If you’ve been looking for an easier way to digitize a machine shop floor, you just might be in luck.
The fourth industrial revolution, “Industry 4.0,” will see further automation in many fields and CAM has a big role to play. As a part of this upcoming shift, 11 companies and universities across Europe have united for a project to reinvent CAM.
The Twin-Control initiative proposes to unify various aspects of machine tool and machining simulations and control them simultaneously. (Image courtesy of ModuleWorks.)
The project is called Twin-Control and is intended to combine the processes for machine tool and machining simulations.
“Until now, theoretical simulation models analyzed machine tools and machining processes independently, without any interaction between them,” said project coordinator Mikel Armendia of IK4-TEKNIKER.
“Twin-Control will bring together different simulation models designed to monitor machine operation and machining processes globally via only one platform,” said Armendia. “The project introduces a new simulation concept that unites the process and the machine.”
Combining Machining Processes
The Twin-Control project has multiple items on the agenda, one of which is the unification of machine tool and machining simulations. The intention is that by combining these simulations, users will have the ability to improve productivity by better controlling and optimizing processes.
It is planned to simulate the machine-to-part process, predicting manufacturing quality and productivity and accounting for wear or damage to tools and parts. It will use the input of various disciplines represented on the team and machine lifecycle parameters in the development of the simulation models.
The project is also being designed to account for vital aspects of manufacturing, such as predictive machine maintenance and energy efficiency.
Setting Up for a Global Market
The Twin-Control initiative began in earnest in October 2015 and will continue for 36 months. It is a collaboration between a range of disciplines, including machine designers, industrial component suppliers and engineering software developers. It will also feature the experience of manufacturers in terms of processes and simulation.
The expectation for the project is that it will enable Europe’s machine tool manufacturing industry to remain competitive in an increasingly global market. It will likely prove useful in the aerospace and automotive industries in particular.
The Twin-Control Team
The project is a large, collaborative effort between an array of companies and universities from across Europe. As it stands, the roster includes IK4-TEKNIKER, the University of Sheffield, Samtech S.A., the Technische Universtiät Darmstadt, Predict S.A.S., Artis GmbH, ModuleWorks GmbH, Gepro Systems S.L., Mecanizaciones Aeronáuticas S.A., Comau France S.A.S. and Renault S.A.S.
For more information or to keep up-to-date on Twin-Control, check out the project program.