Development of PC-based STEP-NC milling machine

ISO14649, STEP-NC is developed to replace G-code in the existing ISO6983, which is the standard NC program of a CNC machine. There has been much interest in STEP-NC as a database that is based on the ISO10303 STEP, international standard of CAD, combines CAM data and the NC command. This study examines a milling machine operated by STEP-NC. Instead of directly giving tool path to CNC machines, STEP-NC just provides the information required in generating tool paths. So to make work STEP-NC machine operate, tool path generator and a motion controller operated by STEP-NC code are required. A controller was developed combining the PC and motion control board for the PC. The tool path generator and all software in this system are made with Visual C++. The STEP-NC file is arranged in XML. XML has the same structure and format as the original STEP-NC file and was used as an input file in order to make good use of PC-based environment in this study. In addition, example 1, included in ISO14649-11 DIS version was machined to test the manufactured STEP-NC milling system.