Title: STEP-NC-compliant machine automation to support sawblade stone-cutting machining

Authors: Julio Garrido Campos, Xun W. Xu

Addresses: Departamento de Ingenieria de Sistemas y Automatica, E.T.S. Ingenieros Industriales, 36200, Vigo University, Spain. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Auckland, 20 Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract: The need to increase productivity, quality and effectiveness in stone cutting has challenged the stone processing industry to make technological adaptations of successful concepts applied in other processes. The paper presents a STEP-NC technology adaptation to a stone processing case where sawblade machines are used. This work starts with the extension of the STEP-NC data models to covering sawblade stone cutting processes. The paper outlines the modelling process. The resulting, extended STEP-NC model is used in an implementation of a stone process CAM system to communicate with a prototype STEP-NC-compliant stone disc cutting machine. [Received 14 January 2009; Revised 22 July 2009; Accepted 1 August 2009 ]

Keywords: STEP-NC; stone cutting; automation; CAM; CNC machining; data exchange; sawblade machines; modelling; stone disc cutting.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMR.2010.029663

International Journal of Manufacturing Research, 2010 Vol.5 No.1, pp.58 - 73

Published online: 30 Nov 2009 *

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