A

Smart Machine Supervisory System Framework

Sri Atluru1, Samuel H. Huang1, and John P. Snyder2

School of Dynamic Systems

University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH 45221

2
Techsolve Inc.
6705 Steger Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45237

Abstract

Machine tools and machining systems have gone through significant improvements in
the past several decades. Recent advance in information technology made it possible to collect
and analyze a large amount of data in real-time. This brings about the concept of a smart
machine tool, enabled by process monitoring and control technologies, to produce the first and
all subsequent parts correctly. This paper presents a system framework for a smart machine
supervisory system. The supervisory system integrates individual technologies and makes
overall intelligent decisions to improve machining performance. The communication
mechanism of the supervisory system is discussed in detail. Its decision-making mechanism is
illustrated through an example that integrates process planning, health maintenance, and tool
condition monitoring.

Keywords: Smart Machine, Supervisory System, Communication, Decision Making

1. Introduction

With growing technological advancements in the manufacturing world, there has been
an emergence of various control systems and technologies that would help increase the
efficiency of the machine tool. However, most of these technologies are disparate in the sense
that their specialization was confined to the optimization of only one component of the
machining process. A general consensus has recently emerged that the effectiveness of
automation lies not only in the technical capabilities of individual process monitoring and
control systems, but also in the ability of a machine tool to coordinate among all the individual
technologies and control systems to deliver an overall optimal performance. The ability to
monitor and control multiple process modules forms the basis of the next-generation machine
tool, the Smart Machine, which will result in higher productivity, better quality, and prognostic
capability for near-zero breakdown performance in the machining process.

However, it is important to understand that coordination between individual control

systems and technologies can potentially lead to a number of problems including conflicting
outputs from different systems and the ordering of priority for individual process adjustments.
Hence, in order to realize the idea of the smart machine, there is a need for a closed-loop
supervisory system to coordinate individual process modules for real-time adjustment, conflict
resolution, and priority assignment. The motivation for the development of a supervisory
system was identified in the Smart Machine Platform Initiative [3]. The smart machine
supervisory system is the manufacturing expert system which works like the brain and nervous
system of a smart machine. It collects information from individual components of the smart
machine and makes hierarchical decisions based on a set of predefined manufacturing rules
and logics. Hence, it addresses the need for an all-encompassing system to enable the First
Part Correct philosophy [1].
This paper describes the design and implementation of a smart machine supervisory
system. It focuses on the technical definition and architecture of the supervisory system as an
over-arching functional area over other components of a smart machine. It then proceeds to
illustrate how to implement a supervisory system with an emphasis on integrating tool
condition monitoring, pre-process planning, and machine health and maintenance.

2. Literature Review

It is well established that multiple-process monitoring and control improves productivity
and reduces machining time [16]. However, existing technologies related to supervisory control
have been limited to regulating a single process using a single process variable [7, 14].
Additionally, it was observed that within the existing machining applications, there are no
established procedures or standards to implement effective process control [20]. Most of these
applications use propriety software and hardware that are bundled together, making them
incompatible with other applications.
The technologies related to process monitoring and control in a smart machine can be
classified into specialized thrust areas based on their functionalities, briefly described as follows:

Tool condition monitoring: It allows detection of cutting tool conditions, including wear,
breakage, missing tools, and collision, in the machining process. It can also function as
an excellent process monitoring mechanism with additional capabilities such as
metalworking fluid flow monitoring, spindle health and maintenance monitoring, and
adaptive control. Technologies that come under this thrust area include popular
systems used to monitor cutting tool conditions during the cutting process, such as
Caron Engineering TMAC, Artis, and Techna-Tool.
2

