JPH01216754A - Device for controlling arrangement of tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the rearrangement of tools in a short time by comparing the whole tools necessary for a machining program with a tool data list of tools presently installed on machine tools and forming a tool rearrangement list. CONSTITUTION:In executing the production schedule list 51-1-51-n of machining programs, a tool list forming means 11 forms a tool list 53-1-53-n of tools necessary for each machining program out of a tool master 52 which houses tool types necessary for executing each schedule. Then, the formed tool list 53-1-53-n is compared with the tool data list 55-1-55-n of tools which are presently installed on (n) pieces of machine tools referring to the judged result of a tool life judging mean 13 by a tool arrangement list forming means 12, to form and output tool arrangement list 54-4-54-n including a tool list which can be moved for use among each machine tool at the time of the changeover of the machining program, the moving method, and a tool list to be supplied from a tool warehouse. Thereby, the rearrangement of tools can be carried out in a short time.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] A tool placement management device that creates a tool movement list for moving tools between machining centers in a system consisting of a large number of machining centers, each of which can hold a large number of tools at the same time. This reduces tool relocation time and reduces the number of tools needed for the entire system.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to machine tools, and in particular to a system consisting of a number of machining centers, each of which can simultaneously hold a number of tools.

As the industrial structure changes, the importance of automating factories that produce a variety of products in small quantities is increasing year by year. A typical industry that performs high-mix, low-volume production is the machining industry, and in this field, hundreds of thousands of machines are being manufactured due to automation.
Accommodates more than one tool at the same time and automatically exchanges tools according to the machining program.
Machining centers (MC), which perform machining using C Control, have come to be widely used.

It is more efficient to connect multiple machining centers through a network and perform integrated operation management than to operate the machining centers individually.
We will refer to a system in which multiple machining centers are connected via a network in this manner.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of the system as described above.

The host computer 91, cell controller 92, and machining centers 93-1 to 93-4 each have an independent computer. The cell controller 92 is connected to the machining centers 93-1 to 93-4 through communication lines, and monitors the machining status of each machining center 93-1 to 93-4 and aggregates machining results. The factory is located above the factory and is in charge of the entire factory, including the management of the automated warehouse.

Each machining center 93-1 to 93-4 can hold up to several hundred tools in its magazine at a time, so even if the machining program is changed, machining can be performed within the range of the tools currently held. There is no problem if you can do this, but there is a limit to the number of tools you have, so it may be necessary to replace them with new tools.

In such a case, each machining center 93-1 to 93-9
Either the workers in charge of 3-4 should coordinate with each other to exchange tools between machining centers, or the tool warehouse 94
Tools are brought out from inside and replaced.

The cell controller 92 also manages a tool warehouse 94, and the tool warehouse 94 and machining centers 93-1 to 93-
In a system having an automatic tool transfer device between 4 and 4, tools are automatically repositioned.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As mentioned above, the method of coordinating and replacing the parts between the persons in charge has the problem that it takes a lot of time and effort to decide on the placement.

In addition, in the method of automatically relocating tools to and from the tool warehouse, many machining centers simultaneously hold the same tools, as the tools are replaced in units of magazines containing many tools. As a whole, the number of required tools increases, the unit price per tool is high, and the maintenance cost increases accordingly, resulting in a problem of high costs.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a tool placement management device that allows tools to be replaced in a short time and that requires low overall cost.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the tool placement management device of the present invention. Explanation will be made based on this diagram.
A tool placement management device that manages the placement of tools attached to multiple tool attachment locations in multiple machine tools, and includes a production schedule list that stores program numbers of machining programs to be sequentially executed by each of the machine tools. 5
1-1 to 51-n and a tool master 52 that stores the types of tools required to execute each machining program for each program number. Tool list creation means 11 that creates tool lists 53-1 to 53-n storing tool types, and tool lists 53-1 to 53-n.
A tool data list 55- that includes all the tools required for the next machining program to be executed within n and information on the type of tools currently installed in the tool installation part of the machine tool.
1 to 55-n, a list of tools that can be moved and provided between machine tools when switching machining programs, a method of moving the tools, and a list of tools that should be supplemented from the tool warehouse can be determined. Included tool placement list 54-
1 to 54-n.

In addition, the tool data lists 55-1 to 55-n include information regarding the tool life and usage time, and the tool life is determined to determine whether the usage time has exceeded the tool life and store the results. It is also possible that the present tool placement management device includes the determination means 13, and that the tool placement list creation means excludes tools that have exceeded their service life from the tools that are moved between machine tools. .

Furthermore, it is also possible to include tool placement list output means 15 that outputs the tool placement lists 54-1 to 54-n.

