JP2932903B2 - Electric discharge machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric discharge machine equipped with a pallet changing device and an electrode changing device and automatically operated.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a conventional electric discharge machine. In the figure, 1 is an electric discharge machine including a machine body 5, 2 is an electrode changing device, 3 is a work pallet changing device, 4 is a power supply and control device of the electric discharge machine 1, 5 is a machine body, 6 is a machining tank, 7 is An XY cross table, 8 is a work pallet clamp jig fixed in the machining tank 6, 9 is a main shaft, 10 is an electrode clamping device, 11 is an electrode magazine, 12 is an electrode in the electrode magazine 11 and an electrode of the electric discharge machine 1. Clamping device 1
Electrode exchange arm to be attached to or detached from 0, 13 is an electrode, 14 is an electrode exchange device control device connected to the control device 4 of the electric discharge machine 1, 15 is a work pallet loading magazine, 16 is a work pallet loading magazine 15 A work pallet exchange arm for attaching and detaching the work pallet to and from the work pallet clamp jig 8 of the electric discharge machine 1;
Reference numeral 17 denotes a work pallet, and reference numeral 18 denotes a control device for a work pallet changing device connected to the control device 4 of the electric discharge machine 1. FIG. 4 shows a power supply of the electric discharge machine 1 and a control device configuration of the control device 4. In the figure, 20 is C
PU, 21 is a memory for storing control programs, NC programs, etc., 22 is a display interface, 23 is a keyboard interface, 24 is a machine and power input / output interface, 25 is a drive system interface, 26
Is an external input / output interface, 27 is a CRT, 28 is a keyboard, 29 is a mechanical and power contact, 30 is a servo amplifier and a servomotor, 31 is an external device such as FLD or R
It is an external device connected via S-232C.

Next, the operation during automatic operation will be described.
First, the user specifies whether the NC program to be executed from the keyboard 28 is in the memory 21 or is input from the external device 31. Therefore, when the automatic operation starts, the operation is performed according to the NC program. When a work pallet exchange command is included in the NC program, the work pallet in the machining tank 6 is transmitted to the control device 18 for the work pallet exchange device connected to the control device 4 of the electric discharge machine 1 via the machine and the power input / output interface 24. An exchange command is issued between the designated work pallet 17 and the work pallet loading magazine 15. The control device 18 for the work pallet changing device executes a series of changing sequences, and passes a completion signal to the CPU 20 via the machine and the power input / output interface 24. The CPU 20 sequentially executes the next NC program command. When an electrode exchange command is included in the NC program, the electrode clamp jig attached to the main shaft 9 to the electrode exchange device control device 14 connected to the control device 4 of the electric discharge machining device via the external input / output interface 26. An exchange command is issued between 10 and the designated electrode of the electrode magazine 11. The electrode exchange device controller 14 executes a series of exchange sequences and passes a completion signal to the CPU 20 via the machine and the power input / output interface 24. The CPU 20 sequentially executes the next NC program. The NC program executed here is created as one program for the work pallets processed at a time in automatic operation.

[0004]

The conventional electric discharge machine has the following problems due to the above-mentioned structure. 1) One NC program must be created in advance for the work to be processed. A great deal of time is required for such a setup. 2) The electrodes must be attached to the electrode magazine in order on the work to be processed, and the electrode numbers must be assigned. Work mistakes are likely to occur. 3) The work pallets and electrodes that have been machined are removed during continuous automatic machining, so that the next machining cannot be set up, and the advantages of automatic operation are poor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an electric discharge machine equipped with a pallet changer and an electrode changer capable of performing continuous automatic operation with an NC program created for each work pallet. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a discharge heating apparatus comprising:
The processing device has an ID tag that records the drawing number of the work.
Work pallet changing means for changing work pallets
Has an ID tag that records the drawing number and electrode number of the work
EDM apparatus provided with electrode exchange means for exchanging electrodes
The work pallet changing means and the electrode changing means
In the column, read the ID tags that read each of the above ID tags
Means, read by the work pallet changing means.
Match the drawing number and electrode number based on the drawing number of the workpiece
An electrode determining means for determining an electrode to be provided is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electric discharge machining apparatus,
ID tags for all electrodes when attaching electrodes to the pole exchange means
Load the drawing numbers and electrode numbers
Electrode position storage means for storing the position of the corresponding electrode,
The electrode of the electrode number corresponding to the drawing number is stored in the above electrode position.
It is selected by means.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an ID tag is added to each of the work pallet and the electrode. The work pallet includes a drawing number, a machining program number, and data for measuring the reference position of the work. The number, the electrode number, and the data for measuring the misalignment are recorded. Wakupa the information of ID tag attached to the work pallet
The let exchange means causes the electric discharge machine to execute a corresponding machining program and instructs the electrode exchange means to adopt the electrode number in the corresponding drawing number.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the relationship between the position of the electrode magazine, the drawing number, and the electrode number is stored in the electrode position storage means when the electrode is mounted on the electrode magazine of the electrode replacement means. The electrode can be replaced when there is.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an electric discharge machine including a machine body 5;
Is an electrode changing device, 3 is a work pallet changing device, 50 is a general control device that integrally controls the above devices 1 to 3,
Nos. 4 to 18 are the same as or equivalent to those of the conventional invention, and the description is omitted. 51 is an electrode exchange arm 1 of the electrode exchange device 2
2, a work pallet ID tag reading device mounted on the work pallet changing arm 16 of the work pallet changing device 3, and an electrode ID tag reading device 53 when the electrode is mounted on the electrode changing device 2. The device 54 is an electrode position storage device in the electrode exchange device control device 14 connected to the control device 4 of the electric discharge machine 1.

