JP2001100823A - Numerical controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a numerical controller capable of easily setting software for monitoring a controlled system device under operation. SOLUTION: A numerical controller 1 is composed of a CNC 2 and a control panel 3 and controls a conveyer 4 as a controlled system device. The CNC 2 is composed of a CPU 21 and a memory 22 as core and in the memory 22, a start condition information card and a continuation condition information card are stored as a matrix-shaped data set. Since the continuation condition information card is the matrix-shaped data set as well, this card can be displayed like a list on the display of an input/output device 23, setting and debugging thereof is facilitated, and the knowledge of programming language is not requested. Thus, the continuation condition information card can be set easily as a software for monitoring the conveyer 4 as the controlled system device under operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention belongs to the technical field of a numerical control device suitable for controlling a numerically controlled machine tool (NC machine) and an industrial robot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a prior art, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
There is a numerical control device disclosed as a "robot control device" in JP-A-16.

In this numerical control device, a relationship between a normal start-up state of a controlled object device and an operation command is stored in a memory as a matrix data set so as to be used when starting each operation of the controlled device. When the operation command is input, if the normal startup state (stored in the memory) corresponding to the operation command matches the state of the actual control target device fetched from the control target device, the operation command is used. It has a function to start the operation of the control target device.

However, this publication does not disclose a technique relating to an operation monitoring function for determining whether or not the operation of a controlled device is normal while the device is operating.

In general, such operation monitoring is generally performed by a monitoring program built in a programmable sequence controller (PLC) attached to a numerical controller. In such a case, P
The processing speed of the LC arithmetic unit is not very fast,
Since many calculation steps are required to process the judgment logic of the monitoring program, there is a disadvantage that it takes time to monitor the operation state.

[0006] Alternatively, it is conceivable to design an arithmetic unit of the numerical control device so that it can be operated by multitasking, and to process a monitoring program in the numerical control device. However, even in such a case, since a large number of calculation steps are required to process the determination logic of the monitoring program, the disadvantage that it takes time to monitor the operation state is not solved.

In any of the above cases, there is an inconvenience that the monitoring of the operation state by the monitoring program requires a long processing time, and may slow down the operation of the controlled device. Not only that, but a huge amount of monitoring program with proper logic had to be developed, which required a great deal of time and money to develop the monitoring program. In particular, not only was the coding of the monitoring program difficult, but also the debugging of the monitoring program took a very long time, which was troublesome for the developer.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a numerical controller capable of realizing an operation monitoring function of a controlled device in a short time and at a low cost, and reducing a calculation load required for operation monitoring. Issues to be solved.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, the inventors have invented the following means.

(First Means) A first means of the present invention is a numerical controller according to the first aspect.

In this means, in the monitoring means, the judging means compares the difference between the operation state fetched by the state input means and the normal condition corresponding to the operation command. It is determined that the state is abnormal. Here, the abnormality determination in the monitoring means is not based on a unique determination program created for each operation program. Instead, since the determination is made by comparing the operating state performed by the determination means with the normal condition, the determination is performed by a simple fixed comparison program prepared in advance.
Therefore, it is possible to develop a comparison program with a small processing load by using a language such as an assembler and to speed up the processing of the comparison program so that the comparison operation by the determination unit is performed at high speed.

This eliminates the necessity of preparing a judgment program in the monitoring means for each operation, and allows the monitoring means to compare the operating state with the normal condition by using a common comparison program. Therefore, in order to drive the determination means, it is only necessary to select a normal condition from ON / OFF / any one and set it as a data set, and a programming language is not required. Becomes unnecessary. As a result, the operation monitoring function of the control target device can be set in a short time and at low cost.

Further, since the comparing operation between the operating state and the normal condition by the determining means can be performed at a high speed, the calculation load required for the operation monitoring can be reduced.

Therefore, according to the numerical control device of the present means, the operation monitoring function of the control target device can be set in a short time at a low cost without man-hours, and the calculation load required for the operation monitoring is reduced. There is an effect that can be.

The numerical controller according to the present invention includes a programmable sequence controller (PLC: programmable logic controller) for operation by an operator.
May be included.