[For production]

When the machining program changes and a tool needs to be replaced, a tool placement list is automatically created.
For example, the operator can refer to it by displaying it on a display or printing it out on a printer. The content includes specific instructions on how to move.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.The hardware system configuration in the embodiment of the present invention is already the same configuration as in FIG. 2 used in the explanation of the conventional example, so the explanation will be omitted. do.

FIG. 3 is a main flowchart of the software executed in the cell controller 92 (FIG. 2) for realizing the tool placement management device of the present invention. This program is started when the program is switched, and first, tool lists 53-1 to 53-n are created from the production schedule lists 51-1 to 52-n and the contents of the tool master 52 (step a).

However, this process does not need to be performed for each switched special power line, and may be performed only once, so step a in FIG. 3 is marked with parentheses. The production schedule lists 51-1 to 51-n have contents as shown in Table 1, and store information such as the numbers and machining quantities of machining programs to be sequentially executed in each machining center (MC).

*** Production schedule list *** Cell number;
16 Magnetic Machining parts specifications Machining program number Power instruction quantity Material quantity 1 5403-XOO1#AAAAAAAAA
7000 10 202
5403-XOO2#BBBBBBBB 700
1 20 203 5403-XO
O3#CCCCCCCC7002102045403-X
OO4#DDDDDDDD 7003
10 205 5403-XOO5#EEE
EEEE! 7004 9999
9999 Table 1 The tool master 52 is a huge database whose contents are partially shown in Table 2, and stores the types of tools required in each machining program.

Margin below *** Tool master *** Blood Machining program number: Tool number 1 36
65: TOOOI TOOO3°
TOO42TOOII TOO13TOO40TO5
00TO2437003331100: TOO70
TOO16TQ350 70036 Table 2 Therefore, production schedule list 51-1 to 51-
A tool list 53-1 to 53-5 having the contents shown in Table 3 is created by picking up the number of the tool required by the machining program outside ram specified by n from the tool master 52.
3-n is created. As shown in Table 3, this stores the numbers of tools required by each MC in executing each machining program.

＊＊＊ Tool list ＊＊＊ Cell number = 16 Arashi Machining program number: Tool number 3
7002: TOO54-0
016 TO35070026 Table 3 Next, tool data lists 55-1 to 55-n having the contents shown in Table 4 are created for each MC.

＊＊＊ 16 in cell number Tool number Pot number Length correction value I TOOO
301034B, 4102 TOO32031349
,5903TOOO4022,347,803 4TOO80053348,896 5TO043011390,300 Tool data list Ne** Diameter correction value Life setting time Usage time Usage condition Life 0
00.000 200 39 1
000G, 000 300 107
1 0000.000 100 1
27 1 1000.000. 250
238 1 0000.000
9999 0 2 0 Table 4 This is information about the number of the tool installed in each pot, which is the tool installation part of each MC, the tool life setting time, usage time, usage condition, and whether the tool life has been exceeded. is stored. In the item of usage status, 1 indicates that it is in use and 2 indicates that it is newly registered. In addition, although not directly related to the present invention, length correction values and diameter correction values, which are tool offset values, are also stored, and these represent the positional deviation of the cutting location depending on the tool.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the details of this tool data list creation process.
and f are for executing the processing of steps b to d on all MCs.

To explain steps b-d, since the information shown in Table 4 is managed by the computers belonging to each MC93-1 to 93-4 (Fig. 2), first send the tool data to each MC. request (step b), receive the data sent from the MC in response to the request step c), store it in a predetermined location of the tool data list 55-1 to 55-n (step d) 0 or more processes All MCs
Once executed, return to the main program.

Returning to FIG. 3, tool data list 53'-1 to 53
-n is completed, next a tool table is created (step C). This tool table is a machining program to be executed from among the tool lists 53-1 to 53-n as shown in Table 3. This is a selection of relevant information.

FIG. 5 shows the details of the tool table creation process. In this figure, steps a, d and e are for executing the processes of steps b and c for all MCs. To explain steps b and c, step b) extracts only those related to the machining program to be executed from the tool list 53-1 to 53-n as shown in Table 4, and selects a predetermined location in the tool table. Store it in (
Step C) After the above processing is executed for all MCs, the process returns to the main program.

Returning to FIG. 3, tool data lists 55-1 to 55-n
Once the tool tables are created, tool arrangement lists 54-1 to 54-n as shown in Table 5 are created by comparing the two (step f).

Margin below ＊＊＊ Tool placement.

