Thread cutting method using lathe and numerical controller

• US 6,155,148 A
• Filed: 07/20/1998
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagayama, Susumu, Shinozaki, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): TSAI, HENRY
• Application Number:
  US09/101,875
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 82/1.11, 82/110, 82/118, 82/47, 409/66, 409/68, 409/69, 364/474.22, 364/474.32, 364/474.33
• US Class Current: 82/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/186 Generation of screw- or gearlike surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45214 Gear cutting
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50225 Synchronize feed and spindle speed as function of pitch of screw, thread
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/300112 Process
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/10 Process of turning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/16016 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/20 Lathe for screw cutting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/2502 with program control

Abstract

A basic spiral operation of a tool is controlled by storing, in a controller, an automatic operation program of a threading cycle which regulates the basic spiral operation of the tool corresponding to a thread shape by specifying a spindle revolving speed RC, a thread lead ZR and a thread cutting finish point Z2 or the like. A depth of cut by the tool is determined by an operator who operates a handle of a manual pulse generator to cut the work and confirms the cutting conditions.

Claims

1. A thread cutting method using a lathe which performs thread cutting by revolving a work mounted on a spindle of the lathe, then cutting the work by putting a tool into contact with the work from a direction orthogonal to the spindle, and moving the tool relatively to the work in a work axial direction in synchronization with the revolution of the spindle, comprising:

specifying various data used to perform thread cutting;

storing a machining program having a threading cycle which regulates a basic spiral operation of the tool, according to the specified various data; and

controlling the tool to perform a thread cutting operation by executing said machining program to control the basic spiral operation of the tool operation while controlling a depth of cut for said thread cutting operation by moving the tool manually.

2. A thread cutting method using a lathe according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing the depth of cut determined by moving the tool manually by an operator during execution of said machining program in a controller; and

determining a next thread cutting start point on the basis of the stored depth of cut.

3. A thread cutting method using a lathe according to claim 1, wherein said storing a machine program comprises storing an operation to move the tool relatively to the work from a thread cutting start point to a thread cutting end point, and an operation to retreat the tool from the thread cutting end point to a machining start point, and further comprising:

manually regulating a limit position of an approach operation for moving the tool from the machining start point to the thread cutting start point according to a position of the thread cutting start point determined on the basis of said depth of cut; and

manually removing the regulation on the limit position.

4. A numerical controller for controlling a lathe to perform thread cutting, comprising:

a machining program storage means for storing an automatic operation program of a thread cutting cycle;

an input unit having a display screen to input and display various data required for execution of said automatic operation program;

a data storage means for storing the data inputted from said input unit having a display screen;

a manual pulse handle for moving a thread cutting tool by a manual operation in a cutting direction relatively to a work mounted on a spindle; and

a machining program creating means for creating a semiautomatic operation program for performing predetermined thread cutting to the work by applying data stored in said data storage means, except data representing a depth of cut for one machining cycle, and data representing a depth of cut corresponding to a manipulated variable of said manual pulse handle to the automatic operation program stored in said machining program storage means.

5. A numerical controller according to claim 4, further comprising:

a decision means for deciding whether a depth of cut commanded by said manual pulse handle exceeds a final depth of cut inputted by said input unit with display screen; and

a depth regulating means for altering a current depth of cut into the final depth of cut automatically when said decision means decides that, with the current manipulated variable of said manual pulse handle, the depth of cut commanded by said manual pulse handle exceeds the final depth of cut.

6. A numerical controller according to claim 5, further comprising:

a regulation removing means for permitting cutting corresponding to the manipulated variable of the manual pulse handle without limitation by removing the regulation placed on the depth of cut by said depth regulating means.

7. A numerical controller according to claim 4, further comprising:

a typical depth storage means for, when a thread cutting operation in a machining cycle is ended, obtaining and storing a typical depth of cut in a thread cutting in the machining cycle; and

a cutting depth regulating means for regulating the manipulated variable of said manual pulse handle such that the depth of cut commanded by said manual pulse handle does not exceed the typical depth of cut stored in said typical depth storage means in a thread cutting operation in a next machining cycle.