Title: An open and web-based StepNC manufacturing system (OW-StepNC)

Authors: Ajay Konapala; Ramji Koona

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, MVGR College of Engineering (A), Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, 535005, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, AU College of Engineering (A), Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, 530003, India

Abstract: STEP (ISO 10303) is an emerging comprehensive data model from ISO fulfilling the needs of product life cycle. STEP-NC is an enhancement to STEP for operating NC machines. Industries, research organisations, academia developed many tools and techniques to avail STEP-NC implementation. Yet STEP-NC is not well appreciated by real-time manufacturers due to inertia with G/M-code based controllers. Contemporarily, open standards and open source enables the interoperability with a positive impact on innovation, growth, and competitiveness. Internet of things (IoT), social manufacturing are becoming popular and attracting researchers and industries. In the present work, an attempt is made to understand research efforts on STEP-NC manufacturing over the last decade. Also, a complete 'open and web-based StepNC (OW-StepNC)' manufacturing system is proposed to gain additional benefits from open-source and web technologies, yet working with G/M-Code controllers. Methodology and development status of proposed system is explained with the aid of framework and GUIs.

Keywords: STEP-NC; ISO 14649; open source; web technologies; internet of things; IoT; web manufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMS.2017.087801

International Journal of Internet Manufacturing and Services, 2017 Vol.4 No.3, pp.195 - 221

Received: 20 Oct 2016
Accepted: 18 Apr 2017
Published online: 02 Nov 2017 *

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