Custom developed computer numerical control interface
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Date
2010
Authors
Jackimec, Nick
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Abstract
Many CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling machines are commercially
available today, but none offers an open-source interface designed for research
applications. The work reported in this thesis has retrofitted a 25-year-old
manual milling machine, which has previously been modified into a CNC mill, but
whose interface is no longer functioning, into a functional CNC mill. New
components have been incorporated as necessary, to produce an open-source
CNC mill capable of use in research and as a standard CNC mill. The original
milling machine has inconsistent backlash due to cheaper methods of
construction, ranging up to 0.049-inch per axis. The thesis has implemented
software compensation, capable of producing most CNC paths with only 0.015-
inch of inaccuracy with a 99%-confidence interval. Though the final mill does not
have all the built in functionality of a commercial mill, it is designed with research
application in mind, and as such, it is intended as a platform for future research
to be mounted upon. The open-source interface will allow many forms of
integration within a flexible manufacturing environment and easy future
customization as necessary.
Description
Keywords
Motion control, Control system, CNC, Computer numeric control, 2½D, Backlash, Common object model, Confidence interval, Drift, G-code, NC-file, PI control system, PID control system, Visual basic for applications, Working envelope, Encoder, Servo motor control