Since the inception of embedded numerical control systems, communication has become paramount. Numerical control systems need to be able to receive inputs from various external devices, send the processed data back out, and communicate with other numerical control machines or devices in the environment to receive and send further data regarding operations. These complex interactions are often driven and managed by the computer numerical control (CNC) communication interface, which is responsible for directing, coordinating and monitoring the communication traffic in the numerical control system.
The CNC communication interface consists of a combination of hardware and software responsible for linking the numerical control system to its external environment as well as other numerical control machines and devices. The software portion is conducted via programmable logic controllers (PLCs), while the hardware portion consists of a variety of controllers, modules and interface cards. Most CNCs are equipped with an Ethernet network interface, allowing them to communicate with other CNCs in the local area network.
In order to ensure successful communication, the CNC communication interface must possess certain characteristics. It must be able to communicate with other CNCs in the same local area network, both in terms of receiving simple instructions (such as activating a switch) and in terms of more complex operations (such as running a program). The interface also needs to be able to send data back to the CNC and to external devices, and must be able to respond to queries from other external devices or from other CNCs.
The communication interface must also possess certain levels of security. In order to prevent malicious interference with the numerical control system, communications must be encrypted. Additionally, to ensure the safety of the numerical control data, a variety of policies can be implemented to monitor and restrict system access.
Finally, CNC communication interfaces must possess a certain degree of ‘intelligence’. By this, it is meant that the CNC must be able to analyze data received from the external environment, and to make the appropriate choices in terms of which data is the most appropriate to be communicated back out. An example of such an ‘intelligent’ CNC system is a robotic arm, which can analyze the positioning of a tooling fixture and automatically adjust its own movement and speed to ensure precise interaction with the tooling fixture.
In summary, CNC communication interfaces are responsible for ensuring that the numerical control systems can effectively interact with external devices and other numerical control machines in the same local area network. These communication interfaces possess various levels of security and intelligence, so as to ensure that data communicated is secure and communications are precise. A successful CNC communication interface is absolutely essential to the efficient and effective running of any numerical control system.
