An embedded microcontroller-based milling process management system.

This paper presents an overview of an integrated approach to the monitoring of the CNC machine tool milling cutting process. In doing so it illustrates how the evolution of ever more powerful, yet affordable, microcontroller devices can support the provision of process management information. This is based upon the acquisition and analysis of machine related data near to the source. The key ability of such an embedded approach is shown to be the sharing of information, which in turn supports enhanced decision making. The communication of these decisions within the established system and via a supported architecture to the wider world is also presented.