virtual cnc training system

Copyright © 2012 All rights reservedSingapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology

Virtual CNC Training System

Liu Peiling and Zhu Cheng-Feng


… the century ahead poses challenges as formidable as any from millennia past. As the population grows and its needs and desires expand, the problem of sustaining civilization’s continuing advancement, while still improving the quality of life, looms more immediate.

Grand Challenges for Engineering National Academy of Engineering

2008


Critical Uncertainties for Path to the 2028 Vision

Will there be the will to make the choices and investments for the grand challenges?

Will there be sufficient international cooperation to address the grand challenges?

Will we enable young people to be educated in the technical disciplines?

What will be the response to future conflicts and natural disasters?

How will national regulations and international conventions impact technology development?

How will population growth and migration impact engineering?

How much time do we have to address environmental priorities?

Will societies build on lessons learned? How will mechanical engineering adapt to a multi-

disciplinary world?


Lifelong Personalized Learning Because of the accelerating rate of change in the

development of new scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs, the current practices of universities and professional societies are not adequate to prepare globally competent engineers and engineering leaders.

How can these institutions, as currently structured, prepare students for jobs that don’t yet exist and use technologies that have not yet been invented, in order to solve problems that have yet to be defined?

What should be the core knowledge of the discipline to meet future requirements?

What learning strategies will be most effective in engaging young people in learning basic technical knowledge and in acquiring higher order thinking skills to innovatively solve problems?

What will be the processes for lifelong education to help all mechanical engineers stay current with technological advances and increasingly complex systems?

There is an urgent need to address these questions in a collaborative way that strengthens a global engineering workforce.


Proposed by a committee of amazingly accomplished and innovative people.Extremely challenging and important.

Deemed to be doable in the next few decades.


Tomorrow’s Technologies in Brief ASME Strategic Issues and Trends Brief. ASME Strategic Issues, Opportunities and Knowledge Committee. Virtual worlds are becoming big business. Companies

such as IBM and Toyota have invested millions of dollars in developing assets in virtual worlds such as Second Life……Established businesses are only recently experimenting with virtual worlds and are still learning best practices for using virtual worlds for learning, collaboration and networking. However, by 2028, these early versions of virtual worlds will be replaced with much more stable and sophisticated virtual worlds that allow engineers to collaborate and network with other others in three dimensions.

The idea of immersive interactive environments emerged from a workshop held by IAF for its 2029 Project which was a broad based futures look at research and development in biomedical R&D. A significant portion of experts in information and communication technologies felt that developments in individualization, speech recognition, and haptics were driving the development of virtual worlds where researchers are able to collaborate in new ways.


Why Learn CAM & CNC? So called high tech revolution of precision engineering,

represented by pervasive use of computer such as CNC control, CAM, HSM, ultra machining, not only reduce the dependence of precision engineering on unskilled workers, such as manual polisher, but also create a pool of demand on skilled workers, such as skilled CNC machinists, especially who can operate knowledge intensive HSM and ultra precision machining.

In today's competitive world, not only the latest technologies are needed, but most importantly, highly-qualified personnel. This is especially true when it comes to working with CNC Machines. Only when CNC machines have been perfectly mastered are high productivity and exceptional quality guaranteed. Skilled workers, especially the machinist who can operate High Speed and Ultra Precision Machine Tool, are playing a key role in current situation.

HSM requires the machinist to know not only how to operate the machine tool but also machining knowledge, in order to plan a successful cutting. Lacking of skilled worker, especially skilled machinist who can do high speed and ultra precision machining, is a major problem for local industry. Skilled machinists are in high demand in Singapore and Asia, especially in China and SEA.


Why Virtual Training?Customizable training software to replace expensive machine

Presently, trainees acquire their operating skills by observing, referring the operation manual and then operating under the guidance of an experienced operator. The training of skilled machinists is still a slow and manual process, which need a lot of machine tools and fixtures etc. The machining job has a traditional image problem of black smith. To make training safer, more economical and more effective, there is an increasing desire to complete initial training away from the operating environment.

It is recognized that ITE schools, industrial training centers, public education facilities, machine tool manufacturers and dealers are having increasing-complexity of training requirement. They require not only training software but more comprehensive turnkey solutions for CNC training system.

