JP2963286B2 - Numerical control unit - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a numerical controller for controlling a machine tool, and more particularly to a numerical controller for controlling a machine tool for processing a prototype or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The technological development of a numerically controlled machine tool is remarkable, and it is possible to process a workpiece having a complicated shape at high speed and with high accuracy. At present, a workpiece having a complicated shape cannot be machined without a numerically controlled machine tool.

[0003] Further, in order to create a machining program for machining, an interactive numerical controller having an interactive program creation function added to a numerical controller, or automatic programming for easily creating a complicated machining program. Devices and the like are widely used.

Of course, in order to use these numerical control devices, it is necessary to precisely define machine coordinates, machine origins, program coordinates, machining origins, etc., and to create strict machining programs. When machining a large number of workpieces, these interactive numerical control devices and automatic programming devices can be used.However, in some processes for creating prototypes or molds, attaching / detaching workpieces, attaching tools, and machining A general-purpose milling machine, a general-purpose lathe, and the like that use less time for setting up a program or the like are used.

[0005] However, the number of operators who can use these general-purpose machine tools is decreasing. Also,
Although there is no problem with straight-line machining or the like, machining with diagonal straight-line machining, arc machining, or the like is difficult with these general-purpose machine tools.

Conversely, when a general numerically controlled machine tool is used, it is necessary to accurately define machine coordinates, machine origin, program coordinates, machining origin, etc. It takes too much programming to process a part.

In order to solve such a problem, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a numerical controller capable of performing simple processing of a prototype or the like using a general-purpose machine tool, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. Hei.
No. 6 has been filed.

[0008]

However, when a simple processing of a prototype or the like is performed, generally, a manual pulse generator or a jog feed button is operated to perform the processing while sequentially checking the processing steps.

For this purpose, it is possible to use one manual pulse generator for switching to control each axis. However, the number of switching operations increases and the operability deteriorates. vice versa,
If the handles for the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis machining axes and the handles that move in accordance with the designated shape such as an oblique straight line or an arc are provided independently, the cost increases.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and in order to easily perform a simple processing of a prototype or the like using a general-purpose machine tool, operability is improved and cost is reduced. It is an object of the present invention to provide a numerical control device aiming at the above.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a numerical controller for controlling a machine tool having at least two axes, such as a diagonal straight line or an arc input interactively based on guidance information. Graphic storage means for storing a specified shape, a plurality of manual pulse generators for commanding the movement of the tool, at least one pulse signal of the manual pulse generator, a machining axis signal for controlling the machine tool,
Either a parallel movement signal that moves while maintaining the distance between the current position of the tool and the specified shape, or a vertical movement signal that moves back and forth in the direction indicated by a normal line segment from the current position of the tool to the specified shape Switching means for outputting a switching signal indicating that the signal is the signal, signal selecting means for receiving the pulse signal and the switching signal, selecting and outputting a required pulse signal, and the signal according to the designated shape. A numerical control device comprising: an interpolation unit that receives a pulse signal from the selection unit and outputs an interpolation pulse.

[0012]

When a designated shape such as a diagonal straight line or an arc is input interactively from a keyboard or the like in accordance with the guidance information displayed on the display device, the figure storage means stores the designated shape. The operator operates one of the plurality of manual pulse generators to output at least one pulse signal for commanding the movement of the tool. The switching means outputs a switching signal indicating that at least one of the pulse signals output from the movement command means is one of a machining axis signal, a parallel movement signal, and a vertical movement signal. .
Further, the signal selection means receives the pulse signal and the switching signal, and selects and outputs a necessary pulse signal. Then, the interpolation means receives the pulse signal from the signal selection means and outputs an interpolation pulse according to the designated shape stored in the graphic storage means.

The operability is improved by a plurality of manual pulse generators.

[0014]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a numerical control device of the present invention. Here, the manual pulse generator 41 outputs a pulse signal HP for commanding the movement of the tool. The switching means is a switching signal Z indicating that at least one of the pulse signals HP output from the movement command means is a machining axis signal, a parallel movement signal or a vertical movement signal. / H / V, which corresponds to a switch or the like provided on the machine operation panel 40.

