System and method for automatic local return for lathe NC-machining cycle interruption

• US 8,573,097 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Dixon, Scott, Rinas, Reinhard, Brugge, Oliver, Kaltz, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): Wellington, Andrea
• Assistant Examiner(s): Addisu, Sara
• Application Number:
  US11/610,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20070199414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,519 Days
• Field of Search: 82/11.1, 821/18, 700/159, 700/180, 700/192, 700/174, 700177-178
• US Class Current: 82/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4065 Monitoring tool breakage, life or condition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37499 Determine cumulative deviation, difference
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49072 Action, withdraw, stop feed tool to prevent breakage or lower load
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50112 Retract tool to a point
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50206 Tool monitoring integrated in nc control
• 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 82/10 Process of turning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/2502 with program control

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program for monitoring a machine cycle. A method includes the steps of tracking an elapsed cumulative measure; comparing the elapsed cumulative measure with a cycle interrupt interval; interrupting a machining cycle at the cycle interrupt interval; and performing a local return to a defined position.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a machine cycle, comprising the steps of:

tracking an elapsed cumulative measure;

comparing said elapsed cumulative measure with a cycle interrupt interval, the cycle interrupt interval having a first range limit and a second range limit;

interrupting a machining cycle after the elapsed cumulative measure has exceeded the first range limit and at the earlier of

when a machine operation is completed or

when the elapsed cumulative measure reaches the second range limit; and

performing a local return to a defined position upon said interrupting step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said elapsed cumulative measure is a machine time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said elapsed cumulative measure is cutting distance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said cycle interrupt interval is an automatic local return interval.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said perfoiming step occurs at an automatic local return time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said performing step occurs at an automatic local return distance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said defined position is one of a user defined position and an automatically defined position.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of updating and adjusting said cycle interrupt interval.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of updating said elapsed cumulative measure.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of analyzing a plurality of processor generated motions.

11. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a machine readable medium to perform method of monitoring a machine cycle, comprising:

instructions for tracking an elapsed cumulative measure;

instructions for comparing said elapsed cumulative measure with a cycle interrupt interval, the cycle interrupt interval having a first range limit and a second range limit;

instructions for interrupting a machining cycle after the elapsed cumulative measure has exceeded the first range limit and at the earlier of

when a machine operation is completed or

when the elapsed cumulative measure reaches the second range limit; and

instructions for performing a local return to a defined position upon said interrupting step.

12. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein said elapsed cumulative measure is a machine time.

13. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein said elapsed cumulative measure is cutting distance.

14. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein said cycle interrupt interval is an automatic local return interval.

15. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein said performing instructions occur at an automatic local return time.

16. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein said performing instructions occur at an automatic local return distance.

17. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein said defined position is one of a user defined position and an automatically defined position.

18. The computer-program product of claim 11, further comprising the instructions of updating and adjusting said cycle interrupt interval.

19. The computer-program product of claim 11, further comprising the instructions of updating said elapsed cumulative measure.

20. The computer-program product of claim 11, further comprising the instructions of analyzing a plurality of processor generated motions.

21. A data processing system comprising a processor and accessible memory, and configured to implement a method of monitoring a machine cycle by performing the steps of:

tracking an elapsed cumulative measure of operation of a machine;

comparing said elapsed cumulative measure with a cycle interrupt interval, the cycle interrupt interval having a first range limit and a second range limit;

interrupting a machining cycle after the elapsed cumulative measure has exceeded the first range limit and at the earlier of

when a machine operation is completed or

when the elapsed cumulative measure reaches the second range limit; and

performing a local return to a defined position upon said interrupting step.