STEPMAN Newsletter Issue 3 Introduction The project is supported by the Seventh Framework Program (FP7) under the Research for the Benefit of SME Associations scheme. 10 participants (3 associations, 3 small and medium enterprises and 4 research institutions) will work on the realization of the project for 36 months. Most modern manufacturing companies utilise CNC machines for their primary production activities. Programming these machines is achieved by the use of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software packages. With the use of these technologies, complex parts are planned and manufactured with relative ease. The capabilities of the machines have grown significantly over the past three decades. Now ever more sophisticated CNC machines with PC-CNC controllers have become the common tools for low tolerance, high accuracy mass manufacturing of a variety of parts. With this level of complexity, interoperability between different machines has become more difficult. This is due to a lack of means for passing high-level information between CNC machines and, perhaps more importantly, a lack of standardised methods for capturing data regarding their different capabilities and structures in a computer readable format. Lack of interoperability would mean that companies do not have flexibility in assigning tasks to machines and as such this creates significant costs. STEPMAN aims to facilitate bidirectional communication throughout the CAx chain used by SMEs within SME association groups. This would allow information about products, machines and other production resources to be conveyed with a high level of integrity to enable an information-rich environment for the manufacturing activity. The novelty of the STEPMAN project lies in the integration of comprehensive machine capability profiles and cutting tool dictionaries that are seamlessly interfaced with product manufacturing process models. This is achieved by using advanced standard data models (based on STEP-NC ISO14649) within a new multi-tier architecture that describes the manufacturing process with great detail within a rich semantic framework. For the first time, this would bring the benefits of the emerging new standards such as STEP -NC to SMEs without requiring new hardware.
Consortium In this issue we introduce LOLA and G-I FLEX. Istrazivacko-razvojni Institut Lola drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu LOLA (Serbia) LOLA s core orientation is the research and development of machine tools and industrial robots. Its expertise lies in the field of production technologies with mechanical, electronic components and computer integrated systems. The company offers engineering activities, research, design and development of new machinery and technology for the engineering industry. LOLA has wide experience in the design of computer s 3-D systems and the introduction and exploitation of new technologies on the market. G-I FLEX Szerszámgyártó Kft. GI-FLEX (Hungary) GI-FLEX is a privately owned metalworking and tool manufacturing company established in Hungary in 1991 with 60 70 employees. It is one of the most successful and dynamically growing companies in the metalworking industry in Hungary. They offer customised tools, equipment and automated machines from development through manufacturing to assembling. Their range of products include cutting, blanking, drawing, pressing, and sheet forming tools, as well as extruders and welding equipment.
Project Progress It was concluded by the RTDPs that the expected result of the Stepman project will be the same as it was planned according to DoW. The product itself was further detailed during the system specification containing the following specific features: Interoperability between CAx Systems STEPMAN will use the STEP (ISO10303) and STEP-NC (ISO14649) standards which are rich in manufacturing information to allow the product and machining data to be transferred between various CAD/CAM software. STEPMAN will make the current unidirectional data flow redundant and replace it with a bidirectional flow that will create a much more flexible and optimised design process that is not restricted to any one CAD/CAM or CNC system. STEPMAN will increase the competitiveness of individual SMEs with respect to larger organisations by easily combining the manufacturing capabilities of a group of SMEs as well as reducing the time and cost of production and quality control. A large manufacturing order can be split and spread between the various SMEs in an association depending on the available manufacturing capabilities of each individual SME. Large Enter- SME SME - AG SME Ability to Reuse Legacy NC Programs STEPMAN will allow for older legacy NC programs that run on specific CNC machines or controllers that are no longer available to be used on any current machine. Old NC programs will be read by STEPMAN and interpreted to generate a new NC program for any new CNC machine or new CNC controller that is available on the shop floor. Old CNC Old NC Pro- New CNC Accordingly the list of the most relevant knowledge produced or expected to be produced during the STEP- MAN project is enumerated in the table below.
