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Event feedback for numerically controlled machine tool and network implementation thereof

  • US 5,291,416 A
  • Filed: 03/08/1991
  • Issued: 03/01/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling one or more numerically controlled machine tools, comprising the steps of:

  • supplying a machine tool part program to each machine tool;

    detecting the occurrence of one of a predetermined set of events at each machine tool;

    determining the real time upon each detection of an event;

    generating an event signal indicating the identity of the detected event and the time of occurrence upon each detection of an event;

    producing a user perceivable indication on a color video display of the machine tool status based upon the identity of the last detected event, the machine tool status being indicated by colors that correspond to each possible machine tool status; and

    storing in a nonvolatile read/write memory corresponding to each machine tool part program an indication of the theoretical time for each machine tool to perform each of a plurality of sections of the machine tool part program;

    wherein the step of producing a user perceivable indication of the machine tool status includes producing a user perceivable indication of an estimated completion time for the current part on the machine tool based upon the last program step supplied to the machine tool and the indication of the theoretical time to perform each section of the machine tool part program.

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