Open real-time operating system for CNC machine tools

• Main Author: Erol, Neset Arda
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/4737

An open architecture real time operating system is developed for Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine tools. The system has two independent modules, one for general motion and process control, and the other for process control and sensor signal processing tasks only. The two systems can be integrated with each other, and both can be used for general real time applications other than CNC systems as well. Both systems are implemented on multiple digital signal processing (DSP) boards connected to a host computer via ISA or PCI bus. All real-time processing is done on the DSP boards. The host computer is used as an interface between multiple DSP boards. The first system, IMM, provides a fast data flow structure, which can accommodate user modules. Some process control and signal processing modules have been developed on IMM, to provide an intelligent machining subsystem.- The second system, ORTS, is a combination of a real-time DSP operating system and an integrated host software that runs on Windows NT operating system. An open CNC system, along with several process control modules, is implemented on ORTS, to make it a standalone sensor-assisted CNC system, which can also be integrated with external process control and monitoring applications. Both IMM and ORTS are configured at runtime via a scripting language. The developed open CNC system allows local or remote software components to manipulate CNC parameters such as feed, control parameters, and target position. The open and modular architecture of the controller also allows individual modules, such as motion control and interpolation algorithms, to be replaced with custom algorithms. This open approach allows easy integration of custom process and motion control algorithms, which can either be implemented internally within the developed real-time DSP operating system, or externally as standalone Windows NT applications. The proposed system allows rapid design and reconfiguration of motion control, process control, and signal processing applications. === Applied Science, Faculty of === Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of === Graduate