JPH01289648A - Tool information managing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save labor and facilitate grasp of the tool used situation in the whole plant by furnishing an all tool information accommodating area which accommodates the all tool information pertaining to the tools fitted on each machine tool, and by equipping an up-load means, a down-load means, and al all tool information managing means. CONSTITUTION:An up-load means 22 makes an appropriate up-load of the tool information possessed by each machine tool 11-1 thru 11-n to the all tool information accommodating area 21 in a tool information managing device 30, while a down-load means 23 makes an appropriate down-load of the tool information in this all tool information accommodating area 21 to each machine tool 11-1 thru 11-n. Thereby the information corresponding to all pieces of tool information in the machine tools 11-1 thru 11-n is accommodated in the all tool information accommodating area 21. On the basis of operation made by an operator, an all tool information managing means 24 deletes or adds part of it and emits output to a display or a printer, and thereby the all tool information is put under integrated and centralized management.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] By uploading information about tools managed by each NC machine tool from each NC machine tool and storing it in one place, or by downloading it to each NC machine tool, Manage centrally at each location to save labor.

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a tool information management device for a system consisting of a large number of machine tools, particularly a large number of machining centers, each of which can hold a large number of tools at the same time.

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 cannibal program.
Machining centers (MC), which perform machining using cal control, have become widely used.

It is more efficient to connect a plurality of machining centers via a network and perform integrated operation management than to operate the machining centers individually. The present invention
In a system in which a plurality of machining centers are connected through a network as described above, a tool information management device that manages information regarding tools installed in each MC will be described.

[Prior art] Information regarding the tool installed on the MC includes the tool number indicating the type of tool and the pore to which it is installed.
In addition to the number, there are tool offset values such as the tool diameter and length that each tool has, a tool life setting time, a tool usage time, etc. Conventionally, some or all of this information has been managed separately in each MC.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In a system where each MC is managed separately, each time a tool is replaced, etc., data must be deleted or added to each MC where the tool was replaced, which is extremely difficult. It was a complicated task.

Furthermore, because information is not centralized, it is difficult to grasp the usage status of tools throughout the factory or to find the optimal method for relocating tools.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to propose a tool information management device that realizes labor savings by collectively managing information regarding tools and facilitates understanding of the tool usage status in the entire factory.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of a tool information management device 30 of the present invention. The machine tools 1t-i to 11 to n have a plurality of tool mounting parts, and a tool information management means 12 that holds and updates tool information such as tool offset values and tool usage time regarding tools mounted to the tool mounting parts as appropriate. Equipped with: This is a conventional configuration.

The tool information management device 30 of the present invention includes each machine tool 11-
A total tool information storage area 21 is provided that stores all tool information regarding the tools mounted on the machine tools 1 to 11 to n, and furthermore, the tool information held by the machine tools 11-1 to 11 to n can be uploaded to store all the tools. An uploading means 22 for storing the tool information in the information storage area 21, a downloading means 23 for downloading the tool information stored in the all-tool information storage area 21 to the machine tools 11-1 to 11-n, A total tool information management means 24 for deleting, adding, and outputting part of the information in the information storage area 21 is provided.

In a system equipped with a tool presetter 13 that can measure tool offset values and send the results online, the tool offset values sent from the tool presetter 13 are received and stored in the entire tool information storage area 2.
Preferably, the tool presetter information manual means 25 is provided for storing the information in one predetermined location.

[For production]

The upload means 22 is connected to each machine tool 11-1 to 11-n.
The tool information held in the tool information storage area 21 of the tool information management device 30 is uploaded as appropriate, and the download means 23 downloads the tool information in the total tool information storage area 21 to each machine tool as appropriate. , information corresponding to all of the tool information in each machine tool 11-1 to 11-n can be stored in the total tool information storage area 21, and the total tool information management means 24 can store the information corresponding to all of the tool information in each of the machine tools 11-1 to 11-n. By deleting or adding a part and outputting it to a display device or printing device, integrated and centralized management of all tool information becomes possible.

