Modelling and implementing circular sawblade stone cutting processes in STEP-NC

The paper presents a STEP-NC compliant implementation of circular sawblade stone cutting machining processes. Although some stone machining processes has been already covered in the STEP-NC research and standardization initiatives (as for instance stone machining through stone milling machines), there have not been yet, however, any detailed model proposal to cover circular sawblade stone cutting operations. Sawblade cutting technology for stone parts have several specific parameters with no clear equivalent technologies as defined in milling, turning, etc. The paper reviews main characteristics of the circular sawblade stone cutting machining operations, and proposes a STEP-NC extended model based on the selection and definition of new features and on the modelling of these stone cutting operations. The resulting model is the base for the development of the STEP-NC stone cutting CAM and CNC machine. The machine architecture is designed to be able to react to changes in the machining conditions, very common in this technology. The system is based on the definition of features to be communicated to the controller. The controller has the objective of machining the features, and it is able to re planning, on real time, the work to get them despite changing conditions in the stone or in the disc.