• Analysis of Communication Systems, Platforms and Tools
• Design, implementation and validation of a Distributed Control System Real-time Framework (DCRF)
• Design, implementation and validation of Motion Control base components for an open numerical control system
• Design, implementation and validation of Motion Control extension components for an open numerical control system
• System Integration and Demonstrators set-up

• Objective:  find an appropriate communication infrastructure for the "Distributed Control System Real-Time Framework (DCRF)“ (performances, cost, open source)
• Analysis of CORBA implementations and Linux real-time extensions
• TAO selected as most suitable CORBA ORB, and RTAI as Linux real-time extension

• Implementation of the DCRF: porting of TAO to RTAI. Code release published on SourceForge

• Configuration system: a framework that supports the definition, code generation, packaging, assembly and deployment of CORBA components

CIAO not mature enough; temporary configuration system under development

• Motion Control kernel
• HMI (Human Machine Interface) server
• PLC
• Kinematics
• Process Control
• Safety
• Filter
• Hardware Access

• Completion of porting of TAO to RTAI, and consequently of the implementation of the DCRF.
• Test and validation of Motion Control Base and Extension components.
• Set-up of five different demonstration objects:

• a 5-axes milling machine,
• a parallel kinematics machine (PKM),
• a wood working machine
• another milling machine
• a simulated machine tool.

• Simplifies the integration of additional functionality and third party software.

• Allows to merge components provided by different NC manufacturers. Possibility of synergies among NC manufacturers.

• ‘Open Source’ philosophy: developers spread around the world will cooperate in the further improvement of the product and will guarantee a wide propagation of results.

• Hardware independent CNC