JPH0435298B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

The present invention relates to a tool calling method for an automatic tool changer, and in particular, in addition to a permanently installed main magazine for supplying tools to a spindle head, the present invention is equipped with a detachable sub-magazine, and is capable of replenishing tools according to a program. The present invention relates to a tool calling method for an automatic tool changer. Conventional automatic tool changers (ATC devices) generally do not use many tools for one workpiece, the types of workpieces are limited, and the magazine that supplies tools to the head requires a large number of pots. Instead, the tool calling method was simply specifying the pot number on the program, and replenishing tools to each pot relied mainly on humans. However, as factory automation progresses, current numerical control devices (NC devices) are used in flexible manufactur- ). In addition to the permanently installed main magazine, the automatic tool changer also has
Equipped with removable sub-magazines, tools are being supplied according to the program, but in these times, the conventional method of calling tools by simply specifying pot numbers is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Not only is this inconvenient, but replenishment from the sub-magazine cannot be automated. not to mention,
As the tool boy system, in which the sub-magazine itself is equipped with wheels and runs around the factory and automatically replenishes the tools required by the machining center according to the program, became commonplace, the tool boy system, in which the sub-magazine itself is equipped with wheels and runs around the factory, automatically replenishing the tools required by the machining center according to the program, became commonplace. It has become necessary for the tool changer itself to be capable of selecting and selecting tools based on factors such as frequency of use, priority, and deterioration of tools, and to be able to operate in conjunction with a sub-magazine, that is, a tool boy. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide control for individual tools in an automatic tool changer in which a sub-magazine is removably installed in addition to a permanently installed main magazine. The main magazine and sub-magazines are managed comprehensively, and the frequency of use, priority, degree of deterioration, etc. of tools are rationally considered, and tools that are suitable for the program being implemented are prioritized over the main magazine. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool calling method that is automatically and automatically edited. In order to achieve this object, the present invention includes: a spindle position tool memory that stores tool data at the spindle position; a main magazine tool memory that stores tool data for each pot of the main magazine;
A step of storing required tool data in a sub-magazine tool memory that stores tool data for each pot of the sub-magazine, and ranking data indicating the last use order and current use order in the stored tool data in the order of use. , a process to select the priority order for unused tools to be preferentially demoted from the main magazine to the submagazine, and a process to call the tool data corresponding to the tool into the NC program as the tool is transported. Based on the process of mutual transfer between the spindle position tool memory, main magazine tool memory, and sub-magazine tool memory, and the tool data assigned the ranking data, it is determined that the tool is used less frequently. The process consists of removing and demoting tools or deteriorated tools from the main magazine, securing empty space in pots, and then transferring frequently used tools from the sub-magazine to the main magazine with priority. It is characterized by demoting unused tools from the main magazine to the submagazine with priority given to both zeros, and then repeatedly calling the demoting operation for each tool number when targeting tools whose ranks are zero this time. That is. Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to examples and drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of an automatic tool changer suitable for carrying out the present invention. 1 is a main body of the machine tool, 2 is a main magazine, and 3 is a sub-magazine. The main body 1 is equipped with a spindle head 11. The main magazine 2 is permanently installed in the main body 1, and has a predetermined number of tool storage pots 21 mounted on a support that rotates in an endless track type. The tool is exchanged via the first arm 12 between the main shaft 11a of the tool and the main shaft 11a of the tool. On the other hand, sub magazine 3
is a portable type that moves on an inter-machine track, changes direction on a turn floor 5, etc., and is removably disposed on the main body part that is in contact with the main magazine 2, and is also attached to a support that rotates in an endless track type. Tools are exchanged between the attached pot 31 and the main magazine pot 25 via the second arm 22 at a tool exchange position. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing each of the above-mentioned tool exchange positions. In FIG. 2, the pot 21 mounted on the support 23 of the main magazine 2 is located at a first tool changing position P ₁ facing the head 11.
Tools can be exchanged with the main shaft 11a via the first arm 12, and the second tool exchange position _P2 corresponding to the sub-magazine similarly
The support body 3 of the sub-magazine 3 is
Tools can be exchanged between the pot ₃₁ located at the third tool exchange position P3 on the main magazine 2 and the pot 25 mounted on the support 23 of the main magazine 2. Each magazine is equipped with position detectors 24 and 34 in contact with the support, and the number of the pots being indexed is constantly checked. Of course, these tool exchange operations are performed under the control of the central processing unit based on the NC program. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the above-mentioned control mechanism implementing the present invention. In FIG. 3, the control mechanism is structured around a central processing unit (CPU) 4, and a main bus 41 which is a main line from the central processing unit 4.
ROM 42, RAM 43, input interface 44 (inputs main magazine position detection signal LS ₁ , sub magazine position detection signal LS ₂ , N/C commands such as T code, etc.), output interface 45 (main magazine , performs output to sub-magazine solenoid valves Sol ₁ and Sol _2, etc.), and spindle position tool memory 46, main magazine tool memory 47, and sub-magazine tool memory 48.
is connected. In addition, when the keyboard 49 is connected, it is connected via a dedicated connection circuit 49a. Note that the three memories 46, 47 and 4
8 may each be a dedicated IC memory,
It may be provided as part of the area of the RAM 43. The contents of the three memories are the tool number of the tool at the corresponding position and the current and previous use order data of the tool. The spindle position tool memory 46 stores the tool numbers of the tools attached to the spindle at that time in association with usage order data as shown in Table 1.

