A cyber-physical machine tool concept for education and workforce training in CNC machining

This paper explores a teleoperation system for CNC machines based on digital twins, focusing on education and workforce training. The system leverages a Cyber-Physical Machine Tool concept to allow trainees to remotely operate a physical CNC machine using a high-level virtual reality user interface. The presented approach enables a virtual environment that provides an immersive experience with real-time video, audio streaming, and bidirectional communication between the physical CNC machine and its digital counterpart. The research addresses the technical feasibility and challenges of integrating digital twin for CNC machining operator training. The system improves accessibility for remote trainees, but key challenges include the absence of haptic feedback and the need to ensure cybersecurity during data exchange. The work concludes with a demonstration that the CPMT training approach successfully offers scalable, time- and location-independent operator training. The presented approach can be improved by providing a more realistic training experience by adding the sense of vibrations, chip formation, and coolant dynamics. A video abstract summarizing this study is available here