If a tool presetter information manual means 25 is provided, which receives information from the tool presetter 13 online and stores it in the all tool information storage area 21, the information obtained by measuring with the tool presetter 13 can be manually transmitted offline. This eliminates the need for additional operations.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is an installation configuration diagram showing an example of a system comprising a plurality of machining centers to which an embodiment of the tool information management device of the present invention is applied.

In this figure, four machining centers are shown, but the same applies to any number of machining centers or more.

The host computer 91, cell controller 92, and machining centers 93-1 to 93-4 each consist of an independent computer equipped with a human power device and a display device that can be operated by an operator. Cell controller 92
is connected to the machining centers 93-1 to 93-4 through communication lines, monitors the machining status of each machining center 93-1 to 93-4, and tallies machining results. Hoss)...
The computer 91 is located above the cell controller 92 and is responsible for managing the entire factory including the automated warehouse management.

Each of the machining centers 93-1 to 93-4 can hold several hundred tools of varying sizes in their respective magazines at one time, and when the machine program is executed, the tool change commands therein are executed. Continue machining while changing the tool each time.

The tool presetter 13 is a device that measures the diameter and length of a newly purchased or manufactured tool or a tool that has been recycled by replacing the blade because it has exceeded its lifespan, and the measurement results are sent to the cell controller 92 via a communication line. Sent.

The tool information management device 30 in FIG.
This is realized using hardware and software.

The total tool information storage area 21 in the tool information management device 30 is realized by a tool data area provided in a part of the memory included in this cell controller 92. Table 1 explains the structure of an example of the tool data area.

Table 1 Example of tool data area Item name Label name Data type tool number
T N11), +(1,J) Integer pot number PUT (1,J) Integer tool length
LENGTH (1, J) Real tool diameter
RADILIS (1, J) Real tool life time 几 5ET (1, J) Real tool usage time
几 Tl! , t(1, J) Real numbers In the above table, ■ indicates each M
It is an index representing the number attached to C, and J is an index attached to the tool held in each MC. Therefore, the array T NI representing the tool number
IM (1, J) is (number of MCs) x (maximum number of tools installed per machine) MC number, which is integer type data, as 1. This is an array that can be stored according to the value of J. Similarly, PUT (1, J) returns the same number of pot numbers, which are integer type data, from 1 to 1. This is an array that can be stored depending on the value of J. However, if J is a tool number or pot number, that is, if each data is arranged in the order of tool number or pot number, T NUM (1
, J) or POT (+, J) are no longer required. Tool length LENGTH (1, J) is an array in which tool length data of each tool owned by each MC is stored according to the value of 1.J, and tool radius RAD [[l5 (1, J) is The tool diameter data of each tool held by MC is 1. This is an array that is stored according to the value of J. The tool length and tool diameter are, for example, data measured by the tool presetter 13 when the tool is newly purchased or manufactured, or when the tool has exceeded its life and is remanufactured by changing the blade. , is the basic data for correcting the tool position when the tool is replaced in MC. Tool life time TL-5ET (1, J) is an array in which the usable time set in advance for each tool owned by each MC is stored according to the values of I and J, and the tool life time TL-5ET (1, J) is an array in which the usable time set in advance for each tool owned by each MC is stored according to the values of I and J.
,! (1, J) is an array in which the total time used for each tool owned by each MC is stored according to the values of I and J. Therefore, when using the tool, the opening TIM (1
, J) exceeds TL 5ET(1, J), the tool has exceeded its life.

The tool length and tool diameter mentioned above are called offset data, and the tool life time and tool usage time are called tool life data, and are generally processed separately in the MC, but in the tool information management device 30. These shall be handled together.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a software program stored in memory within cell controller 92 (FIG. 2) and executed by the CPU of cell controller 92 to implement upload means 22 (FIG. 1). The details of the upload process in the tool information management device of the present invention will be explained based on the embodiment shown in this figure.