The "machining axis signal" means a signal of a machining axis such as an X axis, a Y axis and a Z axis for controlling a machine tool.
The “parallel movement signal” means a signal of a parallel movement that moves while maintaining a distance between the current position of the tool and the specified shape. Further, the "vertical movement signal" means a signal of a vertical movement that moves the tool forward and backward in a direction indicated by a normal line segment from the current position to the specified shape.

The graphic storage means 1 displays the guidance information on the display device 16 via the graphic control circuit 15.
Further, the figure storage means 1 stores the keyboard 17
To store designated shapes such as diagonal straight lines and arcs interactively input. The stored designated shape is displayed on the display device 1 via the graphic control circuit 15 as necessary.
6 is displayed.

The signal selecting means 2 includes a manual pulse generator 41
At least one pulse signal H from the movement command means such as
When P is detected, a switching signal Z / H / V indicating either a machining axis signal, a parallel movement signal, or a vertical movement signal from the switching means is input. Then, the signal selecting means 2 selects a necessary pulse signal HP according to the switching signal Z / H / V, and outputs it as a pulse signal PS. For example, three pulse signals of an X-axis signal, a Y-axis signal, and a signal by switching are input as pulse signals HP from the movement command means, and “H (parallel movement signal) is output as the switching signal Z / H / V from the switching means. Is input, an X-axis signal, a Y-axis signal, and a parallel movement signal are output as the pulse signal PS.

The interpolation means 3 outputs an interpolation pulse CP according to the designated shape stored in the figure storage means 1 and the pulse signal PS from the signal selection means 2 and sends it to the axis control circuit 18. The axis control circuit 18 actually has three axes. The axis control circuit 18 receives the interpolation pulse CP output from the interpolation means 3, generates a speed command for each axis, and sends it to the servo amplifier 19. The servo amplifier 19 drives a servo motor attached to the machine tool 20 to control the machine tool 20.

Accordingly, the number of handles of the manual pulse generator as the movement command means can be reduced by the switching signal Z / H / V from the switching means, and the cost can be reduced. The graphic storage unit 1, the signal selection unit 2 and the interpolation unit 3 are executed by software as described later.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the numerical controller according to the present invention. Processor 11 is R
The whole numerical controller is controlled according to the system program stored in the OM 12. The graphic storage means 1, signal selection means 2 and interpolation means 3 in FIG.
This is a function of software executed by the system program 12. As the ROM 12, an EPROM or an EEPROM is used. SR13 in RAM13
AM is used to store temporary data such as input / output signals. A CMOS backed up by a battery (not shown) is used for the nonvolatile memory 14. The nonvolatile memory 14 stores various data such as parameters to be held even after the power is turned off, a machining program, and the like.

The graphic control circuit 15 converts the guidance information and the input designated shape and the like into a signal that can be displayed, and gives it to the display device 16. As the display device 16, a CRT or a liquid crystal display device is used. Axis control circuit 18 (3
The axis) receives the axis movement command including the interpolation pulse CP from the processor 11 and sends the axis movement command to the servo amplifier 19.
(For three axes). The servo amplifier 19 receives the movement command and drives a servo motor (not shown) of the machine tool 20. The machine tool 20 is provided with a machine operation panel 40 operated to issue a movement command, in addition to the servomotor, which will be described later. These components are connected to each other by a bus 30.

A PMC (Programmable Machine Controller) 22 receives a T function signal (tool selection command) via the bus 30 when executing a machining program. Then, this signal is processed by a sequence program, a signal is output as an operation command, and the machine tool 20 is controlled.
The interactive numerical controller receives a state signal from the machine tool 20, performs a sequence process, and transfers a necessary input signal to the processor 11 via the bus 30.

The bus 30 is further connected to a software key 23 whose function changes according to a system program or the like. The software key 23 is used together with the display device 16 and the keyboard 17 together with the CRT / MDI.
It is provided on the panel 25.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of a machine operation panel 40 provided in the machine tool 20. Machine operation panel 4 shown in the figure
0, the manual pulse generator 41, the selection switch 41d,
A jog feed button 42, a setting switch 42a, and a changeover switch 42b are provided.