Simulation of machining process is helpful to avoid human errors, especially in the training center. Comparing with the sharp decline of the computing cost, worldwide material and machine tool prices are upsurge significantly. Saving material and machine through pervasive application of modeling and simulation (M&S) in CNC training is not only technically possible, but also makes business sense in the current high material and energy cost situation.


On-machine TrainingUnsafe, expensive, and slow


Effectiveness of on the Job TrainingOn job training of manufacturing workers

is expensive and time consuming. Virtual learning can be used to

inexpensively train workers on advanced machine tools.

The training can encompass conditions that are hard or expensive to duplicate in the real factory such as effects of raw material shortages, emergency breakdowns, handling of hazardous situations, and unplanned interruptions.

Training in a risk free environment and without negative impact to production schedules for heavily utilized machinery.


National Interest

• A key factor to retaining manufacturing jobs is a highly skilled workforce that can effectively and efficiently use state-of-the-art machine tools.

• Most potential manufacturing workers do not have access to state-of-the-art manufacturing labs that can provide such training.

• The US President’s Executive Order identifies manufacturing workforce skills improvement technologies as high-priority.


Benefits:

Virtual CNC has broad impacts to the advancement of manufacturing technology and the promotion of creativity and collaboration in manufacturing education and training.

Due to high cost, there are only a handful of universities that have manufacturing labs that are on the leading edge of technology. This greatly restricts access of both students and researchers to such high-end labs. What is unique about VR based Personalized Learning is that it will allow, for the first time, broad access to advanced manufacturing labs.

Personalized learning on advanced manufacturing machinery for underrepresented groups and underprivileged sectors of society who would not otherwise have access to an advanced manufacturing lab. Such access will enable those groups to reclaim manufacturing jobs


Worldwide Virtual CNC R&D USA - AVML - Advanced Virtual

Manufacturing Lab Develop a highly realistic virtual

manufacturing lab which includes CNC milling machines and lathes for use in training and research

EU - VIRTOOL - Virtual Manipulation to Simulate Machine Tool Processes

To develop an educational software tool for the simulation of common machine Tool operations.


No. 1 IssueIn-process Model

(IPM)


VRML Virtual Reality Modeling Language VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language, pronounced vermal or by

its initials, originally — before 1995 — known as the Virtual Reality Markup Language) is a standard file format for representing 3-dimensional (3D) interactive vector graphics, designed particularly with the World Wide Web in mind. It has been superseded by X3D.

VRML is a text file format where, e.g., vertices and edges for a 3D polygon can be specified along with the surface color, UV mapped textures, shininess, transparency, and so on. URLs can be associated with graphical components so that a web browser might fetch a web-page or a new VRML file from the Internet when the user clicks on the specific graphical component. Animations, sounds, lighting, and other aspects of the virtual world can interact with the user or may be triggered by external events such as timers. A special Script Node allows the addition of program code (e.g., written in Java or JavaScript (ECMAScript)) to a VRML file.

VRML files are commonly called "worlds" and have the *.wrl extension (for example island.wrl). Although VRML worlds use a text format, they may often be compressed using gzip so that they transfer over the internet more quickly (some gzip compressed files use the *.wrz extension). Many 3D modeling programs can save objects and scenes in VRML format.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_format

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3-D_computer_graphics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wide_Web

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X3D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Text_file

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertex_(geometry)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texture_mapping

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specularity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_(optics)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Resource_Locator

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_browser

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_(computing)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lighting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspect

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_world

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event-driven_programming

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Program_code

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_(programming_language)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaScript

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filename_extension

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gzip

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filename_extension

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modeling_program

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object_(image_processing)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scene


X3D X3D is the ISO standard XML-based file format for representing

3D computer graphics, the successor to the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML).[1] X3D features extensions to VRML (e.g. Humanoid Animation, NURBS, etc.), the ability to encode the scene using an XML syntax as well as the Open Inventor-like syntax of VRML97, and enhanced application programming interfaces (APIs).

X3D defines several profiles (sets of components) for various levels of capability including X3D Core, X3D Interchange, X3D Interactive, X3D CAD Interchange, X3D Immersive, and X3D Full. Browser makers can define their own component extensions prior to submitting them for standardization by the Web3D Consortium.

A subset of X3D is XMT-A, a variant of XMT, defined in MPEG-4 Part 11. It was designed to provide a link between X3D and 3D content in MPEG-4 (BIFS).