When upload processing is selected by an operator's operation, this processing is started. First, the operator inputs from the keyboard whether the data to be uploaded is tool offset data or tool life data (step a).As mentioned above, on the MC side, offset data and tool life data are This is because they are managed separately and the format of data for human output is also different. Next, input the number or cell number of the MC to be uploaded (step b), and transmit data from the MC side (step C). In this state, the MC
When a predetermined operation is performed on the keyboard provided in the MC, offset data or tool life data is output from the MC. This data is received until a predetermined delimiter code is received (step d), and the data is stored at a predetermined location in the memory (step d) according to the MC number and the command attached to the received data.
(see Table 1) (Step C).

FIG. 4 shows an example to explain the format of data sent from the MC side. When a predetermined operation is performed on the MC side, data is sent in the format shown in this figure. In the figure,
GIOLI is a command that means the beginning of data, and MO2 is a command that means the end.

P, R, and K are commands that mean that the following values are the pot number, tool life time (unit: minutes), and tool usage time (unit: minutes).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a software program stored in the memory in the cell controller 92 (FIG. 2) and executed by the CPU of the cell controller 92 to implement the download means 23 (FIG. 1). The details of the download process in the tool information management device of the present invention will be explained with reference to this figure.

When download processing is selected by an operator's operation, this processing is started. First, the operator manually determines whether the data to be downloaded is tool offset data or tool life data using a keyboard operated by the operator (step a).

Next, the number or cell number of the MC to be downloaded is entered manually (step b). In this state, a predetermined operation is performed on the keyboard of the MC, and the MC
Assuming that the data can be received, data is transmitted in a predetermined format, and step C) processing is completed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the format of transmission data for transmitting offset data to the MC.

By performing a predetermined operation on the MC side, it becomes possible to receive data in the format shown in this figure. In the figure, G10L70 means the beginning of data, and 611MO2 is a command meaning the end. T and P are commands that mean that the following numbers are the tool number and pot number, respectively, and R and K mean that the following numbers are the tool diameter compensation amount and tool length compensation amount, respectively, expressed in one unit. This is the command to do this.

The total tool information management means 24 in FIG. 1 can be realized by a normal memory management program that displays, registers, deletes, edits, and prints out memory contents in a format that interacts with an operator through a display device and a keyboard. This can be easily carried out by a person skilled in the art.

The tool presetter information manual means 25 in FIG. 1 only needs to specify the tool presetter 13 instead of the MC in the process shown in the flowchart in FIG. 3, and the level shown in the flowchart in FIG. Since this is almost the same as FIG. 3, the explanation will be omitted.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the tool information management device of the present invention, it becomes possible to centrally manage tool data that was conventionally managed within each MC in one place, thereby providing an integrated, quick, and optimal Tools can be managed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a system to which an embodiment of the tool information management device of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the tool information management device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the reception format of tool life data transmitted from the MC, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart of download processing in an embodiment of the tool information management device of the present invention. , FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the transmission format of offset data to be transmitted to the MC. In the figure, 21... All tool information storage area, 22... Uploading means, 23... Downloading means, 24... All tool information management means, 25... Tool presetter information manual means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of machine tools (11) each having a plurality of tool mounting parts and equipped with tool information management means (12) for holding and appropriately updating tool information regarding tools mounted on the tool mounting parts. −
A total tool information storage area (21) that stores all tool information in a tool information management device (30) that manages all tool information regarding all tools attached to the tools (1 to 11-n).
and upload means (22) for uploading tool information held by the machine tools (11-1 to 11 to n) and storing it in the total tool information storage area (21), and the total tool information storage area (21). ) The tool information stored in the machine tool (
11-1 to 11-n), and a download means (23) for downloading to all tool information storage areas (23) based on operator operations.
1) All tool information management means (24) for selectively deleting, adding, or outputting information in 1). 2. Tool presetter (
2. The tool information management device according to claim 1, further comprising tool presetter information input means (25) for receiving the tool offset value sent from the tool presetter information storage area (21).