Development of a Learning-Training Simulator with Virtual Functions Lathe Operations

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This research aims at developing a learning-training simulator with virtual functions for lathe operations. Firstly, a prototype simulator modeling a practical lathe has been produced. The simulator provides a synthetic operating sense harmonizing sight, hearing, force and touch to the operator in real-time. This makes the operator feel as if he or she were operating an actual lathe while operating the simulator. The simulator has been adopted for use in a technical education subject for metal cutting at Joetsu University of Education and demonstrated in a technical lecture course, taught in Niigata Prefecture, to teachers working in mechanical departments of industrial high schools. Taking into consideration the opinions from the users who had really operated the simulator, a radical remodeling for both hardware and software of the simulator has been undertaken in order to further improve the training performance. The main functions and characteristics of the final simulator are :(1)T … More he hardware is designed based on the feed driving system of an actual lathe in the longitudinal, transverse and trailstock spindle directions. Five single imitation functions of cutting operations, straight turning, drilling, taper turning, cutting off and facing, are realized together with an advanced function of part machining, which imitates the compound process of machining a mechanical part.(2)In an imitation operation of cutting, the simulator can provide the operator with a sufficiently real feeling for operating the feed handles of a lathe. At the same time, the sound effect of working is played by the speaker and the revolutions of spindle and work, and the byte feeding are animatedly displayed on the screen in real-time responding to the feed handle rotation related to the operator's action.(3)In order to train efficiently a beginner to acquire basic skills and safety operating manners, many of effective safety training and help functions, for example, adjustment of byte tip position, check to set-up operation sequence, warnings for dangerous actions and so on, are developed and implemented in the simulator. Less