(Second Means) A second means of the present invention is a numerical controller according to the second aspect.

In this means, since the data set defining the normal condition is a matrix data set, the work of setting the data set under the normal condition becomes easy. That is, if it is possible to display the operation state that should be in operation in a full screen (or on Windows) as a list, the pieces are arranged on the list as if on an Othello game board. Thus, a data set under normal conditions can be set. As a result, not only the task of setting a data set under normal conditions is facilitated, but also the normal conditions during one operation can be listed, so that debugging of normal conditions is also facilitated.

Therefore, according to this means, in addition to the effect of the above-mentioned first means, there is an effect that setting and debugging of a data set under normal conditions are facilitated.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the numerical controller according to the present invention will be clearly and fully described in the following embodiments so that those skilled in the art can understand the present invention.

[First Embodiment] (Schematic Configuration of First Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 1, a numerical control device 1 as a first embodiment of the present invention is a numerical control device (CNC) having a microcomputer as a core. 2 and PL
And a control panel 3 having C33 as a core. Then, the numerical controller 1 controls the two machine tools 5 and 6 each time machining is completed.
This is a control device for driving the transfer device 4 for transferring the work from the former to the latter according to a predetermined sequence while performing precise numerical control.

Numerical control device 1 includes instruction means for giving an operation command to transport device 4 as a device to be controlled, transport device 4
And a CNC 2 for controlling the operation of the transport device 4 by digital operation.
Here, the command means and the monitoring means are both C
NC2 CPU 21, memory 22, interface 2
6 and a drive circuit 27.
Is realized by the processing of the software stored in the CPU 21 by the CPU 21.

The monitoring means has status input means, determination means, abnormal stop means, and memory 22. The state input unit, the determination unit, and the abnormal stop unit are one function of the CNC 2, and the CPU of the software stored in the memory 22.
21 is realized.

The state input means is means for taking in the operation states of the transport device 4 and the machine tools 5 and 6 from the PLC 33, and is realized by the CNC 2. Also, the memory 22
Is a memory board on which a RAM chip made of a semiconductor element resistant to vibration is mounted, and has a function of storing a normal condition defining a normal operation state corresponding to an operation command as a data set. On the other hand, the judging means compares the operation states of the transport device 4 and the machine tools 5 and 6 fetched from the PLC 33 by the state input means with differences between normal conditions (read from the memory 22) corresponding to the operation commands,
This is a logical operation unit that determines that the operation state is abnormal when there is a different item. Lastly, the abnormality stopping means, when the determination means determines that there is an abnormality, the transport device 4
Is a logical operation means for issuing a command to stop the operation of the machine tools 5 and 6 as necessary.

Here, the normal condition data set stored in the memory 22 is a matrix-like data defining a normal relationship between an output condition composed of a plurality of item operation states and a plurality of item operation commands. It is a set.

(Detailed Configuration and Operation Overview of Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 1, the numerical controller 1 of this embodiment is
It comprises an NC 2 and a control panel 3.

The CNC 2 is a main part of the numerical controller 1 and comprises a CPU 21, a memory 22, an input / output device 23, interfaces 24-26 and a drive circuit 27.

The storage area of the memory 22 includes IOI, SC
I, OOCI, JOBP, STMP, WORK and other areas. Here, these storage areas are abbreviated as follows. IOI: I / O information (operation information from PLC 33 is temporarily stored) SCI: Start condition information (normal start condition) OCCI: Operation continuation condition information (normal condition) JOBP: Job program (program of execution operation) STMP: State monitor program (judgment program of judgment means) WORK: Working area The input / output device 23 includes a display, a keyboard, It consists of a mouse, mainly rewriting the contents of the memory 22,
This is for inputting and outputting to and from an external storage device (floppy disk drive or the like) not shown. Therefore, an operator who has knowledge about the software of the numerical controller 1 operates the input / output device 23.

The drive circuit 27 appropriately drives two servo motors (one not shown) provided in the transport device 4 in accordance with a drive command from the CPU 21, and outputs position feedback information from an encoder attached to each servo motor. Is an electric and electronic circuit that takes in the CPU 21.

