Through Life Machine Tool Capability Modelling

Through-life analysis of the machine tool capability is becoming increasingly important as there now exist a plethora of machine tool types, different machine tool testing and verification standards, a variety of machine tool testing equipment and proprietary maintenance procedures. The need to represent the actual manufacturing capability of equipment is a challenge for manufacturing industry as accessing this through-life information remains a major bottleneck. Though machines can be modelled at various levels of fidelity from simple computerized datasheets containing overall machining dimensions/power and positional capability to complex computer aided models of machine tools, there exists a gap to represent their operational health throughout the machine life to consider capability degradation. This paper outlines a new information model which enables through-life machine tool capability to be represented for establishing a digital twin, improved process planning and machine selection for parts as well as preventative maintenance scheduling.