The main advantage of sawing CNC machines is a high degree of «formalism» of operations execution. Elimination of human factor leads to productivity increase and spoilage decrease. Thus the main task of cutting simulator creation is to achieve the highest degree of formalism of technological operations. Simulator cannot substitute machine control system and fences mounting will be still manual but not electromechanical. It can be considered as virtual control system of panel-sizing saws implementing main advantages of computer numerical control.
Cutting simulator principle of operation is to make operators the «executors» visually and logically hinting them the actions and execution order. Precise instructions following allows to realize all main advantages of CNC.
Cutting simulator hardware support includes computer with two video displays (one of them is touch-sensitive), a printer for labels printing and scanner for cutting charts bar codes reading. System requirements of software are very modest, the application takes about 30 МБ of hard disk. The displays are installed on workplaces of the first and second operators in a way that they are viewed well. It allows to view the process of cutting in necessary perspective. Printer for labels printing is placed on work place of the second operator, a scanner – of the first one.
When you launch cutting simulator a program window will appear on each display. After cutting job getting, the first operator scans a bar code on the first chart or loads control program via standard Windows dialogue. As a result preprepared control program will be loaded and the first chart is shown on the displays with parts contours visualization. Operators work places are opposite to each other, thus cutting chart is shown turned about on a screen of the second operator. It allows to view the results of cutout execution and to plan further actions.
To improve demonstrativeness, parts of processing cutting chart are painted in colours of current moment condition: completed panel, a strip that will be cut in further cutting operations, a strip or panel that is cut at current step, strips that will be cut in further steps.
Each operator gets precise instructions about his actions. After current board cutting completion the next board of current cutting chart will be loaded automatically if is necessary to cut several boards of one chart. After current cutting chart cutout completion, next cutting chart will be loaded and cut automatically.