On the other hand, the control panel 3 is an ordinary programmable sequence controller comprising various switches and lamps, an I / O unit, a PLC 33 and an interface 34. The control panel 3 is operated by an operator for the purpose of controlling the normal operation of the transfer device 4.

The transport device 4 includes a nut 4 of the feed screw 403.
04 is rotated by a servo motor 405, and has a function of moving a lift 402 that can move up and down along a pair of guide bars 401 up and down. Further, it has a function of horizontally moving the feed slide 406 on the lift 402 by a servo motor (not shown) via the rack and pinion mechanism 40. Further, a work carrier 408 that can move on the feed slide 406 in the same direction as the movement direction of the slide is provided.
It has a function of feeding twice the moving amount of the slide 406 by a known double-size mechanism. Since the transfer device 4 is configured as described above, the following operation is performed.

That is, the transport device 4 includes the feed slide 4
Each time the machining of the workpiece W is completed on the upstream machine tool 5 from the original position in which the workpiece carrier 06 and the work carrier 408 are at the intermediate position between the machine tools 5 and 6, the work carrier 408 is firstly controlled by a servo motor (not shown). Is retracted to just below the machined work W of the machine tool 5 (the transport retreat operation in FIG. 1). Next, the lift 402 is driven by the servomotor 405.
At the same time, the work W is lifted, the work W is moved onto the work carrier 408 (lifting operation), and the feed slide 406 and the work carrier 408 are advanced to the downstream machine tool 6 side by a servo motor (not shown) (transport advance). motion). Thereafter, the work carrier 408 is lowered together with the lift 402 by the operation of the lift 402 by the operation of the servomotor, and the work W is left on the jig of the machine tool 6 (lift lowering operation). Finally, the feed slide 406 and the work carrier 408 are returned to the original position at an intermediate position between the two machine tools 5 and 6 by a servo motor (not shown) (original position return operation). In this way, the transport device 4 repeatedly performs the above-described series of transport operations.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the above-mentioned data stored in the memory 22 is roughly composed of a file 1, a file 2 and a file 3.

The file 1 is a data set for continuously operating the transfer device 4. On the other hand, file 2 is a data set for operation of only a single block,
File 3 is a data set for manual operation.

In response to an operation command given from the PLC 33, the file 1 includes a start condition information card (SCIC) for defining an appropriate state when the transport device 4 is started and a continuation condition information card for defining an appropriate state during operation. (OCCIC)
Consists of The two cards do not exist as paper cards, but are stored in the memory 22 as a data set of a card image as shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a plurality of activation condition information cards SCI.
The input / output conditions of C and the execution operations (jobs) executed when these input / output conditions are satisfied are shown in a matrix format. Each activation condition information card SCIC defines one execution operation and input / output conditions for starting the execution operation.

Here, the input / output conditions are 1 in the example of FIG.
It consists of two input target elements and nine output target elements. The input target elements include limit switches LS connected to the I / O unit 32 in FIG. 1, and these limit switches LS are arranged in each part of the transport device 4 so as to detect each operation end of the transport device 4. Has been established. On the other hand, the output target element is composed of relays RY also connected to the I / O unit 32, and these relays RY indirectly store the operation of the transport device 4 according to the operation state of each relay.

For example, in the execution operation “transport advance position (lift up end)” for designating the above-described transport advance operation, the input target element 1 is in the ON state and the output target elements 4 and 7
Are in the ON state, and the output target elements 5 and 8 are in the OFF state. The execution operation “lift lowering (transport advance end)” for specifying the above-described lift processing operation is such that the input target element 2 is in the ON state, the output target elements 2 and 7 are both in the ON state, and the output target element is It starts when 1, 3, and 9 are in the off state.
Hereinafter, similarly, it is defined in FIG. FIG. 3 shows an example of the activation condition information card SCIC for three of the execution operations shown in FIG. 4, whereby each activation condition information card SCIC in FIG. 2 corresponds to each of the execution operations shown in FIG. It is understood that.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, black circles and white circles define the ON state and the OFF state of the input target element, respectively. A blank input target element for which neither a black circle nor a white circle is specified means that the activation condition may be either on or off.

