Structure modeling of machine tools and Internet-based implementation

Reconfigurability of machine tools is one of the critical factors to realize the responsive manufacturing systems to satisfy the mass-customization production. This paper presents the methods to model and simulate the machine tools on Internet in response to change in the machining requirements. Specifically, a set of module combination rules and a modeling method of the structure of machine tools using connectivity graph are developed. In response to the user requirements, kinematic relations and structures of machine tools can be derived using the module combination rules and connectivity graph relationships. Internet-based simulator of machine tools is implemented and presented. The developed machine tool simulator can be used to verify the structure of machine tools derived from the user requirements