On machine probing: It concerns with technologies that allow the inspection of a work
piece on a machine tool with minimal peripheral equipment or personnel. It also
facilitates the verification of machined parts on the machine tool mitigating the use of a
Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) to determine geometrical tolerance accuracy.
On machine probing is usually accompanied by the use of an on-machine probe similar
to the probes used on a CMM. The on-machine probe is used to accurately determine
the coordinates at pre-determined locations to support the verification process.
Intelligent process planning: It generates, verifies, and optimizes tool paths,
automatically selects the most-suitable cutting tools, and optimizes cutting conditions.
In addition, optimum cutting parameters (speeds and feeds, etc.) are generated based
on overall machining performance requirements, including surface roughness, cutting
forces, material removal rate, and tool life. Most Computer-Aided Design/
Manufacturing technologies (CAD/CAM) are drawn under the purview of this thrust area.
Additionally, various Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) software solutions that enable
users to analyze machining in 2D and 3D environments by predicting performance
indicators are also classified under this thrust area.
Machine tool metrology: It identifies the differences in the reported and actual position
of a cutting tool. Sources for these differences can be errors built into the machine such
as straightness, linearity, square-ness, pitch, roll, yaw, or dynamic error sources such as
thermal growth and cutting force tool deflection.
Machine health and maintenance: It assesses the health condition of the machine tool
(in the areas of availability and utilization). Valuable data, such as controller signals and
sensor measurements, are analyzed using appropriate prognostics algorithms that allow
for machine condition assessment, as well as prediction of performance degradation, so
that equipment can be repaired before component failures actually occur.
Supervisory system: it is in charge of coordinating technologies resulted from all the
other thrust areas to provide an overall solution to improve machine tool performance.

Research in these thrust areas over the past decades has resulted in a number of
commercial products and promising new technologies. These products and technologies are
summarized in Table 1.
Table 1: Products and technologies related to smart machine thrust areas
SMPI Thrust Area
Tool Condition
Monitoring

Products/Technologies
Caron Engineering TMAC
Blum Laser Measurement
Tooling

http://www.blum-novotest.com/
http://www.artis.de/en/competences/monitor
ing-solutions/tool-monitoring/

Artis

Reference
http://www.caron-eng.com/

Nordmann
On-machine Probing

Intelligent Process
Planning

Machine Tool
Metrology
Health and
Maintenance

Techna-Tool
PC-DMIS NC
ThirdWave AdvantEdge
Production Module
Esprit CAM
CimSkil
Master CAM
Vericut
INORA
Remmele
WatchDog Agent
Freedom E-log
GE Fanuc Oi
NI LabVIEW DSC
I/Gear DTU
Siemens SINUMERIK 840Di

Supervisory System
KEPServerEX OPC Server
B2D Solution Manufacturing
MTConnect

http://www.nordmann.eu/usa/aeltere_neuigk
eiten.html
http://www.techna-tool.com/
http://pcdmis.com/pc-dmis-nc
http://www.thirdwavesys.com/products/adva
ntedge_production_module.htm
http://www.dptechnology.com/
http://www.cimskil.com/
http://www.mastercam.com/
http://www.cgtech.com
http://www.inora.com/
http://remmele.com/
http://www.imscenter.net/
http://www.infimatic.com/products/freedom-
elog-products.html
http://ge-fanuc.com/
http://www.ni.com/labview/labviewdsc/
http://www.igearonline.com/Products/DTU/
http://www.sea.siemens.com/us/Industry_Sol
utions/Machine-
tools/Products/CNC/Pages/SINUMERIK_840Di.
aspx
http://www.kepware.com/Products/kepserver
ex_features.asp
http://www.b2dsolutions.com/Solutions_HTM
L/industry.html
http://www.mtconnect.org

With regards to the incorporation of a supervisory control mechanism for individual

technologies, it is notable that current R&D efforts in academia and industry is related and
directed towards the development of Open Architecture Systems viz. Open Modular
Architecture Control (OMAC) technologies group, Open System Architecture for Controls within
Automation (OSACA) systems, Japan FA Open systems Promotion (JOP) group and STEP-NC [10-
13]. These open architecture systems are expected to address the limitations posed due to the
lack of a standard communication protocols among individual technologies.
A recent effort to develop the communication standard between multiple process
controls is the MTConnect initiative, which was intended to help realize the "seamless
manufacturing pipeline" from design to production [17]. The goal of this pipeline approach is to
allow for universal capture of data from the machine tool and then transfer this captured
data to other control systems; thereby facilitating a seamless method for managing and
analyzing data for process and product optimization. MTConnect is based on the eXtensible
Markup Language (XML), which provides for exchange of semi-structured machine-readable
4

