Optimization of the Control Strategy of a Lathe

Master of Industrial Sciences 2014- 2015

Faculty of Engineering Technology, Campus Group T Leuven

This paper is written by (a) student(s) in the framework of a Master’s Thesis

OPTIMIZATION OF THE CONTROL STRATEGY OF A LATHE

Glenn De Winter1, Jochem Jeunen2

1

Master student Electromechanical Engineering,

Faculty of Engineering Technology, Campus Group T Leuven

Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

2

Master student Electromechanical Engineering,

Faculty of Engineering Technology, Campus Group T Leuven

Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

Supervisor: Nicolas Dehertoghe

Unit Mechanical Engineering Technology,

Faculty of Engineering Technology, Campus Group T, Leuven

Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

Nicolas.dehertoghe@kuleuven.be

Co-supervisor(s): Tim Polleunis, André Roebben

Department of Quality Control, VCST Industrial Products BVBA,

Industriezone Schurhovenveld 3025, 3800 Sint-Truiden,

tim.polleunis@vcst.be, andre.roebben@vcst.be

ABSTRACT

A lathe is used to finish the inner diameter of gear wheels. The inner diameter of the finished work pieces differ

relatively from each other. The goal is to optimize the control strategy of the feedback of the measurement system

so the inner diameters of the finished gears are as constant and as close to the ideal diameter as possible. The

different feedback methods of a measurement system are analyzed, the different measurement errors on a lathe

and in the measurement system are analyzed. By using these measurement errors a simulation is built in Microsoft

Excel so the optimal control strategy can be found easily.

The result is a better control strategy to use on the measurement systems as feedback method to get better results.

It was not possible to test these findings at the lathe at the company.

This research might help in the future with analyzing the feedback methods of measurement systems.

Keywords

Control Strategy, Lathe, Measurement Uncertainty, Statistical Process...