On the other hand, the continuation condition information card OCCIC
Although not shown in detail, each activation condition information card SC
It is defined corresponding to the IC in a one-to-one relationship. The continuation condition information card OCCIC is the same as or similar to the input / output conditions shown in FIG. 4 during the operation from immediately after the execution operation (job) specified by the corresponding activation condition information card SCIC is started to immediately before the end. It defines how the input / output conditions should be. As described below,
Continuation condition information card OC corresponding to the operation of a certain job
When the input / output conditions specified in the CIC are not satisfied, the continuation condition information card OCCIC is used to determine that there is an abnormality in the operation and stop the job being executed.

That is, each activation condition information card SCIC
Is defined as a logic program for executing the job as soon as the input / output conditions specified therein are satisfied. And each continuation condition information card O
The CCIC and each activation condition information card SCIC are in one-to-one correspondence with each other. On the other hand, each continuation condition information card OC
The CIC is defined as a logic program that continues the job specified in the corresponding activation condition information card SCIC while the input / output conditions specified therein are satisfied.

Therefore, in the numerical control device 1 of the present embodiment, when programming the sequence control operation, it is not necessary to code the program sequentially in the order of the operation steps unlike the prior art. That is, the on / off state of the input / output target element serving as a start condition of each job and the on / off state of the input / output target element serving as a continuation condition are simply set without considering the context of other jobs. It only needs to.
As a result, the programming of the sequence control operation is facilitated, and not only errors (bugs) in the program are reduced, but such a program can be easily modified and edited.

In this embodiment, the execution operation (job) defined by each activation condition information card SCIC is a single block of NC data that defines each step of the above-described series of operations of the transport device 4. It is stored in the job program area JOBP of the memory 22. Then, when the execution of the NC data of a single block is specified as a start start job, the CPU 21 of the CNC 2 performs a trajectory calculation process according to a known system control program. Thereafter, the CPU 21 outputs the control information subjected to the trajectory calculation processing to the drive circuit 27, appropriately controls the servo motor 405 and a servo motor (not shown), and sends one of a series of operations to Let it run.

This job is executed by the PLC if necessary.
An output command instruction to be output to the control unit 33 may also be included. Then, by this output command instruction, I
One of the relays RY of the / O unit 32 is on / off controlled, and an actuator (for example, a hydraulic cylinder for work clamping) controlled by the relay RY operates.
As a result, in this example, the operation of the jig supporting the work W is appropriately controlled in relation to the operation of the transfer device 4.

The input conditions of the start condition information card SCIC and the continuation condition information card OCCIC described above are used to drive input elements such as limit switches LS arranged on the machine tools 5 and 6 and actuators arranged on the machine tools 5 and 6. It is clear that the output target element such as the relay RY may be included, or only the input target element may be set as the input / output condition without setting the output target element as the input / output condition.

As shown in FIG. 5, each activation condition information card (SCI card) includes a name of an execution operation (job) as a selected program and a continuation condition information card (O
(CCI card).

That is, the operation command from the PLC 33 is CN
When given to C2, the activation condition information card SCIC corresponding to the operation command is selectively read sequentially, and
The start condition is checked by collating with the input / output condition input from the input unit 33. If the activation condition of the selected activation condition information card SCIC is satisfied, the corresponding job specified in the card is called, and the execution operation corresponding to the job is activated. Then, the continuation condition information card corresponding to the execution operation is read from the memory 22, and
While the execution operation is continued, it is checked at a predetermined cycle, for example, 10 ms, whether or not the operation state is normal.

(Operation and Effect of First Embodiment) The numerical control device 1 of the present embodiment is configured as described above, and thus exhibits the following operation and effect.

First, the operation of the numerical controller 1 of the present embodiment during continuous operation will be described with reference to FIG.

