Modelling and Implementation of Internet-Based Virtual Machine Tools

A key factor for realising an Internet-based virtual manufacturing system (VMS) and virtual enterprise (VE) is how to represent the manufacturing elements and process mechanics precisely and effectively. This paper presents methods to represent the motion paths and operation of CNC machine tools on the Web. The method is composed of: 1. Geometrical modelling of the machine tools. 2. Kinematic modelling of the movements of machine tools. 3. Representation of the developed model in the internet infrastructure. 4. Development of a prototype Web-based virtual machine tools (WVMT). WVMT is available on the internet URL http://wvmt. postech. ac.kr, by which the client can interactively operate CNC machine tools, and verify the part program via graphic simulation. ID="A1"Correspondance and offprint requests to: Correspondence and offprint requests to: Professor S.-H. Suh, Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, POSTECH, San 31 Hyogja-dong, Pohang, 790-784, Korea. E-mail: shs@postech.ac.kr