Cad/cam system for sheet metal working

• US 20050228534A1
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ryozo Shibano
• Original Assignee: Ryozo Shibano
• Inventors: Shibano, Ryozo
• Granted Patent: US 7,110,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/182
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/40938 Tool management
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35167 Automatic toolpath generation and tool selection
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36352 Select tool as function of part shape, number of grooves and groove width
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to implement highly accurate general automatic tool assignment with a sheet metal CAD/CAM system. Once CAD drawings are generated (S102), continuous line processing, product outer lines, window cut-out lines and the like are defined (S103) and then assigned tools (S210 through S286).

Automatic tool assignment is finished with precedence for priority processing shapes such as simple shapes (arcs, triangles and the like) and shapes that can be punched out using a special tool (S210). A general automatic tool assignment process is then performed. With this process, tools are assigned by dividing each of arcs and oblique lines, which forms a processing shape unit, into shapes to which horizontally/vertically orthogonal lines are added (S250), converting the remaining shapes to rectangles, and assigning a tool to each of those rectangles (S280).

Once a non-executable NC program is generated through such tool assignment (S112), the NC program is optimized (S114), and an executable NC program is then output (S116).

Claims

1. A sheet metal processing CAD/CAM system, which generates an NC program from a CAD drawing, comprising:

division and tool assignment means for searching for the shape of an arc, the shape of an inner processing arc, and the shape of an oblique line from sheet metal processing graphics of a CAD drawing, and converting them to divided processing shapes enclosed by orthogonal lines, which are then defined as material slug rectangular shapes;

rectangular division and tool assignment means for dividing the generated material slug rectangular shapes into rectangles and subjecting them to a tool assignment process; and

NC program generation means for generating an NC program from tool assignment data.

2. The sheet metal processing CAD/CAM system according to claim 1, further comprising:

priority assignment means for searching for a pre-established priority processing shape from the sheet metal processing graphics of the CAD drawing and precedently assigning a tool to that priority processing shapes, Wherein

the division and tool assignment means processes a graphics that has undergone priority assignment processing.

3. A recording medium recorded with a program, which allows configuration of the sheet metal processing CAD/CAM system, according claim 1, in a computer system.

4. A program, which allows configuration of the sheet metal processing CAD/CAM system, according claim 1, in a computer system.

5. A recording medium recorded with a program, which allows configuration of the sheet metal processing CAD/CAM system, according claim 2, in a computer system.

6. A program, which allows configuration of the sheet metal processing CAD/CAM system, according claim 2, in a computer system.