The manual pulse generator 41 includes a manual pulse generator 41a for the X axis, a manual pulse generator 41b for the Y axis,
A general-purpose manual pulse generator 41c that moves in the direction corresponding to the Z axis and the designated shape is provided. When the handle 41aa of the X-axis manual pulse generator 41a is rotated left or right, the X-axis pulse signal HP is generated according to the rotation. Similarly, a Y-axis pulse signal HP is output from the handle 41ba of the Y-axis manual pulse generator 41b, and a pulse signal HP corresponding to a later-described selection switch 41d is output from the handle 41ca of the general-purpose manual pulse generator 41c. Output. These pulse signals HP are two-phase pulses for determining the direction of rotation, and are sent to the processor 11 via the bus 30 to move the tool. The selection switch 41d is configured to control the pulse signal HP generated by the general-purpose manual pulse generator 41c to move in the Z-axis direction (Z),
A parallel movement (H) that moves while maintaining the distance between the current position of the tool and the specified shape (H), or a vertical movement (V) that moves back and forth in the direction indicated by the normal line segment from the current position of the tool to the specified shape Is a switch for selecting a pulse signal in which movement direction, and outputs a switching signal Z / H / V according to the side switched by the operator.

The jog feed button 42 has "+ X", "-
X, + Y, -Y, + Z, and -Z, plus and minus feed buttons for each axis, and + G
A total of eight buttons are provided, such as plus and minus feed buttons, corresponding to the designated shapes of "J" and "-GJ".

The setting switch 42a is a jog feed button 42
The number of pulses generated within a certain period of time when the operator presses. Specifically, the setting switch 42a inputs a pulse obtained by dividing a pulse from a crystal oscillator (not shown) and outputs a pulse at a dividing ratio according to a scale set by an operator.

The changeover switch 42b is a switch corresponding to the jog feed button 42. The changeover switch 42b moves in parallel (H) while maintaining the distance between the current position of the tool and the specified shape or the specified position from the current position of the tool. Switching the vertical movement (V) to move back and forth in the direction indicated by the normal line segment to the shape,
A switching signal Z / H / V corresponding to the side switched by the operator is output.

Therefore, when manually moving the tool, the operator first sets the selection switch 41d to a desired moving direction, and then sets the handle 41aa, 41a.
This can be performed by rotating 41ba and 41ca.
When the tool is moved by jog feed, the feed speed is set by the setting switch 42a and “+ G
When pressing "J" and "-GJ", the changeover switch 42b
Is set, the user can press the button in the desired moving direction among the jog feed buttons 42.

Next, in the machine operation panel 40, the selection switch 41d is set in the direction (H or V) corresponding to the designated shape.
When the handle 41ca is turned and the jog feed button 42 is pressed with the plus and minus direction feed buttons "+ GJ" and "-GJ" corresponding to the designated shape. Will be described. Hereinafter, the same operation is performed when the handle 41ca is rotated and when the jog feed button 42 is pressed, so the case where the handle 41ca is rotated will be described here.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the moving direction of the tool.
FIG. 4 shows a case where a straight line is defined as the designated shape. In the figure, a straight line 110 is defined as a designated shape on the XY coordinate axis plane. The straight line 110 is a figure (designated shape) input and stored by the figure storage unit 1 shown in FIG. The center of the tool 111 is at the position P1, and the center of the tool 113 is at the position P3.

At this time, when the selection switch 41d in FIG. 3 is set to the "H (parallel movement)" side and the handle 41ca is rotated to the left, the tool moves in a straight line 11 according to the rotation angle.
It moves in the direction 111a in parallel with 0. Conversely, handle 4
When 1ca is rotated to the right, the tool moves in the direction 111b in parallel with the straight line 110 according to the rotation angle.

When the selection switch 41d is set to the "V (vertical movement)" side and the handle 41ca is rotated to the left, the tool moves in a direction 113a in a direction normal to the straight line 110 in accordance with the rotation angle. Moving. Conversely, handle 41
When ca is rotated to the right, the tool moves in a direction 113b in a direction normal to the straight line 110 according to the rotation angle.

The moving direction of the tool according to the clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the handle 41ca can be designated in any direction by the operator inputting according to parameters or guidance information. For example, when the handle 41ca is rotated to the right in the vertical movement of the tool, whether to move in the direction 113a or in the direction 113b can be designated according to the parameter or the guidance information. Thereby, operability is improved.