[Table] The main magazine tool memory 47 stores the tool numbers and usage order data of the tools stored in each pot of the main magazine at that time for each pot as shown in Table 2.

[Table] _n1 is the predetermined number of pots that are considered to be the fixed amount of the main magazine. The sub-magazine tool memory 48 stores the tool number and use order data of the tools stored in each pot of the sub-magazine at that time for each pot as shown in Table 3.

【table】

[Table] _n2 is the predetermined number of pots that are considered to be the fixed amount of the sub-magazine. Note that the use order data is written as 1, 2, 3, etc. in the order of use for one work, and is 0 if it is not used. When a tool is exchanged at each tool exchange position shown in FIG. 2, each of the above-mentioned memories is exchanged as follows in conjunction with the operation of the arm. First, when exchanging the tool at the spindle position with the tool at the first tool exchange position P ₁ on the main magazine, a signal activated by the movement of the first arm 12 is used to change the address of the spindle position tool memory.
Data stored in SP0 and first tool change position
If the memory corresponding to the pot indexed to _P1 is pot No. 3, for example, the data (tool number, current ranking, previous ranking) stored at address MP3 is exchanged. When exchanging the tools of the main magazine and the tools of the sub-magazine, the procedure is as follows. For example, the second tool change position P ₂ on the main magazine
Suppose that the pot allocated to is pot No. 2,
Assuming that the empty pot indexed at the third tool change position _P3 on the sub-magazine is pot No.n ₂ ,
A signal activated by the operation of the second arm 22 transfers the data stored at address MP2 to address SPn ₂ , and then empties the data at address MP2. Next, the pot in which the tool to be transferred from the sub to the main is stored is found using the calling method described later, and the support 33 of the sub magazine is rotated to index it to the third tool exchange position _P3 .
If that pot is, for example, pot No. 1, the data at address SP1 is transferred to address MP2 by the operation signal of the second arm 22 that moves the tool to pot No. 2 of the main magazine that was previously emptied. , then empty the data at address SP1 and complete the memory exchange. In this embodiment, the second arm 22 has been described as using a single arm, but if a twin arm is used, memory exchange between magazines is performed in the same manner as memory exchange with the main shaft. It turns out. Now, using the memory and its exchange scheme described above, tool recall according to the invention is performed as follows. FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing an example of the tool calling method implemented in the present invention, and FIG.
The figure shows the flow for the first time after the power is turned on, and FIG. 5 shows the flow for the second and subsequent times. In FIG. 4, after the power is turned on, the program is started, and when it is confirmed that it is the first time, the order data in the three memories are all cleared and set to "0". continue,
The spindle tool is called up, and it is determined whether the corresponding tool is in the main magazine or submagazine. The search is performed by the tool number, and if the pot is found in the memory of the main magazine, the pot is indexed to the first tool change position (P1 in FIG. 2) and the tool is removed by the first arm 12. and memory replacement. At that time, a procedure is prepared in which the numerical value is incremented by +1 each time this exchange is performed, and the resulting numerical value is written into the corresponding data in the spindle position tool memory as the current ranking. This flow then searches for the next tool to be used and returns to the tool call in the main flow. On the other hand, if the corresponding tool number cannot be found in the main magazine search and cannot be found in the submagazine when the tool is called, this means that the required tool is not found anywhere, and an "alarm" occurs.
However, this alarm signal may be used as a starting signal for calling the second, third, etc. sub-magazines. On the other hand, if the corresponding tool number is found in the memory of the submagazine, a procedure for moving the tool to the main magazine is started. First, consider whether there is an empty pot in the main magazine.
is performed, and if there is an empty pot, proceed to the operation of moving the corresponding tool to the empty pot, but if it is full, search for a pot with a current rank of 0. Normally, the required number of tools used in one program is less than the fixed number n ₁ of the main magazine, so there should be a tool whose rank is 0 this time, but if If it cannot be found, it means that all the tools on the main magazine side are already required by the program.
An “alarm” will be issued if the number of lines is exceeded. If a tool with a rank of 0 is found this time, there will be no problem; the tool will be demoted to an empty pot in the submagazine, an empty pot will be created in the main magazine, and the procedure for moving the corresponding tool to the empty pot is shown in Figure 2. After performing the tool exchange and the associated memory exchange described in 1., the flow returns to the procedure of rotating the pot of the corresponding tool to the first tool exchange position. Now, in a factory, it is often the case that multiple pieces of the same type of work are repeatedly machined using one program, and in such a case, the flow of this embodiment is as follows.
