The Research of Hybrid Network Communication System in NC System

Wire communication network combining wireless communication, a hybrid network communication system applied in NC system is proposed. Operation mode of the upper computer combining the lower computer is adopted in NC system to create wire communication network. Many functions, including CAD, CAM, Graph automatic programming, cutter location calculating, NC code generation and so on, are achieved in upper computer. The lower computer is only as motion control system. Some fault signals in NC machine tool are transmitted from lower computer to upper computer. The lower computer is connected with the upper computer by the network cables and Ethernet switchboard based on TCP / IP protocol. The industrial Ethernet network is adopted as the platform. Otherwise, NC system is connected with PDA by virtual serial port technology to create Piconet and diagnose the no-alarm fault in virtual of Bluetooth technology. Virtual serial port in PC is directly accessed with NT port software. The information of NC machine, including NC code, cutter location data and so on, is regularly accessed from top-level application program by Bluetooth wireless communication module with timer component in C++Builder6. The information of NC machine is saved as the Access file in PDA database by ActiveSync software. The Upper computer communication program and the lower computer communication program is designed in virtual of Winsock technology in C++Builder6. The PDA receiving data module program is compiled by evb3.0. In the experiment based on the method above, Many functions, including CAD, CAM, Graph automatic programming, cutter location calculating, NC code generation and so on, are achieved in upper computer to increase functions in NC system while the lower computer normally running. When the lower computer is connected with PDA, process information is successfully transferred to PDA to increase maintainable efficiency while NC system is running. The hybrid network communication system appl- ied in NC system to increase functions and maintainable efficiency.