JPH04153707A - Numerical controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To control tool life data in real time by uploading the tool control data to a host computer, and deciding the life of the tool by the host computer and indicating the replacement of the tool which has no life. CONSTITUTION:A machining program interpretation part 12 interprets a machining program to carry out machining, a data storage part 13 is stored with tool control data corresponding to plural tools stored in a tool magazine, and a data transmission part 14 sends the tool control data. At this time, a tool control data upload command which commands the machining program to send tool control data on a tool after use to the host computer 5 is provided and the machining program interpretation part 12 when interpreting the tool control data upload command uploads the tool control data to the host computer 5, which decides the life expectancy of the tool when the use of the tool is completed and indicates the replacement of the tool. Consequently, the tool life control data can be controlled in real time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a numerical control device having a function of uploading tool management data to a host computer according to commands of a machining program.

[Prior Art] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a system for centrally managing numerically controlled machine tools using a host computer.

The numerically controlled machine tool 1a, lb or IC has a tool magazine 2a, 2b or 2C that stores a plurality of tools, and a numerical controller 3a, 3b that controls the machine tool and the tool magazine.
or 3C, and the numerical control device 3g, 3b or 3C is connected to the host computer 5 via a transmission cable 4a, 4b or 4C.

A tool transport device 7 that automatically transports tools between the tool storage room 6 and the tool magazines 2a, 2b, or 2C is connected to the host computer 5, and notifies the operator of the loading and unloading of tools. A display unit 8 for displaying is connected.

Further, to explain the numerical control device 3a of the numerically controlled machine tool 1a as an example, the numerical control device 3a has a CPU 9 that controls the entire device, as shown in FIG.
U9 stores a memory 11 that stores control programs and machining programs via the pass line 10, a machining program interpreter 12 that interprets machining programs, and tool management data corresponding to a plurality of tools stored in a tool magazine. An external storage device 13 as a data storage section, a data transmission section 14 for transmitting tool management data, a machine control section 15 for controlling movement axes, etc., a keyboard 16, and a CRT 17 are connected.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a tool management data table, and this table includes tool life data corresponding to tool NO.
Tool offset data (tool length offset data, tool diameter offset data) is registered.

Here, the tool life data refers to the number of times the tool is used and the usage time.

Next, the tool management data upload method of this example will be explained in the fifth example.
This will be explained along the flowchart in the figure.

When the numerical control device 3a, 3b or 3c is NC activated (step Sl), the CPU 9 causes the machining program interpreter 12 to execute the machining program stored in the memory 11.

Then, the numerical control device 3a, 3b or 3C interprets the contents according to the command code (G, M, T, S, etc.) and controls the axis, spindle, ATC (automatic tool changer), etc.

Then, when a tool change command comes during interpretation of the NC program (step S2), the CPU 9 selects used tools (tools attached to the spindle) from the tool management data table registered in the memory 11 or external storage device 13. )
The record is searched for (step S3).

Furthermore, when the record search for used tools is completed, C.
The PU9 updates the tool life data and tool offset data of the record (step S4).

Note that the tool life data refers to the number of times the tool is used and the time that the tool is used, and is data that is the basis for tool life management.

As mentioned above, until the processing is completed (MO2M2O),
Repeats processing program interpretation and updating of tool management data for used tools.

When determining that machining is complete (MO2, M2O) (step S5), the CPU 9 converts all tool management data registered in the memory 11 or external storage device 13 into a format that can be uploaded to the host computer 5. (Step S6).

Then, all the formatted tool management data is transmitted to the host computer 5 via the data transmission section 14 (step S7).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, in conventional numerical control devices, tool management data is not uploaded to the host computer until workpiece machining is completed on the numerically controlled machine tool, so the host computer Management data cannot be managed in real time, so even if the tool life has expired during workpiece machining, the notification that the tool needs to be replaced will not be sent.
There is a problem of having to wait until the machining of the workpiece is completed.

In addition, the start of machining the next workpiece has to wait until the uploaded tool management data has been updated, the judgment has been made, the judgment result has been notified to the operator, and the tool has been replaced. There was a problem in that the system had to wait until the conveyance of the transferred tools was completed, which lowered the operating rate of the system.

Furthermore, tools that are not used for workpiece machining or tools that do not require tool management (touch probes, cleaning tools, air blowers, etc.)
Since the tool management data for tools (tools, etc.) was also uploaded, the tool management data upload time was lengthened, increasing the load on the numerical control device, and thereby reducing system availability.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a numerical control device that can upload tool management data every time a tool is used so that a host computer can immediately notify tool replacement when the tool reaches its end of life.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, a numerical control device according to the present invention includes a machining program interpretation unit that interprets a machining program, and a tool management unit that handles a plurality of tools stored in a tool magazine. Consists of a data storage unit that stores data, an update unit that updates tool management data, and a data transmission unit that transmits tool management data to the host computer. A tool management data upload command is provided to transmit the tool management data, and when the machining program interpretation section interprets the tool management data upload command, the tool management data of the used tool is uploaded to the host computer, and the tool life is determined by the host computer. The present invention is characterized in that, when the tool is used on a numerically controlled machine tool, an instruction to replace the tool that has reached the end of its service life is given.

