summary
The closed nature of traditional CNC is increasingly unable to meet the needs of today's customers. Open architecture is the inevitable future. This article explains how open CNC is the inevitable development of the future by discussing changes in customer needs, control technology, and technical implementation in the fields of traditional systems, CNC, and robotics.
Traditional CNC and robot systems are dedicated systems.
Traditional CNC and robot systems have several unique requirements that distinguish them from general-purpose machine control systems. First, the complexity of their software algorithms necessitates more sophisticated algorithm design and processing capabilities in their controller development compared to other machines. Second, the demanding response speed for motion axis control makes them more reliant on communication buses than in other industries. Furthermore, the design of visual functions and the execution of control typically require controllers and Windows-based display terminals. These requirements cannot be met by traditional PLCs, embedded system-based HMIs, or fieldbus technologies. Therefore, the hardware design of CNC and robot control systems differs significantly from general-purpose control systems such as PLCs and IPCs, making them specialized processing systems.
In addition, in order to secure customers more firmly through technical means, the developers designed a closed software system, which makes secondary development by customers quite inconvenient, and they can only rely on the manufacturer's feature development.
Difficulties encountered in addressing new requirements within existing systems
Demand is the most important market driver. Production itself has placed higher demands on precision and speed, but this is only part of the change. More important is the revolutionary impact brought about by IT technology, which is manifested in the following aspects:
1. Integration of equipment and management systems
With the application of CIMS, ERP, and other technologies in the automotive, electronics and semiconductor, elevator, and heavy machinery industries, CNC machining units and robot systems must be integrated into production, rather than existing as isolated units. Order-generated processing information can be distributed to each machining unit via a vertical Ethernet network, and production, process, and quality control data can be fed back to facilitate production planning and scheduling. This necessitates more open integration of equipment, such as Ethernet technology, OPC-UA, ActiveX, and new graphical interface technologies. These developments present entirely new requirements.
a. An open development architecture, such as integration capabilities with C, C++, or OpenGL;
b. Open software interfaces, including integration capabilities with 3D software or other modeling software;
c. Common interface technologies and software integration capabilities required for device interconnection.
2. More specialized machine applications
The processing of workpieces has become more complex and specialized. The workpiece processing required in different fields varies greatly. Moreover, in order to improve efficiency, different processing methods must be integrated into one system to achieve more efficient production. For example, the conveying, stamping, cutting, bending, welding, and assembly of metal sheets, as well as auxiliary tool magazine changes and robot handling, can greatly improve production efficiency. This requires the system to achieve more integrated functions. In the traditional sense, this is composed of different process machines. Traditional CNC systems have created a problem, as several machines with different control systems must be connected. The connection interface brings many operational inconveniences and potential stability risks.
3. More personalized customer needs
As the equipment's functions become more complex, when customers want to add two hydraulic motion controls to the existing system, they find that the current system cannot handle it. What if a robot is needed to work with the bending machine? In the existing system, this can only be achieved by connecting several different systems physically, rather than by a unified bus to achieve functional integration. Even if it were possible, it would be the most unreliable part of the system.
However, past successes often make it difficult for traditional CNC system manufacturers to break free and continue trying to meet machine needs by developing new features on existing systems, which is not easy.
The convenience that open IT technology brings to control
Modern PLC technology fully utilizes the advanced technologies and concepts of IT, including processor technology, chip technology, software component technology (COM), digital graphics processing technology, Ethernet technology, and Internet technology. What changes has it brought to modern control?
1. Improved processing capacity
New processor technologies have enabled traditional PLCs to also handle CNC and robot algorithm design capabilities. For example, B&R PCC technology based on RTOS can run SoftCNC technology and achieve a task level of 100µs. The PC+RTOS architecture allows for high-speed synchronization of multiple CNC channels simultaneously. Real-time Ethernet technologies such as POWERLINK and SERCOSIII enable high-speed data exchange, which allows for higher levels of synchronization between CNC axes, resulting in a significant improvement in machining accuracy and speed.
2. Improved production efficiency
The improvement in production efficiency is not only reflected in processing speed and precision, but also in auxiliary processing of the production line, such as automatic tool changing and grinding, integration of conveyor channels, cooperation of hydraulic support or positioners, robot handling and conveying, and processing position changes. These are integrated into the main production system and with production orders and logistics systems, which greatly improves the overall production efficiency.
3. Operating and maintenance costs
a. New remote diagnostic technologies based on IT's VNCServer, WebServer, and FTP technologies for data and program downloads have been integrated into the existing B&R system, making remote maintenance and diagnostics of equipment easier than ever before.
b. Early maintenance technology: Through B&R's ConMon system, when critical components of the equipment are equipped with sensors related to equipment failure, such as vibration detection, temperature, and current, the equipment failure can be diagnosed at an earlier stage, unlike in the past. This avoids replacement after damage has occurred or the waste of the equipment's usability due to preventive maintenance.
4. Development Costs
For new equipment development, CNC machine manufacturers must consider more personalized development and the need for interconnection and integration. The future of metal processing will be more complex, and the requirements for integration will be higher. How can we provide more open functional encapsulation to meet the personalized development needs of the industry? How can we meet the development needs of integration so that we can form an architecture-based integration between machines rather than a simple physical connection and software connection, so that functions are not restricted between each other?
The solution of open architecture lies in:
a. Based on modular and standardized software, and with a brand-new software technology design, more open CNC function blocks, libraries, PLCopen libraries, and C++ libraries can be integrated into the system.
b. Simulation and modeling: Process simulation, such as MATLAB/Simulink, can optimize the design of controller parameters. Simulation can also reduce the testing cost of the system, enabling the optimized controller to be quickly prototyped. These technologies are realized at B&R. Software functions automatically generated based on MATLAB/Simulink code can run directly on B&RX20PCC and other APC and PowerPanel series objects.
c. Integration of 3D and management software: Interfaces based on OpenGL graphics interface, ActiveX, DCOM, and .Net technologies should also be able to be integrated into the system to connect to more open applications. In the future, even HMI design software like Android and iPhone will make machine operation more intuitive and efficient.
Openness is an inevitable trend for the future.
Openness is based on technological foundations, not marketing hype. This is B&R's greatest advantage. At Euroblech 2012, manufacturers such as TRUMPF and AMADA began to showcase metalworking stations based on B&R's open architecture. For example, TRUMPF's TrueBendCell7000 series integrates SCARA robots, conveyors, six-DOF robots, and bending machines into one system. Only one controller is needed to control the synchronous movement of multiple machines. Especially in the coordination between robots and bending, the design is completely internally integrated with software functions. Multiple processing units are treated as a whole, rather than several different connections. This is the key and core. Only such a system is the most efficient and flexible. AMADA LaserBend also uses a system from B&R, which integrates laser cutting, bending, and automatic tool magazine, all controlled by a single controller.
Openness has proven to be essential for the future, and the openness represented by B&R has won the recognition of the most leading companies.