Next, the operation will be described. When the general control device 50 is started, the general control device 50 starts an NC program for the electric discharge machine 1 to move to the work pallet replacement position 2 and discharge the machining fluid in the machining tank 6.
Then, a work pallet exchange command is issued to the control device 18 of the pallet exchange device 3. Work pallet changing device 3
The work pallet exchange arm 16 is moved to grasp the work pallet 17 on the work pallet loading magazine 15, and the work pallet ID tag reading device 52 reads an ID tag as information recording means of the work 17, and the work pallet clamp jig 8 A series of work pallet exchange sequences for mounting the pallet on the work pallet are performed, and the ID tag information read by the work pallet ID reader 52 during the execution of the exchange sequence together with the exchange completion signal is transmitted to the overall control device 5.
Hand over to 0. The overall control device 50 downloads the workpiece reference position measurement data as a variable from the ID tag information to the electric discharge machine 1 and also converts the NC program of the machining program number from the ID tag information into the electric discharge machine 1.
Search for and start.

When an electrode exchange command is included in the NC program executed by the electric discharge machine 1, the electrode number and the exchange command are transmitted from the electric discharge machine 1 to the overall control device 50. The overall control device 50 sends the drawing number read from the ID tag of the work pallet 17 currently mounted on the electric discharge machine 1 and the electrode number commanded from the electric discharge machine 1 to the control device 14 of the electrode changing device 2. Hand over. The electrode exchanging device 2 is a device that exchanges the ID tag of the electrode contained in the electrode magazine 11 with the electrode exchanging arm 1.
The ID tag reading device 51 attached to the device 2 reads the ID tags one by one, searches for an electrode whose electrode number matches the commanded drawing number, and replaces the electrode attached to the electrode clamp device 10 with the electrode replacement arm 12. Then, the electrode is returned to the picking-up electrode magazine 11, and the electrode whose drawing number matches the drawing number previously searched from the electrode magazine 11 is mounted on the picking-up electrode clamping device 10, and a series of electrode replacement sequence is executed. When the sequence is completed, the data for measuring the misalignment read as the ID tag information of the electrodes is transferred to the overall control device 50 together with the completion signal. The overall control device 50 downloads the data for the misalignment measurement as variable data to the electric discharge machine 1 and notifies the completion of the electrode replacement execution. The electric discharge machine 1 further executes the NC program and executes until the program end. When the electric discharge machine 1 has reached the program end, the overall control device 50 exchanges the next work pallet. After that, the procedure described above is repeated.

The ID tag added to the electrode 13 records the drawing number, the electrode number, and the data for measuring the misalignment, and the ID tag added to the work pallet 17 stores the drawing number and the machining program number. And data for measuring the work reference position. Among these data, the data for measuring the misalignment and the data for measuring the work reference are passed to the electric discharge machine 1 as variables, and a measurement program using the above variables is created in advance in the NC program to be executed. . FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the flow of data.

In this embodiment, the electrode exchange device 2
An ID tag reading device 5 in which an ID tag of an electrode contained in an electrode magazine 11 is attached to an electrode exchange arm 12.
In step 1, the ID tag is read one by one, an electrode having the same drawing number as the commanded electrode number is searched for, and a series of electrode replacement sequence is executed. When the electrode is mounted on the electrode magazine 11, the electrode ID is read. The drawing number and the electrode number are read in advance by the reading device 53, and the relationship between the position of the electrode magazine 11 and the drawing number and the electrode number is stored in the electrode position storage device 54. When the electrode replacement command is issued to the control device 14, the magazine position of the corresponding electrode may be retrieved from the electrode position storage device 54 and the electrode may be replaced.