data. It is also expected to account for the seamless connectivity between various components
and systems of the machine tool, right from the lowest end of the process chain to the highest
level. Additionally, MTConnect is also expected to deliver on its goal of interoperability, which
will enable third party solution providers to embrace the standard in their products [2].
MTConnect specifications were formulated after extensive review and analysis of various other
standards including OMAC, Cam-X, and OPC. The XML based approach accounts for hierarchical
levels inside the data transferred. It is widely supported by various software and hardware
systems, which implies that it can be adopted relatively easily by the manufacturing industry.
In addition to communication, there is a need to develop sensor fusion technologies, as
well as systematic design approaches to intelligently construct and implement multi-process
control modules in the manufacturing industry [19]. The research is this area had largely been
based on ad-hoc construction of various process controllers for specific manufacturing systems
[7, 9]. The effort for developing an integrated multiple process control technology is limited.
This paper presents a systematic framework to develop an integrated smart machine
supervisory system to bridge this technology gap.

3. System Framework

The smart machine supervisory system is defined as a system that integrates and
coordinates individual process monitoring and control modules such that a globally optimal
machining solution could be delivered real-time to achieve desired quality and maximum
productivity. A schematic framework of the supervisory system is shown in Figure 1. The major
functions of the supervisory system are communication and decision making. The following
subsections describe the communication and decision functions, along with an illustration of
the relationship between the supervisory system and individual control modules.
(Insert Figure 1 here)
3.1 Communication Function
Communication, including sending control signals from the smart machine supervisory
system to the machine and reading the machine information into the supervisory system, is a
key function of the supervisor system. The communication function is intended to be
implemented complying with the MTConnect protocol. Implementation of MTConnect on any
non-compliant system or legacy machine requires the deployment of an adapter and an agent
system, technically referred to as agent core. The MTConnect compliant data is then output
by the agent, which can be utilized by external applications for further processing and analysis.

An MTConnect adapter was built for the Fanuc oi-mc controller. It was developed in C++
programming language. It is a simple adapter built to accept one connection on its socket
server. The Fanuc adapter is in turn, programmed to use the FOCAS (Fanuc Open CNC API
Specifications) libraries which enable the reading of CNC and PMC data from the machine
controller via the Ethernet. The FOCAS libraries (Fwlib32.dll and Fwlibe1.dll) contain numerous
functions that reference the data window functions on the Ethernet board of the CNC to access
the data available about the machine. The adapter essentially serves as a routing channel
between the controller and the MTConnect agent, while also assuming the responsibility for
translating raw data from the individual FOCAS functions into structured data that can be easily
comprehended by the MTConnect agent. The agent was developed on the Ruby on Rails
platform and uses a SQLite3 database.
3.2 Decision Function
One of the features of the supervisory system is to have the ability to make decisions
based on the data supplied by the thrust area technologies. The supervisory system needs to
monitor, in real time, the inputs from various technologies and must be able to effectively
process multiple process signals simultaneously to make the necessary decisions. However, to
initiate any adaptive action, there is a need for the supervisory system to communicate back to
the CNC. Additionally, in case of an emergency, there is a need for the supervisory system to
ensure that the machine responds to the supervisory system with a higher priority than the
current NC code being processed.
A solution to address the aforementioned issues is to communicate efficiently with the
CNC in real-time, using methodologies such as Interruption Type Custom Macros, which
implement the ability to read inbuilt data window functions within the CNC machine controller.
This is explained in detail below and can be controlled through USB control switches on the PC.
(Insert Figure 2 here)
In Fanuc controllers, when a program is being executed, it is possible that another
program can be called by inputting an interrupt signal (UINT) from the machine. This function is
referred to as an interruption type custom macro function (Figure 2). The format is as follows:
M96 Pxxxx;

enables the macro interrupt

M97;

disables the macro interrupt.

When M96 Pxxxx is specified in a program, subsequent program operation can be

interrupted by an interrupt signal (UINT) input to execute the program specified by Pxxxx.

