Machining apparatus

• US 6,535,788 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2000
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Makino Milling Machine Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Makino Milling Machine Company Limited
• Inventors: Hisaki, Tatsuya, Inoue, Shinichi, Yoshida, Jun, Kawana, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANK, ELLIOT L
• Application Number:
  US09/554,029
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 700/36, 700/87, 700/169, 700/172, 700/173, 700/175, 700/178, 700/180, 700/183, 700/184, 700/188, 700/192, 700/159, 700/160, 700/190, 700/191, 705/400
• US Class Current: 700/191
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/40931 concerning programming of geometry
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/40937 concerning programming of machining or material parameters, pocket machining
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35097 Generation of cutter path, offset curve
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35316 Interference checking between tool, machine, part, chuck, machining range
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36284 Use of database for machining parameters, material, cutting method, tools
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36287 Selection of speed as function of tool diameter
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36289 Cutting, machining conditions by optimisation of time, cost, accuracy
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36296 Order, select, determine, change machining sequence, order
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42058 General predictive controller GPC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49088 As a function of, regulate feed as function of material, tool
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A control device of a machine tool (100) has an input unit (1) for inputting the processing profile data (1a) and the workpiece data (1b) of the material and a profile of the workpiece to be processed. The control device input unit (1) also can receive a tool path changing operation command (1c), a manual operation command (1d) and a processing condition changing command. A data base (3) for storing at least one of the mechanical data of the machine tool to process the workpiece and the tool data of the tool mounted on the machine tool provides a signal to an estimating calculation unit (7) for estimating at least a processing load or the occurrence of interference of the tool with the workpiece based on the data inputted by the input unit (1) and the data stored in the data base (3). A tool path deciding unit (5) calculates a tool path to process the workpiece and decides processing conditions such as spindle rotating speed and the feed speed for the machine tool (11) based on the output of the estimating calculation unit (7).

Claims

1. A control device of a machine tool for processing a workpiece when processing profile data is inputted into the control device, comprising:

an input means for inputting the processing profile data of a profile of a final workpiece and for inputting the workpiece data of material and a profile of the workpiece to be processed;

a data storing means for storing at least one of the mechanical data of the machine tool to process the workpiece and the tool data of the tool mounted on the machine tool;

a tool path deciding means for recognizing the profile of a non-processed workpiece and the profile to be finally formed in the workpiece, dividing the profile to be finally formed in the workpiece into a plurality of regions on the basis of the recognized profile to be finally formed in the workpiece, selecting a tool for each said divided region, selecting a machining pattern for machining the workpiece in each said divided region, recognizing a longitudinal direction in each said divided region to decide the longitudinal direction as a machining direction, and for creating a tool path to process the workpiece in each said divided region and for deciding a processing condition for processing the workpiece for each said divided region, such as a main shaft rotating speed of the machine tool and a feed speed of the workpiece, according to said data inputted by the input means and the data stored in the data storing means; and

an operator changing operation judging means for recognizing and storing a changing operation of the operator with respect to the tool path and processing condition which have been created and decided by the tool path deciding means and also for judging whether or not the changing operation is appropriate and also for reflecting the changing operation on the creation and decision of the tool path and the processing condition.

2. A control device of a machine tool according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said mechanical data and said tool data stored in said data storing means is renewed by said changing operation recognized and stored in said operator changing operation judging means.

3. A control device of a machine tool for processing a workpiece when processing profile data is inputted into the control device, is comprising:

an input means for inputting the processing profile data of a profile of a final workpiece and for inputting the workpiece data of material and a profile of the workpiece to be processed;

a data storing means for storing at least one of the mechanical data of the machine tool to process the workpiece and the tool data of the tool mounted on the machine tool; and

cost calculating means for calculating the processing cost of the workpiece according to the data inputted by the input means and the data stored in the data storing means wherein said processing profile data inputted by the input means also includes delivery time data which includes processing accuracy data and a processing schedule.

4. A control device of a machine tool according to claim 3, wherein said cost calculating means calculates the processing cost and also calculates the profit and loss of the workpiece according to said processing accuracy data and said delivery time data included in said processing profile data inputted by the input means and also according to the data stored in the data storing means.

5. A control device of a machine tool according to claim 3, wherein said cost calculating means also calculates the minimum processing cost of the workpiece.

6. A control device of a machine tool according to claim 3, further comprising a tool path deciding means for creating a tool path to process the workpiece and for deciding a processing condition for processing the workpiece such as a main shaft rotating speed of the machine tool and a feed speed of the workpiece according to said data inputted by said input means and said data stored in said data storing means, wherein said cost calculating means commands said tool path deciding means to create and decide at least one of a tool path and a processing condition by which the processing cost of the workpiece, being calculated according to the data inputted by the input means and the data stored in the data storing means, can be generated.

7. A control device of a machine tool according to claim 6, wherein said tool path deciding means includes a processing process deciding means for selecting a tool and a processing pattern and also deciding the processing process, and wherein said cost calculating means commands the tool path deciding means to select and decide the tool, the processing pattern and the processing process by which the processing cost of the workpiece, being calculated according to the data inputted by the input means and the data stored in the data storing means, can be generated.

8. A processing apparatus for processing a workpiece when processing profile data is inputted into the processing apparatus, comprising:

a machine tool for processing the workpiece;

an input means for inputting the processing profile data of a profile of a final workpiece and for inputting the workpiece data of material and a profile of the workpiece to be processed;

a data storing means for storing at least one of the mechanical data of the machine tool to process the workpiece and the tool data of the tool mounted on the machine tool;

a cost calculating means for calculating the processing cost of the workpiece according to the data inputted by the input means and the data stored in the data storing means;

an estimating calculation means for estimating at least a processing load or an occurrence of interference of the tool with the workpiece according to the data inputted by the input means and also according to the data stored in the data storing means;

a processing process deciding means for selecting a tool and processing pattern and deciding a processing process according to the data inputted by the input means, the data stored in the data storing means and the result of estimating calculation conducted by the estimating calculation means;

a tool path deciding means for creating a tool path to process the workpiece and deciding a processing condition for processing the workpiece such as a main shaft rotating speed of the machine tool and a feed speed of the workpiece according to the data inputted by the input means, according to the data stored in the data storing means, according to the result of estimating calculation conducted by the estimating calculation means, according to the tool selected and decided by the processing process deciding means, and also according to the processing pattern and the processing process;

an operator changing operation judging means for recognizing and storing a changing operation of the operator with respect to the tool, the processing pattern and the processing process which have been selected and decided by the processing process deciding means and also with respect to the tool path and processing condition which have been created and decided by the tool path deciding means and also for judging whether or not the changing operation is appropriate and also for reflecting the changing operation on the processing by the tool path deciding means and the processing process deciding means; and

a numerically controlled means for controlling a motion of the machine tool by the tool, the processing pattern and the processing process, which have been selected and decided by the processing process deciding means, and also by the tool path and the processing condition which have been created and decided by the tool path deciding means.