Meetings The M9(12) Technical Meeting was held on 18-19 October 2012 in Krakow, Poland. Agenda - STEPMAN Technical Meeting - October 18, 2012 8:45 8:50 8:50 9:00 9:00 10:15 Welcome by the coordinator and the host of the event Status up-date of the project Achieved results (Summary of Deliverables by Task Leaders: 10 minutes + 5 min discussion) 10:15 10:45 Coffee Break 10:45 11:30 Results of on going tasks of WP4 & WP5 (Development of core functions for manufacturing, 10+5 minutes) Unify Vision (1hour) STEPMAN: Vision alignment (STEPMAN structure overview = system specification of prototype) 11:30 12:30 12:30 13:30 Lunch Break Galaxy Hotel restaurant 13:30 15:30 Discussions Decision on methodology (Q&A) Identify tasks and sub tasks (Action plan Roadmap) 15:30 16:00 Coffee Break 16:00 16:30 Other activities (WP9 and WP10 update) Proposal for technical content of dissemination Dissemination process and requirements Brief summary of Administrative status Schedule of next meetings, any other business Closing discussion 16:30 16:45 16:45 17:00 17:00 17:30 Technical Meeting M12 17. October 2012 Krakow, Poland, Kobit Bath All Bath 2 The next project meeting will be the General meeting to be held on 7-8 February 2013 in Budapest, Hungary.
Technology Watch Pro/Engineer Complete Machining Pro/ENGINEER is a computer graphics system for modeling various mechanical designs and for performing related design and manufacturing operations. The system uses a 3D solid modeling system as the The system uses a 3D solid modeling system as the core, and applies the feature-based, parametric modeling method. In short, Pro/ENGINEER is a feature-based, parametric solid modeling system with many extended design and manufacturing applications manufacturing applications. Pro/ENGINEER was the first CAD system entirely based upon feature-based design and parametric modeling. Today most software producers have recognized the advantage of this approach and shifted their product onto this platform. Nevertheless, the differences between a feature-based, parametric solid modelling CAD system, and a conventional CAD system include: Pro/ENGINEER Conventional CAD Systems Solid Model Wireframe and Solid Model Parametric Model Fixed Model Feature-Based Modeling Primitive-Based Modeling Single Data Structure and Full Associativity Subject-Oriented Sub-Modeling Systems Manufacturing Information Associated with Features Function-Oriented Data Structure and Format Interpreters A Single Geometry-Based System Texts Attached to Geometry Entities Generation of an Assembly by Assembling Components Generation of an Assembly by Positioning Components
Relevant Events MECATRONICS-REM 2012 21-23 November, 2012 Paris, France MECATRONICS-REM 2012 is a joint 3 day event for MECATRONICS congress (France-Japan and Europe-Asia) and REM workshop, promoted by the International Network of Mechatronics Universities (www.mechatronics-net.de), JSPE (Japan Society for Precision Engineering), and IOREM (International Organization for Research and Education in Mechatronics). This event combines for the first time the two very well established events in the field of Research and Education in Mechatronics: - The 9th France-Japan Congress & the 7th Europe-Asia Congress - The 13th International Workshop on Research and Education in Mechatronics Experts from many different countries will come together to exchange their knowledge and experience with colleagues. This event will be the basis for new networks and cooperations in R&D and in educating Mechatronics Engineers. For further information please visit: http://lismma.supmeca.fr/mecatronics-rem2012/ ICIES 2012 7-9 December, 2012 Alexandria, Egypt IEEE International Conference on Innovative Engineering (ICIES 2012) will be held December 7-9, 2012 in Alexandria, Egypt. The objective of ICIES2012 is to provide a forum for researchers, educators and engineers involved in the areas of Mechatronics, Robotics, Automation, and Sensors to disseminate their latest research results and exchange views on the future research directions of innovative engineering systems. Innovations are the gateway for new products and implementations of genius ideas that will effect the Quality of Life of the future generations. For further information please visit: http://www.ejust.edu.eg/ies2012/
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