When the interrupt signal (UINT, marked by * in Fig. 2) is input after M97 is specified, it is
ignored.
The supervisory system stores relevant decisions, such as stop machining when a broken
tool is detected, in programs specified by Pxxxx. During machining, it evaluates signals
provided by individual control modules in real-time, and triggers the interrupt signal when
necessary. A detailed example of the decision making process is provided in Section 4.
3.3 Relationship between the Supervisory System and Individual Control Modules
The supervisory system is responsible for communicating with individual control
modules, evaluating the information it obtained, making appropriate decisions, and controlling
the machining process. Here we use machine health and maintenance to illustrate the
relationship between the supervisory system and thrust area technologies. The health and
maintenance thrust area is intended to monitor the CNC machine, perform machine prognosis,
and determine the OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) of the CNC machine on the shop floor
[5].
It is the responsibility of the supervisory system to provide the over-arching
functionality for health and maintenance technologies to seamlessly communicate with the
CNC machine to monitor the required data and subsequently, use the prognosis forecasted by
these technologies to determine the suitability of the CNC machine to do a certain job. Health
and maintenance technologies require the following data parameters from the machine
controller [15]:
-
-
-
-

-
-

Actual spindle speed

Spindle status
Trigger to start monitoring the tool assembly
Two macro-variables, which provide information about the system parameters of the
controller
Actual feed rate
Spindle load (in % from the load meter on the controller)

The MTConnect implementation within the supervisory system is designed to provide

for seamless data transfer between the machine tool controller and health and maintenance
applications. The MTConnect adapter built for Fanuc captured the machine PMC data and
transferred it to the MTConnect agent. This agent transformed the machine data into
MTConnect standards and relayed it onto a HTTP port, which was accessed readily by the
health and maintenance technologies. The health and maintenance technologies had access to
peripheral sensors mounted on the CNC machine, thus enabling the accurate prognosis of CNC
machine tool health using sensory data as well as the PMC data parameters supplied through
the MTConnect Agent Core implemented.
7

Figure 3 depicts the architecture of the MTConnect system installed enabling

communication between the supervisory system and the health and maintenance technologies.
This implementation also addressed the issue of plug and play functionality across a variety of
machine tool controllers from different manufacturers. It illustrated the concept of having
multiple MTConnect agent cores for various CNC machine tools that would communicate across
the shop floor network to various applications and technologies.
(Insert Figure 3 here)


4. System Integration: Process Planning, Health Maintenance, and Tool Condition
Monitoring

Now we focus on the decision-making capability of the supervisory system when
coordinating various thrust area technologies. An integration interface was developed among
three of the thrust areas -- Intelligent Process Planning (IPP), Tool Condition Monitoring (TCM),
and Health and Maintenance (HAM) -- as well as with the CNC Machine Tool. As there are a
multitude of technologies pertaining to each thrust area, one technology was chosen to
represent each of these thrust areas. The choice of these technologies was based on detailed
review of the technologies and expert feedback. The thrust area technologies, thus selected,
are briefly described as follows:
-

IPP deals with virtual simulation and the subsequent generation of optimized tooling
and tool paths necessary for machining operations. In addition, cutting parameters
(speeds, feeds, etc.) are also optimized based on overall machining performance
requirements, including surface roughness, cutting forces, material removal rate, and
tool life. ThirdWave AdvantEdge Production Module [18] was used by IPP in its efforts
to simulate machining process in order to generate NC programs based on user-defined
tool profiles. It then verifies the generated tool path in the NC program based on its own
machining performance database related to force calculations, physics based material
models, and optimization speedups. Finally, it draws up an optimized tool path and a
new NC program in order to achieve reduced cycle time, maximum machine utilization,
and optimum machining performance.
TCM monitors the in-process condition of the cutting tools, including wear, breakage,
presence of tool, and unforeseen collisions. Most of TCM technologies are power sensor
based applications that monitor the spindle power to determine and predict the
occurrences of tool wear and other tool defects. Tool Monitoring Adaptive Control
(TMAC) by Caron Engineering [6] is selected for TCM. TMAC supports all central
monitoring tasks expected of TCM technologies based on fluctuations in spindle power
recorded. The recorded spindle power is weighed against a power representation that
8

forms the basis for determining the permissible limits of wear for specific cutting
processes. These limits that determine the permissible wear on the cutting tool are
based on the quality requirements of the manufactured part.
HAM aims at providing an accurate description of the quality of the machine tool based
on machine prognostics and experimental data. The WatchDog Agent [8] was developed
by the Intelligent Maintenance Systems Center at the University of Cincinnati to support
the HAM module, with a goal to achieve a health monitoring system capable of
accurately monitoring and predicting the machine health for near-zero downtime.

