CYBERNETICAL TWINNING OF MACHINE TOOLS

The recent cybernetic technologies allow both the informational connection among the machine tools operating across the globe, and the cloud storage of data obtained by them through monitoring. The paper challenge is to develop an original concept - namely the cybernetical twinning - which, if applied to machine tools, leads to bringing their architectural design into agreement with these opportunities. According to it: i) The machine-tool architecture includes two twin entities, each of them accomplishing the same given task, ii) One of the twins accomplishes the task through a decisional process, while the other - through a physical process, and iii) The two twins drives and controls each other, during task fulfillment. After defining the task description and accomplishment, the machine tool twins are described through their roles, functions, inter-connection, twin reciprocal driving and control. A functional block diagram of the cybernetical twinned machine-tool is also included. The here introduced concept can be seen as an effective tool helping to make the best decisions regarding the manufacturing tasks accomplishing, without substantial efforts. At the same time, the cybernetical twinning implementation can also support the machine tools producers, by delivering priceless information about machines behavior in diverse contexts.