The control logic of FIG. 6 executed by the CPU 21 starts when there is an operation command from the PLC 33.
First, after the initial setting for designating the first activation condition information card SCIC in processing step S1, the state a of the input / output target element from the PLC 33 is stored in the memory 22 in processing step S2.
Is renewed into the area IOI of Subsequently, in the processing step S3, the n-th (first for the first time) activation condition information card S
The data b of the CIC is read from the area SCI of the memory 22. Then, in the judgment step S4, the state a from the PLC 33 updated and stored in the area IOI of the memory 22 is compared with the data b of the activation condition information card SCIC, and if they match, the control logic proceeds to the processing step S5 Proceed to the following.

On the other hand, if they do not match, in the processing step S12 the (n + 1) th activation condition information card SC
The IC is selected, and its (n + 1) is determined in the judgment step S13.
Unless the number is larger than the last number by one, steps S2 to S4 are repeatedly executed. By repeating this process, one activation condition information card SCIC in which the state a matches the data b is selected in the determination step S4.

Then, in the processing step S5, the operation job (operation program) specified in the selected one activation condition information card SCIC is read from the area JOBP of the memory 22.

Further, in the processing step S6, the interpolation processing of the motion trajectory and the distribution of the target positions are performed based on the operation program (ie, the NC data of one block), and the operation of the transport device 4 (for example, the transport retreat operation). Is started. Then, in the processing step S7, the state a 'of the input / output target element from the PLC 33 is read during the operation of the transfer device 4. Further, in the processing step S8, the state c of the continuation condition information card OCCIC which is paired with the activation condition information card SCIC designating the active job and defines the normal condition during the operation is stored in the area OC of the memory 22.
Read from CI.

In the following determination step S9, it is determined whether or not the state a 'from the PLC 33 matches the state c of the normal condition for continuing the operation under execution. If they match, it is determined that the transport device 4 is operating in a normal state. Until it is determined in the next determination step S10 that the operation job has been completed (for example, it is determined that the transport device 4 has reached the final target position of the transport retreat operation), the routine of steps S6 to S10 is performed. For example, 10
It is repeated many times at unit time intervals such as ms.

If it is determined in step S9 that the state a 'from the operating transfer device 4 does not match the operating normal condition c, the control logic proceeds to processing step S11. It is determined that there was an abnormality in the operating state of the transport device 4. Then, the operation of the transport device 4 is stopped, and a warning lamp or a buzzer indicating an abnormality is activated on the control panel 3 to notify the operator of the abnormal stop.

When it is determined in step S10 that one operation job has been completed, the CPU
The process of step 21 returns to process step S1, and steps S2 to S2.
By the routines of S4, S12 and S13, one start condition information card SCIC for which the next start start condition is satisfied is specified. In this case, the activation condition information card SCIC that specifies the lifting operation of the transport device 4 is selected, and the job of the lifting operation specified for this card is read out in processing step S5, and this job is executed in processing step S6. At the same time, a monitoring process of whether or not this job is being executed in a normal state is performed in steps S7 to S7.
This is executed by the processing of S9. This monitoring process is executed by the CPU
FIG. 7 shows the multitasking processing capability of the time-sharing of FIG.
Therefore, the operation process of the transport device 4 is not delayed by the execution of the monitoring process.

When the operation job for the lift operation of the transport device 4 is completed, the processing logic of FIG. 6 is executed again from step S1, whereby the transport advance operation of the transport device 4 is executed. Thereafter, the lift lowering operation and the original transport position return operation of the transport device 4 are performed, and the transport device 4 returns to the original position for returning the feed slide 406 and the work carrier 408 to an intermediate position between the two machine tools 5 and 6. It is returned.

In this state, the machining operation of the machine tools 5, 6 is executed. The transfer device 4 waits until the processing of the work W on the machine tools 5 and 6 is completed and the start condition of the transfer retreat operation is satisfied again.

FIG. 1 shows two machine tools 5, 6 and a transfer device 4 arranged between them, for the sake of simplicity. However, in the case of a machine tool processing system called FTL (Flexible Transfer Line), different machine tools are arranged on the upstream side of the machine tool 5 and on the downstream side of the machine tool 6, respectively. And
The workpiece W is transported from the machine tool on the upstream side to the machine tool 5 by the transport device (not shown) on the upstream side, and the workpiece W is transferred from the machine tool 6 to the machine tool (not shown) on the downstream side by the transport device (not shown) on the downstream side. The processing system is configured such that is transported.

