. STEP-NC as a STEP compliant standard for CNC manufacturing provides a promising opportunity for knowledge reuse and information sharing across the CAx manufacturing chain from CAD to CNC. However, the widespread use of G&M codes impedes the feedback of shopfloor knowledge. In this research, to capture shopfloor knowhow, a Universal Process Comprehension interface (UPCi) is utilised to comprehend the process plan from lowlevel G&M code programmes written for CNC machines and represent it in a standardised STEP-NC format. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to capture the machining process knowledge from CNC part programmes with UPCi and reuse it on new manufacturing resources. An example part is used as a case study to illustrate the process plan comprehension and how the same process plan can be utilised to manufacture the product using new resources.