Manufacturing Automation Metal Cutting Mechanics, Machine Tool Vibrations, and CNC Design

INTRODUCTION

A diagram of a typical three-axis computer numerically controlled (CNC) machining center is shown in Figure 6.1. The CNC machining center consists of mechanical, power electronic, and CNC units. The mechanical unit consists of beds, columns, spindle assembly, and feed drive mechanisms. Spindle and feed drive motors and their servoamplifiers, high-voltage power supply unit, and limit switches are part of the power electronics group. The CNC consists of a computer unit and position and velocity sensors for each drive mechanism. The operator enters the numerically controlled (NC) program to the CNC unit. The CNC computer processes the data and generates discrete numerical position commands for each feed drive and velocity command for the spindle drive. The numerical commands are converted into signal voltage (±5V or ±10 V) and sent to servoamplifiers of analog drives, or sent numerically to digital drives that process and amplify them to the high-voltage levels required by the motors. As the drives move, sensors measure their velocity and position. The CNC periodically executes digital control laws at fixed sampling intervals that maintain the feed speed and tool path at programmed rates by using sensor feedback measurements.

The fundamental principles of designing CNC systems are covered in this chapter. First, the sizing and selection of drive motors are presented, followed by physical structure and modeling of a servodrive control system. The mathematical modeling and analysis of drive systems are covered both in the time and frequency domain.