That is, the following operation is performed. When the electrode 13 is mounted on the electrode magazine 11, a new electrode set button is pressed in the electrode position storage device 54 and the electrode is manually mounted on the electrode exchange arm 12, thereby allowing the electrode position storage device 54 to be mounted.
Reads the ID tag of the electrode by the electrode ID tag reading device 51 and mounts the electrode in the electrode magazine 11 at a position where the electrode is not mounted. At this time, the electrode position storage device 54 stores the drawing number read from the ID tag of the electrode, the electrode number, and the physical position of the electrode magazine 11 of the mounted electrode as a pair. When there is an electrode replacement command from the overall control device 50 to the control device 14 of the electrode replacement device 2, the drawing number and the electrode number stored in the electrode position storage device 54 and the commanded drawing number and the electrode number are stored. A match is found, and the physical position of the electrode magazine 11 of the match is retrieved. The electrode mounted on the electrode clamp device 10 is grasped by the electrode exchanging arm 12 and returned to the electrode magazine 11, and the electrode whose electrode number matches the drawing number previously searched from the electrode magazine 11 is grasped and mounted on the electrode clamp device 10. Perform a series of exchanges.

In the above embodiment, the ID tag is used as the information recording means. However, a bar code or the like may be used instead. Further, the overall control device 50 that controls the electric discharge machine 1, the control device 14 for the electrode changing device, and the control device 18 for the work pallet changing device is used, but the control of the general control device is controlled by the control for the electric discharge machine or the electrode changing device. It may be included in either the device or the control device for the pallet changing device. Although an ID tag is added to a work pallet as information recording means for a work, an ID tag may be added directly to a work.

[0017]

As described above , according to the first aspect of the present invention,
For example, the work pallet replacement means and the electrode replacement means
ID tag reading means for reading the above ID tag
Of the work loaded by the work pallet changing means
Determine the electrode with the same drawing number and electrode number based on the surface number.
Since the information required for processing is added to each of the work pallet and the electrode, a program can be created for each work pallet,
The time required for creating the program can be shortened, and the electrode number specified in the machining program can be arbitrarily assigned, so that it is possible to prevent erroneous mounting of the electrode in the electrode magazine of the electrode replacing means.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the electrode replacement means
When attaching the electrodes, read the ID tags of all the electrodes,
Electrode position corresponding to the loaded drawing number and electrode number
And electrode position storage means for storing
The electrode having the electrode number is selected by the electrode position storage means.
Since the work pallet and the electrodes required for processing the work pallet are related on the basis of the drawing number, it is possible to prevent an electrode replacement instruction error. Further, since the work is carried out in the order in which the work pallets are mounted on the work pallet mounting magazine of the work pallet changing means, it is easy to change the work order and to set up the next work, so that automatic operation can be realized very easily.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an electric discharge machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a data flow in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a conventional electric discharge machine.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a control device of a conventional electric discharge machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electric discharge machine 2 Electrode exchange means 3 Work pallet exchange means 4 Power supply and control device 5 Machine main body 6 Processing tank 7 XY cross table 8 Work pallet clamp jig 9 Main shaft 10 Electrode clamp device 11 Electrode magazine 12 Electrode exchange arm 13 Electrode 14 Control device for electrode changing device 15 Work pallet loading magazine 16 Work pallet changing arm 17 Work pallet 18 Control device for work pallet changing device 20 CPU 21 Memory 22 Display interface 23 Keyboard interface 24 Machine and power supply interface 25 Drive interface 26 External input / output Interface 27 CRT 28 Keyboard 29 Machine and power contacts 30 Servo amplifier and servo motor 31 External device 50 Electrode determination means (overall control device) 1 electrode ID tag reading unit 52 work pallet ID tag reading unit 53 electrodes ID in electrode attached to the electrode exchange device tag reading device 54 electrode position storage device

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A work pallet exchange means for exchanging a work pallet having an ID tag in which a drawing number of a work is recorded, and an electrode exchanging means for exchanging an electrode having an ID tag in which a work drawing number and an electrode number are recorded. In the electric discharge machining apparatus, the work pallet changing means and the electrode changing means have ID tag reading means for reading the respective ID tags, and the drawing number is determined based on the drawing number of the work read by the work pallet changing means. And an electrode deciding means for deciding an electrode having the same electrode number. 2. An electrode position storage means for reading the ID tags of all the electrodes when the electrodes are mounted on the electrode replacement means, and storing the positions of the electrodes corresponding to the read drawing numbers and the electrode numbers, 2. An electric discharge machining apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an electrode having an electrode number corresponding to the drawing number is selected by said electrode position storage means.