Architectural Design and Integration of a Customizable, Manufacturer-Independent User Interface for CNC Machine Tool Operation in Production

In this paper we present the architectural design and integration of a customizable, manufacturer-independent user interface (UI) for operating CNC machine tools in production. This solution decouples the UI from proprietary control systems, enabling consistent and personalized interaction across different machine tools. The UI is implemented on a machine tool with Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 control system and communicates with a Python-based backend using the ADS protocol. A modular software architecture ensures synchronized data exchange between the interface and the control layer, supporting both manual and automated machine operations. Operators can adapt the interface to their individual needs without interfering with core functionalities. The UI was realized as a prototype and integrates web-based operation, control parameter handling, and modular execution routines. This approach demonstrates the feasibility of deploying user-adaptable and scalable UI solutions in existing production settings without modifying the underlying control logic. This contributes to enhanced usability, interoperability, and digitalization in CNC-based manufacturing environments.