Cell number - 16 Magnetic Pot number Tool number (before placement) Placement Pot number 1 Table 5 Stroke *** Relocation tool Pot number Tool number (after placement) Requested tool As you can see from the above explanation, tool data list 55
-1 to 55-n represent the tools currently set in each MC, and the tool table represents the next tool required in each MC. Steps d and i in FIG.
j is for executing processing while changing the MC on the tool requesting side over all MCs, and step e
and g and h are for executing the process of step f over all the tools in the tool table for each tool request MC.

FIG. 6 shows the details of the tool placement list creation process.
Steps a and i include all MCs on the supply side.
This is for executing processing while changing over a period of time. To explain the process during that time, first,
Step b) to determine whether or not the necessary tool exists in the tool data list 55-1 to 55-n for the MC specified on the supply side, and if it does not exist, repeat the determination for the next MC. If it is determined in step b that the tool is in the tool data list, then it is determined whether the usage time of the tool has exceeded its lifespan (step c), and if it has exceeded the tool life, the process is performed when it is determined that the tool does not exist in step b). join together.

If the lifespan has not been exceeded, then the next step is to determine whether the MC specified on the supply side and the MC specified on the request side are the same MC. d) If they are the same, there is no need to move and the process ends. If they are not the same, it is determined whether the tool is scheduled to be used by the supply side MC by checking the contents of the tool table (step e), and if the tool is scheduled to be used, the same process is performed when the tool does not exist. join together. If the tool is not scheduled to be used on the supply side, check the tool placement list 54-1 to 54-n to determine whether it is scheduled to be relocated to another MC next.
(step f);
If there is a plan for relocation, it will be combined in the process when it did not exist. If the tool is not scheduled to be relocated, it is stored in the tool placement list 54-1 to 54-n as a relocation tool and the processing ends (step g).As the supply side MC, the tool can be used even if all MCs are checked. If the tool cannot be found, it is stored in the tool arrangement list 54-1 to 54-n as a requested tool, and the process is terminated (step j).

Note that the MC that is first designated as the supply side MC in step a is the same as the tool requesting side MC, and the order of designation as the supply side MC in step h is from the one closest to the tool requesting side MC. This method is more convenient because it reduces the frequency of repositioning the tool and also reduces the distance traveled.

Returning to FIG. 3, complete tool placement lists 54-1 to 54-n are formed by executing the above-described tool placement list creation process (step f) for all tools of all MCs. The subsequent output processing (step k) may be performed automatically after the processing is completed as shown in the flowchart, or may be performed in response to an operator's request, and the output light may be a display or a printing device. Further, based on the contents of the tool placement lists 54-1 to 54-n, the tool transport device between the tool warehouse and the MC and between the MCs is driven to automatically rearrange the tools. is also possible.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the tool placement management device of the present invention, tools can be rearranged in a shorter time than conventional methods, and the minimum number of tools required in the entire system can be changed. Since you only need to hold the tool, the cost of owning the tool can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram of the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a system consisting of a plurality of machining centers, Fig. 3 is a main flowchart of software in an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is a diagram of the third machining center. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing details of the tool table creation process shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing details of the tool arrangement list creation process shown in FIG. 3. In the figure, 11... Tool list creation means, 12... Tool arrangement list creation means, 5i-t~51-n... Production schedule list, 5
2...Tool master, 53-1 to 53-n...Tool list, 54-1 to 54
-n... Tool placement list, 55-1 to 55-n...
Tool data list.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A tool placement management device that manages the placement of tools installed at a plurality of tool attachment sites in a plurality of machine tools, comprising a machining program to be sequentially executed by each of the machine tools. Production schedule list containing program numbers (
51-1 to 51-n) and a tool master (52) that stores the types of tools required to execute each of the machining programs for each program number, which each of the machine tools should sequentially execute. A tool list (53-1 to 53-5) that stores the types of tools required for each machining program.
3-n), all of the tools required in the next machining program in the tool list (53-1 to 53-n), and the current machining program. Tool data list (55-1 to 55-n
), a list of tools that can be moved and provided between the machine tools when switching the machining program, a method of moving the tools, and a list of tools to be supplied from the tool warehouse. Placement list (54-1~
Tool placement list creation means (12) for creating 54-n)
A tool placement management device comprising: 2. The tool data list (55-1 to 55-n) includes information regarding the tool life and usage time, and it is determined whether the usage time of each tool has exceeded the life span and the results are displayed. 2. The tool arrangement list generating means (12) includes a tool life determination means (13) for storing tools, and the tool arrangement list creation means (12) excludes tools whose lifespan has exceeded from the tools to be moved and provided between the machine tools. Tool placement management device. 3. The tool placement management device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising tool placement list output means (14) for outputting the tool placement list (54-1 to 54-n).