*** 9702913 Sarma This grant provides funding for the development of a new language and control strategy for programming computer-controlled machine tools. The goal is to modularize the important functions of machine control into convenient building blocks from which composite systems can be assembled rapidly. The language developed in this research will enable users to specify complex behaviors and coordinate them with external sensors and robotic devices over factory networks. Communication between devices will be standardized through open interfaces, which can be accessed by the user at a high level without a need to deal with implementation details. A prototype control system that interprets the new language will be implemented on an commercial high-performance machine tool called a Hexapod. The system will be tested by conducting experiments in process inspection with measuring probes, and process control using force and vibration sensors. The system will also be used as a "glue" to integrate other technologies under development by the researcher, including new tool-path generation algorithms and an automatic workholding system. If successful, this research will lead to improvements in machine and factory automation. The new language is proposed as an update to the machine programming paradigm that exists today, which provides few facilities for interaction and integration with external devices. With the new system, users will be able to harness new sensor technologies, or control external devices, by plugging them directly into the standardized interfaces. Machine programs can then be designed to be self-correcting by monitoring sensors to detect faults. This will enable a level of autonomy that not only reduces operating costs, but also improves quality. Multiple machines can be controlled over a central network to create automatic factory systems. Today such automation can only be achieved through expensive "customized" integration. ***