Since the numerical controller 1 of the present embodiment operates as described above, the following three effects which cannot be obtained by the prior art can be obtained.

Firstly, there is an effect that the monitoring function during the operation of the transfer device 4 can be obtained with a small number of man-hours. Second, the operation load of the transfer device 4 is small with a small calculation load for realizing the monitoring function during the operation. There is an effect that is not slow.

That is, in the numerical control device 1 of the present embodiment, the judgment means realized by the CPU 21 and the memory 22 determines whether the operation state fetched by the state input means and the normal condition corresponding to the operation command are the same. The differences are compared, and if there is a different item, it is determined that the operation state is abnormal.

Here, the abnormality determination is made not by the determination program created for each operation state but by the comparison between the operation state performed by the determination means and the normal condition. This is done by a comparison program. Therefore, a comparison program with a small processing load is developed and stored in the memory 22 so that the comparison operation by the determination means is performed at high speed.

This eliminates the necessity of preparing a judgment program in the monitoring means for each operation, and enables the monitoring means to compare the operating state and the normal condition with a common comparison program. Therefore, in order to drive the determination means, it is only necessary to select a normal condition from ON / OFF / any one and set it as a data set, and a programming language is not required. Becomes unnecessary. As a result, the operation monitoring function of the control target device can be set in a short time and at low cost.

Further, since the comparison between the operating state and the normal condition by the determining means can be performed at high speed, the multitask operation of the CPU 21 is performed smoothly, and the calculation load required for operation monitoring is reduced.

Therefore, according to the numerical controller 1 of the present embodiment, the operation monitoring function of the transfer device 4 can be set in a short time and at a low cost without man-hours. This has the effect that it can be reduced.

Third, since the continuation condition information card is also a matrix data set, knowledge of a programming language is not required for its setting, and there is an effect that setting and debugging of normal conditions during operation are facilitated. .

That is, in the numerical controller 1 according to the present embodiment, since the data set that determines the normal condition during the operation of the transport device 4 is a matrix data set, the work of setting the data set under the normal condition becomes easy. . That is, as shown in FIG. 4 again, if the operation state that should be in operation can be displayed in full screen as in a list, the piece is displayed on the list as if it were an Othello game board. Can be set, and a data set under normal conditions can be set. As a result, not only the task of setting a data set under normal conditions is facilitated, but also the normal conditions during one operation can be listed on the display, so that debugging of the normal conditions is also facilitated.

Therefore, according to the numerical controller 1 of this embodiment, the memory 22 is further provided as a continuation condition information card.
There is an effect that the setting and the debugging of the data set stored under the normal condition are facilitated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an entire configuration including a numerical controller according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a file configuration in a memory according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a start condition information card according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a matrix diagram showing start conditions of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing correspondence between a start condition and a continuation condition of the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating main operations of the CNC according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a time chart showing the progress of processing in the CNC according to the first embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Numerical control device 2: CNC (Numerical control device main body) 21: CPU 22: Memory 23: I / O device 24, 25, 26: Interface 27: Drive circuit 3: Control panel 32: I / O unit 33: PLC 34: Interface 4: Transfer device (as control target device) 5, 6: Machine tool

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A numerical control apparatus comprising: command means for giving an operation command to a control target device; and monitoring means for monitoring an operation state of the control target device, wherein the numerical control device controls the operation of the control target device by digital operation. A state input unit that captures the operation state of the control target device; a memory that stores a normal condition defining the normal operation state corresponding to the operation command as a data set; Comparing the operation state captured by the state input means with the difference between the normal condition corresponding to the operation instruction, and determining that the operation state is abnormal when there is a different item; An abnormal stop means for stopping the operation of the control target device when the determination means determines that the control target apparatus is abnormal. 2. The numerical control according to claim 1, wherein the data set is a matrix data set that defines a normal relationship between an output condition including at least a plurality of items of the operation state and a plurality of items of the operation command. apparatus.