The integration of these thrust area technologies via the supervisory system aims to
overcome drawbacks of individual technologies to achieve optimal machining performance.
We first discuss the drawbacks of the TCM and IPP and how these drawbacks can be overcame
through supervisory system integration. We then discuss further supervisory system
integration with HAM to provide required data in real time.
The current principle of almost all TCM technologies, including TMAC, is based on
learning a good cut to set the tool limits to diagnose defects in the tooling assembly. The
essentiality of a learning cut, which acts as a basis for future monitoring, has the following
drawbacks:
-
-
-
-

The machine needs at least one stock part and one new tool for the learning cycle.
The tool and machine are not protected against errors or collisions during the learning
cycle.
Given the lack of computerized monitoring during the learning cut, it is very possible
that the part produced through a learning cut will need to be scrapped or re-machined.
The subsequent limits to monitor tool wear, tool breakage and tool presence were
usually set based on historical data rather than a scientific approach.

On the other hand, IPP technologies utilized physics based material models to draw up
force calculations in their efforts to optimize NC tool paths to increase machine utilization.
However, the outputs from the ThirdWave production module were only the NC program with
an optimized tool path. The internal force calculations and physics based material models
served as volatile internal data that was simply put away on subsequent optimizations; and
thus, could not be further utilized in streamlining the monitoring process of other technologies.
By tapping into the force calculations and the physics based material models used by
ThirdWave AdvantEdge Production Module, it is possible to actually postulate a fundamental
power representation of the cutting process. This power representation can be used in place of
the power representations picked up by Caron TMAC technology during its learning cut.
Several mappings were created to within the supervisory system to enable the integration
9

between IPP and TCM. These mapping included ways to tap into the internal force calculations
of the ThirdWave Production Module, and also methods to customize the scheduled tool
condition monitoring job to look at the power representations built based on those force
calculations instead of the usual representations picked up during the learning Cut.
As shown in Figure 4, the idea is to use a combination of these mappings to generate an
accurate power representation (peak power) and force prediction based on material physics.
This way, the job file can be generated automatically and the process of learning a good cut can
be eliminated. However, it must be noted that the power representation picked up by Caron
Engineering during its learning cut is subjected to processing under various internal filters
during actual monitoring process. To facilitate this internal filtering by the Caron TMAC
technology, the first cut is instead used as a calibration cut.
(Insert Figure 4 here)
Similarly, while doing away with the manual inputs required by HAM technology
represented by the WatchDog Agent (as described in Section 3.3), additional functionality was
incorporated by using a set of advanced decision rules based on expert feedback and historical
data, which was utilized to check for tool validity and determine if the tooling selected by the
NC program meets the conditions (user defined tool profile and machine definitions) assumed
by IPP technologies during their optimization and NC code generation. The tooling and machine
setup used in ThirdWave Production Module (as well as other IPP technologies) needs to match
the tooling setup that exists on the ATC (Automatic Tool Changer) of the CNC machine, to avoid
potential conflicts during actual machining. The process diagram illustrating this integration is
shown in Figure 5.
(Insert Figure 5 here)
Figure 6 shows the complete integration approach adopted by the supervisory system.
The interruption type custom macro is used to handle any cutting tool abnormality (wear
beyond permissible limits, missing tool, and broken tool) detected by Caron TMAC. A retract
program is written in such a way that the cutting tool retracts back whenever the supervisory
system detects an abnormality through Caron TMAC technology. In this process, the
supervisory system takes the alarm signal from the log file of the Caron TMAC system, instead
of waiting for the alarm to be generated on the controller screen. This is to facilitate real-time
response to the situation.
(Insert Figure 6 here)
In addition to the integrations, various correlations pertaining to process uncertainty
and tool tolerances, such as limits for wear of the tool, were analyzed so that intelligent
10

knowledge-based decisions can be made by the supervisory system. A feed forward process
design about the correlation between these technologies was then developed to simulate the
learning curve in consequent process plans. A number of tests were conducted to determine a
correlation between predicted power (using power representations from ThirdWave) and
measured power (during TMAC learning cut). This correlation was then used to determine the
predicted power representation for the monitoring process. The fitting relation for TCM power
representation (peak power prediction) obtained was
Pp = 1.396PTW + 0.574