The flow shown in FIG. 5 will be followed for the "second and subsequent times". If it is determined that it is not the "first time", a procedure is taken in which the current ranking data in all memories is first transferred to the previous ranking column, and then the current ranking column is cleared. Next, the same tool call as the first time is performed, and the flow when the corresponding tool number is found in the main magazine and when it is not found in any magazine is the same as that described in the first flow. be. If the corresponding tool number is not found in the main magazine but is found in the sub-magazine, we will consider searching for an empty pot in the main magazine in order to move the tool to the main magazine, but if the main magazine is full, In some cases, the method for selecting a tool to be demoted to a sub-magazine is different from the first case, and this is also an important feature of the present invention in that it utilizes usage ranking data. First, a search for current ranking and previous ranking is performed, and if a pot with both rankings of 0 is found in the main magazine memory, that tool is presumed to be unnecessary for this program, so Demotes the tool to a submagazine. The problem is that if such a tool is not found, this is the second time or later, so the previous ranking may have been given to the tool data of all the pots, and an alarm for exceeding the number of pots is inappropriate. Therefore, the flow according to the present invention further searches for a tool whose current ranking is 0, and whose previous ranking is lower than the current ranking of the called tool and which is kept on standby. If such a tool is discovered, it will be replaced by another tool even though it was used last time, and will not be used this time, for example, if there are two identical tools. This is because it indicates cases in which the product has been replaced due to deterioration discovered during the process. Normally, NC programs often include a subroutine that replaces the tool from the head when deterioration of the tool is detected during the process, and the above procedure according to the present invention allows such a tool to be further transferred to the submagazine. This has the effect of demoting them. By the way, even after completing the above search,
If applicable tool data is not found, an “alarm” is issued. If the corresponding data is found, the subsequent flow is the same as the first time, rotating the pot to the second tool change position, determining whether there is an empty pot in the sub-magazine, and demoting the tool to that empty pot. , and proceed to the procedure for moving the necessary tools to the empty pot after the transfer. After that, the process returns to the head exchange procedure, and once machining is complete, the process returns to calling the tool and repeating tool exchanges. As explained above, the present invention stores tool data including tool numbers and current and previous usage rankings in three memories, provides various procedures for using the tool data, and targets each tool. In addition to enabling control and comprehensive management of both the main magazine and sub-magazine, each time the program is repeated, tools are selected taking into account frequency of use, priority, degree of deterioration, etc. This provides an extremely advanced tool calling method suitable for FMS, in which tools suitable for the program are preferentially left in the main magazine and automatically edited. As an application example of the present invention, if the tool number in the tool data has a file character, for example, tools of similar types are grouped with consecutive numbers,
It is clear that even more advanced control can be achieved. In addition, although the above-mentioned embodiment describes the case where the present invention is applied to a machining center,
It goes without saying that the present invention is applicable not only to machining centers but also to all numerically controlled machine tools in which an operator commands a machine to perform machining.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an example of an automatic tool changer, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram thereof, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control mechanism implementing the present invention, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are tool calling devices according to the present invention. 1 is a flowchart of an example of a method. 1... Main body, 2... Main magazine, 3... Sub magazine, 11... Head, 21, 31... Pot, 12, 22... Exchange arm, P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃
...Tool exchange position, 46...Spindle position tool memory, 47...Main magazine tool memory, 48
...Sub magazine tool memory.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A permanent main magazine for providing tools to the spindle of the spindle head based on the NC program of the workpiece, and a sub-magazine for replenishing the main magazine with spare tools; Automatic tool exchange in which an exchange arm exchanges tools between the main shaft and one of the pots of the main magazine, and a second exchange arm exchanges tools between one of the main magazine pots and one of the submagazine pots. In the tool calling method of the device, there is a main axis position tool memory that stores tool data for the tool at the main axis position, a main magazine tool memory that stores tool data for each pot in the main magazine, and a main magazine tool memory that stores tool data for each pot in the sub magazine. A process of storing necessary tool data in a sub-magazine tool memory to be stored; a process of adding ranking data indicating the last use order and this time use order to the stored tool data in the order of use; The process of selecting ranking data for preferentially demoting unused items from the main magazine to the sub-magazine, and the process of selecting the ranking data for preferentially demoting unused tools from the main magazine to the sub-magazine. A step of mutually transferring between the memory, the main magazine tool memory, and the sub-magazine tool memory, and a step of transferring tools that are judged to be used less frequently or deteriorated tools from the main magazine based on the tool data assigned the ranking data. The process consists of removing and demoting tools, securing empty space in the pot, and then transferring frequently used tools from the sub magazine to the main magazine with priority. An unused tool whose previous rank and current rank are both zero is demoted to the top priority, and then a tool whose previous rank is lower than the current rank of the called tool and whose current rank is zero is searched and demoted. A tool calling method for an automatic tool changer, which is characterized in that it is repeatedly performed.