Among the numerous projects I undertake regularly, I'm sharing a couple of them where we've developed everything from scratch, encompassing the design, and manufacturing, and highlighting some of the pivotal ones.

Projects

Parallel Kinematics

More than just a project, I consider it a significant achievement. Even though it was tough, I see it as my best work because nobody had done it before, and the chances of success were almost zero when I started. Developing the simulation for a 5-axis pentapod machine was an incredibly intricate task. Enabling the movement of these rods through programmed G code required the development of inverse kinematics to control all the rods and components.

Here's how I approached it: I constructed the machine's kinematics in NX by breaking down the complex closed kinematic chain into multiple open kinematic chains. The mathematical aspects of the rods' inverse kinematics were developed using Python. During the machine's operation in the CAM environment, the output values from these Python calculations were integrated into NX using NX CSE for each G code line. Consequently, each component moved according to the Python-generated output values, resulting in the machine's seamless synchronization through the synergy of Python, NX design, and NX CSE Simulation.

RoKoPro

Functionally integrated robot-machine tool control for cooperative production

The ever-growing demand for cost-effective machining has driven us to explore innovative solutions. With the rising integration of robots in industries, their utilization for machining tasks presents a significant opportunity to reduce manufacturing costs, given their relatively lower expense. The RokoPro project actively explores the concept of simultaneous collaboration between machine tools and robots. This substantial project, spanning over two years and involving the department of Machine Tools and Production Processes, TU Chemnitz along with various companies in Chemnitz, is one of the most significant projects I have been a part of. The outcomes hold the potential to quickly find practical applications in the real world.

Mobile Repair CNC

Repairing large components like wind turbine blades, and water turbine parts poses significant challenges, often resulting in extended downtime and high repair costs due to the need to transport the part to a CNC center. To address this, METROM, with their innovative 5-axis pentapod machine, has developed a mobile repair device that can be transported in a container, enabling on-site repairs. Our collaboration, involving GEFERTEC and BTU Cottbus University, focused on implementing this solution and integrating the machine for additive manufacturing purposes. Our team was responsible for developing the necessary postprocessors and digital twins, which were utilized to verify the solution using NX software.

Oboe machine

Anyone familiar with music recognizes the image displayed, which is a mouthpiece. The mouthpieces are manually profiled using a device, as demonstrated in the video. In an effort to automate this process, we collaborated with the Institute for Structural Lightweight Design at TU Chemnitz to develop a compact machine for this purpose. Our team was responsible for creating the essential components, CAM programming, and digital models. Extensive testing was conducted at the university. Unfortunately, I cannot share images of the machine here due to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

Aircraft Scanner

Replacing a damaged or worn-out aircraft component swiftly often necessitates reverse engineering that specific part. Lightning strikes can have a significant impact on airline operations, leading to costly delays and service interruptions. Accurate models of the damaged structure are essential for computer-aided planning and simulations. To computerize real geometries, 3D scanning is a widely used method. Leading CAD systems like CATIA and NX offer functionality to import and manipulate 3D scanning data. In collaboration with Fraunhofer IWU, we designed and developed a solution that involves attaching a scanner-equipped robot to quickly scan the aircraft part and gather the scanned part information. Subsequently, this information is used for rapid reverse engineering, allowing for efficient repairs through machining or 3D printing.