Computer-implemented method of controlling a manufacturing machine, associated system and computer readable instructions

A computer numerical control (CNC) machine having a tooling subsystem and a controller configured to control the tooling subsystem, the controller having a processor and a non-transitory memory, the memory having stored thereon instructions operable to, when executed by the processor:

• control the CNC machine to perform a first cutting process step for a given feature of a plurality of features of a first part having a first part identifier, the instructions comprising a feature identifier of the given feature and a definition of the first cutting process step to be performed in relation to the given feature;
• while controlling the CNC machine to perform the first cutting process step, control the CNC machine to acquire first monitoring data, including controlling the CNC machine to monitor the first cutting process step and to collect measurements associated to the first cutting process step, said monitoring data including collected measurements of at least one of a cutting/spindle load, a coolant flow, a temperature, and vibrations;
• associate the first monitoring data to the feature identifier in a non-transitory memory;
• control the CNC machine to perform a second cutting process step for the given feature on a second part, the second part having a second part identifier distinct from the first part identifier, the feature identifier being associated to a definition of the second cutting process step;
• while controlling the CNC machine to perform the second cutting process step, control the CNC machine to generate second monitoring data pertaining to the second cutting process step;
• and
• associate the second monitoring data to the feature identifier in the non-transitory memory.

A computer-implemented method of controlling a computer numerical control (CNC) machine, the method comprising:

• at a controller, controlling the CNC machine to perform a cutting process step for a given feature of a plurality of features of a part, including executing first instructions causing the CNC machine to perform the cutting process step, the first instructions comprising a feature identifier of the given feature and a definition of the cutting process step to be executed in relation to the given feature, wherein the CNC machine is a first manufacturing machine and the cutting process step is a first machining step;
• at the controller, while controlling the CNC machine to perform the cutting process step, controlling the CNC machine to acquire first monitoring data, including controlling the CNC machine to monitor the cutting process step and to collect measurements associated to the cutting process step, said first monitoring data including collected measurements of at least one of a cutting/spindle load, a coolant flow, a temperature, and vibrations;
• by the controller, associating the first monitoring data to the feature identifier in a non-transitory memory;
• controlling a tooling subsystem of a second manufacturing machine to perform a second manufacturing step for the given feature in accordance with second instructions, the second manufacturing step including a data measurement step, the feature identifier being associated to a definition of the second manufacturing step in the second instructions;
• providing second monitoring data pertaining to the second manufacturing step;
• storing the second monitoring data with the feature identifier in a non-transitory memory;
• and
• performing a search in the non-transitory memory using the feature identifier and an identifier of a field associated with the second monitoring data, the search retrieving the second monitoring data and not the first monitoring data.