A Collision Detection Method of Heavy-duty CNC Machine Tools Based on Digital Twin

At present, the collision detection of CNCMTs usually used the basic simulation function of the CNC system to detect machining G codes, which only considered whether there were collisions between the tool and the ideal workbench, or the tool and fixtures on the tool path during the processes. It was difficult to meet the actual dynamic processing environments, clamping mode and fixture change of open heavy-duty machine tools. So the digital twin was introduced into the collision detection of open heavy-duty CNCMTs, and a perception-evolutionary prediction-feedback collision detection framework was constructed. By constructing digital twin of CNCMTs and dynamically sensing machining elements such as workpieces, fixtures and cutting tools, the evolution of the digital twin should be driven by perception data, and the potential interference phenomenon would be predicted in the machining processes. Thus, the efficiency of the CNCMTs was improved, and the potential harm was avoided. The method was applied to the collision detection of heavy-duty CNC gantry boring and milling machine ZK5520, and the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method were proved. © 2022 China Mechanical Engineering Magazine Office. All rights reserved.