The control of a quick turnaround cell — An integrated CAD and CAM system

Quick turnaround Cell (QTC) is an integrated software/hardware system for rapid product prototyping. A QTC consists of some engineering workstations, one of a few machine tools, and a vision inspection system. The major objective of the project is to study the integration of CAD, process planning, cell control, and vision inspection. Currently a prototype QTC has been implemented at Purdue Uniersity. It is capable of producing prismatic parts. After a part is designed, it can be machined and inspected automatically. There is no human decision necessary for the planning, part programming, and cell control. The cell controller plays an extremely important role on coordinating all the system functions and providing user and machine interfaces. In this paper we will address the issues encountered in designing the cell control. The structure and the functionality of the specific design will be discussed.