The abstract specification for X3D (ISO/IEC 19775) was first approved by the ISO in 2004. The XML and ClassicVRML encodings for X3D (ISO/IEC 19776) were first approved in 2005.

There are several applications, most of them being open source software, which natively parse and interpret X3D files, including the 3D graphics and animation editor Blender3D and the Sun Microsystems virtual world client Project Wonderland. However, it has not received a wider ground of acceptance in other, more notable and proprietary software applications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_standard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XML

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_format

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_computer_graphics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VRML

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extension_(computing)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanoid_Animation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NURBS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syntax

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Inventor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web3D_Consortium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensible_MPEG-4_Textual_Format

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-4_Part_11

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blender3D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Wonderland


Deformable Machining Processes


Why we need IPM for VR? Deformable

For forming processes such as forging, subtract processes such as machining, and additive processes such as layered manufacturing.

VRML and X3D are not deformable. Unified for multi processes

One for all No need for data translation

Precise! Submicron level for mechanical parts


Evolution of In-process Model

B-rep Section Z map Extended Z map

Edge Cell

Stick method Voxel


Section Method


Regulated Section Method


Classic Z Map

XY

Z


Z Map tolerance

X

Z


Unified Geometrical Model

Aerospace parts overhaul requires applying the combined Multiple Machining (MM) and Layered Manufacturing (LM) technologies.

Modeling and simulation of hybrid MM and LM processes is essential for the integration of various activities related to product design, manufacturing process planning, toolpath generation, and machine inspection.

However, no unified in-process geometry model for MM and LM has been found. There are many fabrication processes in modern manufacturing, but current modeling and simulation tools only simulate a few unit processes based on different geometry models.

Working towards a vision of pervasive modeling and simulation, a unified in-process geometry model for multiple-machining and layered manufacturing simulations is developed for smart adaptive machining and virtual training applications.

Further more, not only this model could be extended to multi-axis such as 5 axis milling, but also to predicate EDM die sinking spark gaps, even welding and cladding processes. The preliminary experiment demonstrates encouraging results.


Voxel Method

X

Z

Y


Voxel Method


A Through Hole in Voxel


No. 2 Issue

Implementation


Error tool path

Warning log

5 million blocks of code in 10 minute


Amazing surface detailsRefine surface display

<Alt> + <space>


Color display of stock

Green < 0.005

Yellow < 0.051

Auqa < 0.251

Blue < 0.0251


Scallop height

Displaying and Measure Scallop Height


Spark Gaps SimulationRange between -0.11 to -0.09 to show bottom gaps 0.1 Range between -0.21 to -0.19 to show Walls gaps 0.2


No. 3 is not an Issue!

Impact


Success Stories


Showcase


MTA Daily Show


CNC Operation Simulation for Virtual Training- Mr. Lee Yi Shyan was GOH for both VCNCLab and QuickCNC lanuch events, and

praised them three times. “if we are not to do this, CNC machine tool will be in museum of Singapore.”

- Mr. Lim Hng Kiang praised them as “a new technology platform” that will “equip our precision engineering enterprises with niche capabilities”

www.engineeringchallenges.org

http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/


Speech by the Minister of State for Trade and IndustryMr Lee Yi Shyanat the Showcase of SPETA LEAD Projects

“ SPETA, together with SIMTECH, has developed a simulator for training computer numeric control machinists, which can significantly reduce the hours and machine resources required, compared to traditional training methods. In other words, trainees would be able to practice different and more types of machining requirements within the same allocated training time. With this additional preparation, trainees would have a shorter learning cycle when they start working with the companies. I am pleased to note that the Institute of Technical Education (or ITE) is already in discussion with SPETA to integrate this simulator into their training curriculum.”


Joint Media Release by SPRING and IE Singapore SPETA has identified several critical areas to

enhance the capabilities of the PE companies. One example is the training of computer numeric control (CNC) machinists, which traditionally requires one machine for one machinist, resulting in heavy capital investment. SPETA, together with SIMTech, developed a simulator for training CNC machinists – somewhat like the flight simulators to train pilots – which will significantly trim the training hours on the actual machine and machine resources required. As a result, the number of students trained is doubled.