The movement of the tool using the handle 41ca may be configured so that the output of the interpolation pulse from the interpolation means 3 shown in FIG. 1 is stopped when a predetermined coordinate value is reached. For example, if the predetermined coordinate value is set to “0” of the X coordinate, even if the handle 41ca is rotated to the left,
It stops at the position P2 where the tool 112 is located, and does not move in the direction 111a any more. Here, as is clear from the figure, the position P2 where the tool 112 is located is a position where the X coordinate is not “0” but is interpolated by the tool radius (radius) in the X-axis plus direction.

Similarly, if the predetermined coordinate value is set to "0" of the Y coordinate, even if the handle 41ca is rotated to the right,
It stops at the position P4 where the tool 114 is located, and does not move in the direction 113b any more. Also, the position P4 where the tool 114 is located is a position where the Y coordinate is not “0” but is interpolated by the tool radius (radius) in the Y-axis plus direction.

By providing such a limit coordinate value indicated by the predetermined coordinate value, it is possible to prevent the tool from being moved to an inappropriate position even when the operator performs an inappropriate operation on the machine operation panel 40.

In the above description, the description of the feed rate is omitted, but when inputting the designated shape by the figure storage means 1, a term of the feed rate F is provided on each processing guidance screen and designated. Can be. Alternatively, an override switch of the numerical control device can be used.

In the above description, the signal selecting means 2 receives the pulse signal HP from the movement command means having three manual pulse generators and the switching signal Z / H / V from the switching means, and outputs the pulse signal. PS, but a pulse signal HP from a movement command unit having at least one manual pulse generator, and a switching signal Z /
The signal selection means 2 may receive H / V and output the pulse signal PS. For example, in the case of the movement command means provided with four manual pulse generators, the three manual pulse generators output respective machining axis signals, and the remaining manual pulse generators command parallel movement corresponding to the designated shape. It may be configured to output a parallel movement signal or a vertical movement signal for instructing a vertical movement. By doing so, the operability is improved when machining is frequently performed using three machining axes.

Furthermore, although only a part of the processing guidance function has been described in the above description, it can be easily understood that other processing guidance functions can be realized in the same manner.

In this way, by inputting a designated shape on the guidance screen and operating the machine operation panel 40, the operator can simultaneously move two or more axes, such as an oblique straight line or an arc, to obtain a prototype. Part of processing and the like can be easily realized.

Although the above description has been made on the assumption that a milling machine is used, the present invention can be similarly applied to a lathe or the like. Further, such a guidance function can be incorporated in a normal numerical controller, or can be configured as a specially inexpensive numerical controller.

[0043]

As described above, in the present invention, since a plurality of manual pulse generators are provided, operability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a numerical control device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a numerical control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a machine operation panel.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a moving direction of a tool.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Graphic storage means 2 Signal selection means 3 Interpolation means 15 Graphic control circuit 16 Display device 17 Keyboard 18 Axis control circuit 19 Servo amplifier 20 Machine tool 40 Machine operation panel 41 Manual pulse generator

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-63-269203 (JP, A) JP-A-2-280202 (JP, A) JP-A-6-119018 (JP, A) (58) Field (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G05B 19/404 B23Q 15/00 305 G05B 19/4103

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A numerical controller for controlling a machine tool having at least two axes or more, a figure storage means for storing a designated shape such as an oblique straight line or a circular arc input interactively based on guidance information, and a tool. A plurality of manual pulse generators for instructing the movement of at least one of the manual pulse generators, a pulse signal for controlling a machine tool, a machining axis signal for holding a distance between a current position of a tool and the specified shape A switching signal indicating that the signal is either a parallel movement signal that moves while moving or a vertical movement signal that moves back and forth in the direction indicated by the normal line segment from the current position of the tool to the specified shape. Switching means; signal selection means for receiving the pulse signal and the switching signal to select and output a required pulse signal; and a signal from the signal selection means according to the designated shape. Numerical control device, characterized in that it comprises interpolating means for outputting an interpolation pulse by receiving a scan signal. 2. The manual pulse generator is one for the X axis,
2. The numerical controller according to claim 1, wherein one is provided for the Y-axis, and one is provided for the Z-axis, parallel movement signal, and vertical movement signal.