Trends in the numerical control of machine-tool systems

Abstract

1041 Five classes of HiEnd numerical control systems may be distinguished in terms of their architecture. The first class is computerized numerical control (CNC), based on a PC. In the second class, PCNC�1 (Personal Computer Numerical Control), the com� puter is only used to operate the terminal. The third class, PCNC�2, requires two comput� ers: the first provides the core of the realtime numerical control system; the other operates the ter� minal. This class includes modern numerical control systems with the most powerful computer resources, such as SINUMERIK 840D (Siemens), Typ3�osa (Bosch), PA8000 (Power Automation, and Andronic 2000 (Andron); all these manufacturers are German. The fourth class, PCNC�3, is based on a realtime computer and takes the form of a singlechip control� ler built into the terminal—for example, by means of a standard PCI bus. This class includes the PMAC numerical control system (Delta Tau, Britain) and also the PNC and MTX systems (respectively, Bosch and Indramat, Germany). The use of Intel architecture involves the minimum cost in converting systems from one class to the next—for example, from class PCNC�2 to class PCNC�3 or the appearance of the PNC system based on the Typ3�osa system. However, if the realtime computer is based on RISC architecture—for exam� ple, in the SINUMERIK 840D and RA800 systems— transition from PCNC�2 to PCNC�3 is difficult, on account of the need to create appropriate circuit designs.