This is the world’s first simulator that uses a three-dimensional precise unified geometrical model and it allows students to simulate the milling process and save the “machined” model for other downstream machining process. The virtual CNC simulator also allows for different situations to be tested during training, which would be costly if done on the machines. The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) is in discussion with SPETA to integrate this simulator into its curriculum.


Media Release by IE Singapore About Virtual CNC Training Software the world’s first 3D training simulator

Using the latest modelling and computer technologies, training CNC machinists will never be the same again. Working like a flight simulator that train pilots, this training software will provide realistic training from the setup to the operation of the CNC machines and the simulation of the actual machining process. With this training simulator, students would be able to familiarise themselves with the setup and operation of the CNC machines before practicing on the actual machines, and have a better understanding the machining process using this training simulator.

This training simulator would be able to help educational institutions enhance the quality of their CNC training courses using scenario-based training and at the same time reduce their capital investment in CNC machines and training consumables, such as raw stock and cutters, by more than 50%.


This software is developed by SPETA and the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech). This development project is one of the projects supported by SPRING Singapore and IE Singapore under the Local Enterprise and Association Development Programme (LEAD).

The virtual CNC simulator is the world’s first training simulator that utilises a three-dimensional precise unified geometrical model which allows the students to simulate the milling process and save the ‘machined’ model to be used in the simulation of another downstream machining process. It is also the world’s first CNC training simulator that provides realistic training from the setup to the operation of the CNC milling machine.

SPETA is in the process of integrating the CNC Mill into its training courseware for CNC machinists. The enhanced CNC machinist training course will also be aligned with the precision engineering workforce skills and qualifications framework (PE-WSQ) developed by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA). The intention of this enhanced training course is to allow the students to practice different and more types of machining requirements within the same allocated training hours, thus reducing their learning curve when they start working with the companies.


Business TimesPrecision engineering industry gets $5.6m boostAN INVESTMENT of $5.6 million will benefit Singapore's precision engineering industry to the tune of $475 million more in revenue and $150 million more in value-add over the next three years. An estimated 2,000 new jobs will also be created.

This was announced yesterday by the Singapore Precision Engineering and Tooling Association (Speta) at a showcase of its latest projects. The investment was made by Speta, with funding from the Local Enterprise and Association Development (Lead) programme.

The Lead programme is led by Spring Singapore and International Enterprise Singapore. It accepts proposals from industry associations and funds up to 70 per cent of the costs for qualifying projects.

Speta's proposal was approved in February last year. Their projects include a virtual training laboratory for machinists, which will lower costs and reduce the risk of injury and machine damage.

The software, currently in the beta stage, was developed by Speta and the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology. It may soon be patented.

Speaking at the event, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan said: 'Strong industry associations, such as Speta, are the backbone for vibrant industry clusters and, ultimately, a competitive economy.'


Channel NewsAsia SPETA to raise profile of precision engineering firms, expand industry

Singapore's precision engineering players are banding together to sell themselves overseas and to provide more training for highly-needed skills.

It is expected that the moves will help the precision engineering industry create 2,000 jobs and generate $475 million more in revenue over the next three years.

Besides the lack of global exposure, it says the industry is also short of some 500 highly-skilled technical staff in areas like mould design, production and machining.

The sector is among 13 industry associations which have received support under the government's Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) programme.

And SPETA plans to use its $5.6 million grant under the scheme to help the sector keep pace with market demands.


Conclusion Virtual training is critical for future In-process model Implementation


Looking forwardMerrilea J. Mayo

DirectorThe National Academies


Ender's Game for Science and Engineering: Games for Real, For Now, or We Lose the Brain War

Orson Scott Card’s novel about a young boy playing video games in which he outmaneuvers a virtual alien fleet and destroys it.

Except the fleet wasn’t virtual – a fact the boy found out only after he had annihilated the entire alien race.

Use of games to train, learn, and perform real activities in realistic environments. To become the best through game-based learning.


Games for Real, For Now: More importantly, opportunity is

now: Strong similarity between serious

games field now, and nanotechnology in early 90’s

A few years later, there are now a handful of independent conferences,

Independent conferences soon attract hundreds, rather than tens, of attendees.

Soon, major divisions of existing professional societies take up the mantra . . .host sessions devoted to topic

Funding agencies develop targeted funding programs

(Sometimes) National initiative develops