Digital Casting System

Digital Casting System (DCS) is a Innosuisse project as well as a new novel approach for Smart Dynamic Casting(SDC). This package works to transition automated digital casting systems from the laboratory to the industry scale by overcoming the challenges addressed by inline mixing. DCS involves identifying optimal values for comprehensive system parameters, including processing and material characteristics, while carefully considering specific system requirements.

This package has three parts, which contain PLC controller for control components, DCS library for middleware, robotic control, and data handling; lastly, DCS application uses for real-time data recording and production simulation.

Requirements

Operating System and Software.

• Windows 10* or Ubuntu 22.04*
• TwinCAT 3 -- version 3.4
• Docker -- version
• Anaconda 3 # change to uv soon.

CAD/CAM software and simulation.

• ABB RobotStudio -- version 2023/2024
• Rhino and Grasshopper -- version 7

Getting Started

TODO: how to use the app

Usage

Note

Don`t have to run the programming only for data recording.

Real-time monitoring and data recording

python src/dcs_dev/main.py
# enter the file name
....TBC

cd app/
run ....

PLC Controller

Please find more information here under Connect with TwinCAT section.

Robot communication

Note

Only if we want to run with the robot script

Real ABB robotic control

docker
# real controller
# clean the stopped container
docker container prune
# compose up and connect with docker container

# Linux/WSL
docker-compose -f ./external_controllers/robot/docker_compas_rrc/real_controller/docker-compose.yml up

# windows
docker-compose -f .\external_controllers\robot\docker_compas_rrc\real_controller\docker-compose.yml up

Simulation with ABB robot

docker
# clean the stopped container
docker container prune
# docker compose up

# virtual controller
# Linux/WSL
docker-compose -f ./external_controllers/robot/docker_compas_rrc/real_controller/docker-compose.yml up

# windows
docker-compose -f .\external_controllers\robot\docker_compas_rrc\virtual_controller\docker-compose.yml up

ABB RobotStudio

...TODO

CAD/CAM software(Rhino and grasshopper)

...TODO

Concrete Controller

The sub-package external_controllers is a package that provides a set of driver to control the concrete casting machines. More information can be found in digital casting system controller

Development

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/USI-FMAA/digital_casting_system.git

# Update the submoudles
git submodule init
cd external_controllers
git checkout master # checkout the lastest version
git pull

# Alternately way
git submodule foreach git pull origin master

# Update the submoudles
git pull --recurse-submodules

Setup the environment

With UV package manger (super fast package management build by rust)

Install UV

# On macOS and Linux.
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

# On Windows.
powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"

uv --version

Create virtual environment

UV

uv venv --python 3.10
source .venv/bin/activate
uv pip install -e .

# optional
uv pip install .[dev] # install the development dependencies
uv pip install .[docs] # install the documentation dependencies

Alternately with Anaconda package manager

# Create the environment and activate it
conda create --prefix ./.env python=3.10

# Install dependencies
conda activate ./.env
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Install Compas framework
pip install compas
pip install git+git://github.com/WeiTing1991/compas_rrc.git@main

Credits

Author: Wei-Ting Chen

This package created by WeiTing Chen at USI-FMAA and ETHZurich DFab

Features

• PLC controller driver package
• DCS library with real-time data recording
• DCS application for graphic real-time data recording application