NUMERICAL CONTROLLER

• US 20200133242A1
• Filed: 10/25/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Inventors: UENISHI, Daisuke, TANGO, Chikara
• Granted Patent: US 11,402,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/408 characterised by data handling or data format, e.g. reading, buffering or conversion of data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4155 characterised by programme execution, i.e. part programme or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a programme
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35386 Look ahead processing of plural block data from buffer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42173 Acceleration deceleration

Abstract

To provide a numerical controller that can detect a position in a machining program at which a speed control abnormality is likely to occur due to an insufficient look-ahead blocks that are used to determine an acceleration/deceleration operation, and start a look-ahead processing function from the position in parallel with looking ahead at the machining program from the start of the machining program. A numerical controller includes a program execution unit that executes a machining program, a program look-ahead unit that simultaneously looks ahead at the machining program from different blocks in the machining program in parallel with execution of the machining program and that includes a first program look-ahead unit and a second program look-ahead unit, and a look-ahead allocation unit that divides a storage unit into at least a first region and a second region and instructs the first program look-ahead unit to perform a look-ahead action of storing look-ahead blocks in the first region and instructs the second program look-ahead unit to perform a look-ahead action of storing look-ahead blocks in the second region.

Claims

1. A numerical controller for controlling a machine tool that has axes by executing a machining program that is made up of a plurality of blocks and that controls acceleration/deceleration of the axes,

the numerical controller comprising a control unit and a storage unit,

a program execution unit that executes the machining program;

a program look-ahead unit that simultaneously looks ahead at the machining program from different blocks in the machining program in parallel with execution of the machining program and that includes a first program look-ahead unit and a second program look-ahead unit; and

a look-ahead allocation unit that divides the storage unit into at least a first region and a second region and instructs the first program look-ahead unit to perform a look-ahead action of storing look-ahead blocks in the first region and instructs the second program look-ahead unit to perform a look-ahead action of storing look-ahead blocks in the second region.

2. The numerical controller according to claim 1, further comprising:

a look-ahead blocks calculation unit that calculates look-ahead blocks, which is the difference between a first sequence number that is the number of a block being executed by the program execution unit and a second sequence number that is the number of a block that is looked ahead by the first program look-ahead unit while the block is being executed; and

an exhaustion block detection unit that detects an exhaustion block, which is a block at which the look-ahead blocks falls below a prescribed value,

wherein, after the exhaustion block is detected, the look-ahead allocation unit instructs the first program look-ahead unit to look ahead from a start block of the machining program and instructs the second program look-ahead unit to look ahead from the exhaustion block.

3. The numerical controller according to claim 1, further comprising:

a machining precision index calculation unit that calculates a machining precision index that indicates machining precision at each block of the machining program; and

a machining precision requirement block detection unit that detects a machining precision requirement block, which is a block at which the machining precision index is more than a prescribed value,

wherein, after the exhaustion block is detected, the look-ahead allocation unit instructs the first program look-ahead unit to look ahead from a start block of the machining program and instructs the second program look-ahead unit to look ahead from the machining precision requirement block.