An encoding scheme and reconfiguration algorithm for the Reconfigurable Machine Tool

Reconfigurable Machine Tool (RMT) has integrated the advantages of the special machine tools, machine tools and CNC machine tools. During the design process of the RMT, the rationality of the module encoding scheme is of great significance for the establishment and operation of the entire design systems which include the choice of modules, modules integration, enterprise production and management, etc. Started with the modules analysis of the RMT, this paper studies the composing modules features in detail. Then the module encoding system for the RMT is divided into three parts which consisted of the main module codes, module interface feature codes and module drawing management codes. All of the three parts establish the modular encoding schemes for the RMT. The general process of the modules selection and the selection strategy for the analysis of the module choice problem is studied in this paper, and the corresponding mathematical description is also made out. Based on the linear memory structure, the rapid retrieval for the qualitative attributes is achieved. As to the quantitative attributes, the similar factor in the fuzzy math is introduced. Then the fuzzy question of finding the nearest module to the destination module can be solved in the quantitative method which considered all the various attributes. The module selection algorithm processes and examples for the RMT are presented in this paper.