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Tool path generation for CNC machine tools is mainly responsible for quality, accuracy and productivity of the manufacturing process and therefore in the focus of research activities. Many approaches regarding this topic yield to complex algorithms and thus, demand for the availability of sufficient processing performance realizing this algorithms in a CNC real-time environment. For that reason this paper presents an approach on how to use multi-core processors for CNC tool path generation functions. A partitioning concept is presented allowing to concurrently execute multiple threads realizing interpolation and arc length calculation algorithms. At the example of B-spline interpolation the execution time of the tool path generation function could be reduced significantly using the presented approach.

Machine tools realize tool movements with high accuracy mainly due to highly developed computerized numerical controls (CNCs). As articulated industrial robots are used more and more for machining, robot controllers (RC) have to be equipped with additional path planning capabilities, similar to machine tools. A RC is very similar to a CNC from a software and hardware point of view, but with one major difference, the RC has an additional transformation stage, the transformation from Cartesian space to joint space. Machining with robots is a field intensely researched in the last years. CNC systems for robots are commercially available, furthermore, more and more CAM systems have extensions for machining with robots. Most of these offer a simulation of the machining process using a robot model, in order to solve the inverse kinematic problem and, additionally, to take into consideration axis motion limits (maximum angular amplitudes) and singularities. Moreover, path planning for machining robots is done in exactly the same way as for machine tools, with the mentioned additional transformation stage. This paper describes the advantages and challenges which result from the integration of the kinematic transformation in the path planning stage.