DEVELOPMENT OF A VIRTUAL FORGING FACTORY FRAMEWORK

This paper presents the development of a virtual forging factory framework. The technologies of virtual reality and relational database had been integrated in the developed framework using Microsoft $Windows^{(R)}$ programming as the main technique so as to emulate a physical forging factory. The developed virtual forging factory consists of forging cells and a forging cell is comprised of forging machine, forging die, and forging operations forming a forging production line. The technology of virtual reality had been successfully adopted in the production simulation of manufacturing such as CNC and robotics. However, the application in virtual forging factory seems to have not been studied yet. Potential application of a virtual forging factory can be beneficial to (1) computer aided instruction, (2) shorten the learning curve of a novice, (3) remote diagnosis and monitoring when remote monitoring and control technology and signal inspection is considered, (4) improve adverse forging environment when remote forging technology is applied, and (5) virtual reality application.