A simple realtime software architecture has been devised to realise the manual guidance control. The architecture is composed of the following modules: a real-time UDP client that communicates with the C4Gopen server and executes the control algorithm, one or more real-time threads interfacing the client to the daq boards, and one or more non real-time tasks executing non real-time operations (e.g. logging of data), being connected to the client through real-time mailboxes.

A feasibility study of the vision system required to measure burr features has been performed. The aim of this study was to verify the availability of commercial hardware (a laser stripe and a digital camera) at a reasonable cost (at least compared to the cost of the overall system) that can achieve a scan resolution of0.1 mm. A camera and a laser stripe have been selected and will be soon tested.

Concerning the safety aspects during the walk-through programming phase, the C4G safety chain was modified in order to connect another safety device.