INTEGRATION OF PRE-SIMULATION AND SENSORLESS MONITORING FOR SMART MOULD MACHINING

Abstract

A smart mould machining system, which detects machining status and controls the CNC through pre-simulation and real-time data, was developed. Pre-simulation predicts cutting forces, and inserts the best feed rate and virtual load on each line of the NC data. The active feed rate reduced machining by up to 36 %, without increasing the maximum cutting forces. The actual cutting load was computed from spindle load data and a friction load compensation algorithm. Collision and tool wear were detected by comparing the actual and virtual load, with the time synchronised by using tool position data. The system machined an automotive grill mould cavity for 34 hours without the supervision of a worker, because pre-simulation had stabilized the milling process and monitoring would have stopped the process if the actual load was different to the virtual load. Pre-simulation has been verified by thousands of mould makers and integrated with sensorless monitoring in an open CNC.