[step-manufacturing] Minutes of January 29th conference call

[Martin Hardwick]

Attendees
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Martin Hardwick, STEP Tools, USA
David Loffredo, STEP Tools, USA
Mikael Hedlind, Scania, Sweden
Bengt Olsson, Sandvik, Sweden
Julie Huang, Sandvik, Sweden
Mike Restall, Sandvik, USA
David Odendahl, Boeing, USA
Fred Richter, Boeing, USA
John Schneider, Boeing, USA
Robert Erickson, Pratt and Whitney, USA
Fred Proctor, NIST USA
Vincent Marchetti, Ameritech, USA
Thomas Raun, ISCAR, USA
Doron Cohen, ISCAR, Israel
Yin Lampard Zhang, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Alain Brail, Airbus (retired), France
Ian Stroud, EPFL Switzerland

Bengt Olsson gave an extensive demonstration of automated tool assembly 
using ISO 13399 data. The tools were shown before and after assembly 
with the correct placements in the spindle and on the path of the 
cutter. The tool assembly length was edited and the modified tool 
continued to be placed correctly on the path and in the spindle.

We discussed potential enhancements. There is an issue when a tool has 
three components. The tool assembly code assumes that the connection 
between the first and second components is adjustable but for some tools 
the adjustments are made between the second and third components. The 
distinction needs to be communicated in the ISO 13399 data. For 
HARDMOLDY the part dimensions are in inches but the ISO 13399 data has 
been using a wide range of units. We need to add new functionality to 
switch between units when displaying ISO 13399 data about the the 
cutting tools.

In the longer term the functionality for assembling cutting tools should 
be divorced from the functionality for machining. An ISO 13399 assembly 
tool can read and adjust the tool dimensions to meet measured values. 
The result may be written as an AP242 file with PMI to show the tool 
dimensions on the part, and kinematics to activate and validate any last 
minute machining changes.

We discussed the proposed REST architecture for machining. We do not 
want to support CSV files but encourage the use of XML. We should 
consider using a fixed number of digits for sequence numbers. The "_" is 
OK as a word separator but only the first two characters in a name 
should be significant. The keywords should be upper case so that it is 
clear they have special meaning.

ftp://www.steptools.com/private/CAM_exchange/Cycle_2/REST_architecture_for_in_process_manufacturing_models.pptx

A recording of the call is on the ftp site.
ftp://www.steptools.com/private/CAM_exchange/Cycle_2/stepmanuf_telecon_20140129.wmv

The next conference call will be at the regular times on Wednesday 
February 5th and will be the last call before the Feb 13 and 14 workshop.
ftp://www.steptools.com/private/CAM_exchange/Cycle_2/ARC_OMAC_2014.pdf

Action Items
------------------
1. Boeing to machine the profile and pocketing operations using the v15 
Sandvik process
2. STEP Tools to add functionality to the STEP-NC Explorer to convert 
ISO 13399 data between units