(R = 0.988)

where,
PTW is the peak power representation predicted from Third Wave
Pp is the predicted peak power to be used as the power representation in Caron TMAC
This correlation was generated from tests on 5 different cutting regimes (each regime
being defined as a distinct combination of speed and feed) and 10 data points on each of the
regimes. Subsequently, a number of tests were conducted to investigate the uncertainty of
prediction based on the ThirdWave power representations associated with the above equation.
An unbiased experimental design block was generated for two different cutting regimes.
As per the guidelines for evaluating and expressing the uncertainty of measurement
results provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a combined standard
uncertainty of 3 ( being the standard deviation in the observations) would encompass over
99% of the total normal distribution. Hence, these uncertainties associated with 3 were used
as a starting point limits to determine permissible wear on the cutting tool during the
calibration run.
As has been mentioned before, subsequent to the calibration cut, the supervisory
system continues to monitor the log file of the TCM technology during all ensuing tool
condition monitoring tasks, to initiate any adaptive action that might be necessary in the case
of any alarm. The communication module of the prototype supervisory system continues to
communicate with one of the subsystem components, specifically Caron TMAC System, to
generate an alarm if required. The alarm generation would then trigger an interruption type
custom macro in the Fanuc controller which is preprogrammed to execute a retract program to
prevent any further damage to the tool and the work piece. An USB controlled digital output
generator was also used to aid in the implementation of the interruption type custom macro.
LabVIEW (National Instruments) was used to trigger the interruption type custom macro.

11

The GUI (Graphical User Interface) of the main LabVIEW program (Figure 7) was
developed to create a flexible and operator friendly application for use on the shop floor. It
automated the whole process with the goal of the supervisory system and First Part Correct in
view. This prototype supervisory system was successfully demonstrated to the industry a
number of times during the years 2008 to 2010. The supervisory system was successful in
demonstrating the generation of job files for TCM technology based on the inputs (power
representations) from the optimized cutter path generated by IPP technology. It also
successfully verified whether the tooling available on the ATC of the CNC machine was in line
with the requirements of the tooling definitions and machine profiles assumed during the pre-
process by IPP technologies. It also successfully verified the suitability of the tool holder
assembly to do the prescribed cutting and made changes to the NC program when appropriate.
(Insert Figure 7 here)

5. Conclusion

The Smart Machine program was developed as a reinvention of the basic manufacturing
process. It aimed at providing an optimal manufacturing process through the coordination of
various disparate manufacturing control systems. The supervisory system is in charge of
coordinating individual technology areas to deliver an optimal manufacturing solution in real-
time. A prototype of the supervisory system was developed to demonstrate this functionality.
It made use of available data in technologies employed by intelligent process planning, tool
condition monitoring, and health and maintenance, to provide an optimized solution by cutting
down on time required for tool verification, metal cutting for learning processes, and
calibration. In the future, the prototype also needs to incorporate other thrust areas, viz. on-
machine probing, and machine tool metrology, to develop a more robust supervisory system.
Acknowledgement

This research was sponsored by the U.S. Army Benet Laboratories and was
accomplished under Cooperative Agreement Number W15QKN-06-2-0100. The views and
conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted
as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of U.S. Army Benet
Laboratories or the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government is authorized to reproduce and
distribute reprints for Government purposes notwithstanding any copyright notation heron.





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Figure 1 : Schematic of supervisory system architecture.

15

Figure 2 : The interruption type custom macro (from GE Fanuc documentation)

16

Figure 3: Architecture of MTConnect interface for health and maintenance technology

17

Figure 4: Process diagram for TCM-IPP integration

18


Figure 5: Process flow of integration with health and maintenance technology

19


Figure 6: Flowchart showing the overall integration approach

20

Figure 7: GUI of the supervisory system

21