[Operations] With the above configuration, the numerical control device according to the present invention interprets the machining program by the machining program interpreter and executes machining, and the data storage unit reads the plurality of tools stored in the tool magazine. The tool management data corresponding to the data transmission section is stored, and the tool management data is transmitted by the data transmission section. At this time, a tool management data upload command is provided in the machining program that instructs the tool management data of the used tool to be transmitted to the host computer, and when the machining program interpreter interprets the tool management data upload command, the tool management data is The data is uploaded to the host computer, and the host computer determines the tool life when the tool is used, and instructs the replacement of the tool with the end of its life.

[Example code] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

As explained in the schematic diagram of Fig. 2, the numerically controlled machine tool 1
a, lb or IC has a tool magazine 2a, 2b or 2C that stores a plurality of tools and a numerical control device 3a, 3b or 3C that controls the machine tool and the tool magazine. is connected to the host computer via transmission cable 4a, 4b or 4C.

A tool transport device 7 that automatically transports tools between the tool storage room 6 and the tool magazines 2a, 2b, or 2C is connected to the host computer 5. A display section 8 for displaying notifications is connected.

Taking the numerical control device 3a in the numerically controlled machine tool 1a as an example, the numerical control device controls the entire device and also functions as an update means.
The CPU 9 includes a memory 11 that stores control programs and machining programs via a pass line 10, a machining program interpreter 12 that interprets machining programs, and a plurality of tools stored in a tool magazine. An external storage device 13 as a data storage section for storing tool management data, a data transmission section 14 for transmitting the tool management data, a machine control section 15 for controlling movement axes, etc., a keyboard 16, and a CRT 17 are connected.

Furthermore, for tools that do not require tool management (touch probes, cleaning tools, air blow tools, etc.), tool management data upload is not performed by not setting the tool management data upload command after the tool exchange command in the machining program. ing.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained along the flowchart of FIG.

When the numerical control device 3a, 3b or 3c is NC activated (step 5ll), the CPU 9 causes the machining program interpreter 12 to execute the machining program stored in the memory 11.

Then, the numerical control device 3a, 3b or 3C interprets the contents according to the command code (G, M, T, S, etc.) and controls the axis, spindle, ATC (automatic tool changer), etc.

Then, when a tool change command comes during interpretation of the NC program (step 512), the CPU 9 selects used tools (tools attached to the spindle) from the tool management data table registered in the memory 11 or external storage device 13. ) is searched for (step 813).

Additionally, once the search for used tool records is complete,
The CPU 9 updates the tool life data and tool offset data of the record (step 514).

Note that the tool life data refers to the number of times the tool is used and the time that the tool is used, and is data that is the basis for tool life management.

After that, when a tool management data upload command comes during the interpretation of the machining program (step 515), the CPU 9
The management data of used tools (tools returned to the tool magazine by a tool exchange command) is stored in the host computer 5.
The tool management data is converted into a format that can be downloaded (step 516), and the converted tool management data is uploaded to the host computer 5 via the data transmission section 14 (step 517).

As described above, uploading the tool management data of the used tool when interpreting the tool management data upload command is repeated until machining is completed (MO2°M2O) (step 818).

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the numerical control device of the present invention, when the machining program interpretation unit interprets the tool management data upload command after the use of the tool is completed, the tool management data is uploaded to the host computer. Since the host computer is configured to determine the tool life and issue an instruction to replace the tool with a limited life, tool life data can be managed in real time.

As a result, the following great effects can be achieved.

■ Even if the tool life (determined from the number of times the tool is used and the tool usage time) occurs during workpiece machining, the operator will be notified of unnecessary or necessary tools during the workpiece machining. The tool can be prepared while the workpiece is being machined, and in systems with an automatic tool transport device, tools that have been determined to have reached the end of their tool life can be transported during workpiece machining.
No need to stop numerically controlled machine tools unnecessarily.

■During workpiece machining, the tool management data is broadcast to the host computer, so the start of machining of the next workpiece is done at the same time as the completion of machining of the current workpiece, so there is no need to stop the machine tool due to unnecessary changes in numerical values. .

■The tools for which tool management data should be uploaded can be specified by the operator using the machining program, so tools that were not used for machining or tools that do not require tool management (touch probes, cleaning tools, air blow tools, etc.) The tool management data is not transmitted directly to the host computer, thereby reducing the tool management data upload time and the accompanying load on the numerical control device and host computer.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a system for centrally managing numerically controlled machine tools using a host computer, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing the connection between the internal numerical control device and the host computer, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a tool management table, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of a conventional example. la, lb, lc... numerical control machine tool 2a,
2b, 2c... Tool magazine 3a, 3b, 3c
... Numerical control device 5 ... Host computer 9 ... CPU 12 ... Machining program interpretation section 13 ... External storage device 14 ... Data transmission section Tool management complete Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A machining program interpretation section that interprets a machining program, a data storage section that stores tool management data corresponding to a plurality of tools stored in a tool magazine, updating means that updates the tool management data, and tool management data. In a numerical control device that has a data transmission unit that transmits tool management data of used tools to a host computer, a tool management data upload command is provided in the machining program to instruct the host computer to transmit tool management data of used tools, and the machining program interpretation unit When the management data upload command is interpreted and the tool management data of the used tool is uploaded to the host computer and the tool life is determined by the host computer, the end of the tool life will be determined when the tool is completely used on the numerically controlled machine tool. A numerical control device characterized by being able to issue replacement instructions.