JPH05261644A - Automatic tool checkup method for numerically controlled machine tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a defective item from occurring as well as to promote the stabilization of quality in each tool by making the contents of tools in a working program so as to be automatically checked up in advance of machining and to deliver only those suited for the machining to a machine side. CONSTITUTION:Tool information 4 on those of form, size, service life, damagedstate, accuracy or the like of each tool available in a numerically controlled machine tool with an automatic tool changer 6 is inputted into a power control system 2, storing them in memory, and a fact of whether a tool 7 being contained in a working program 8 is suited to machining based on this working program 8 or not is automatically checked up in advance on the basis of the tool information 4 being stored in the power control system 2. Next, when YES is the case, machining takes place but when NO is the case, the next working program 8 is selected and the same checkup operation is carried out, while the tool information 4 on a machined tool is inputted into the power control system 2, thereby renewing the storage data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for automatically checking a tool used in an NC machine tool which automatically checks a tool used in the NC machine tool before use to prevent defective products.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In NC machine tools, many types of workpieces are automatically machined based on a machining program. It is necessary to check the tool used in advance because the tool used differs for each work, and the accuracy and life of the tool also become a problem. In particular, when an NC machine tool is used in unmanned operation, if a damaged tool or an incompatible tool is used for machining, a defective product occurs. For this reason, even in the conventional technique, the machining program in the NC machine tool has a tool check function. In the conventional tool check method generally used, a list of tools used in the machining program is displayed at the top of the machining program, and the tool check is performed based on the list.

[0003]

The conventional tool checking method requires a special program for preparing a list of tools to be used, as described above, which requires a lot of time for programming and is prone to errors. .. Further, when the machining program is changed, it is necessary to rewrite the list of tools, which is extremely complicated.

The present invention solves the above problems and requires no special programming or operation, and automatically checks the state of the tool to be used based on a machining program and uses a compatible tool. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic tool checking method for NC machine tools that stabilizes the quality of processed products and improves accuracy.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a tool used in an NC machine tool having an automatic tool changer such as the shape, size, life, damage state, accuracy, etc. of the tool. The information is input and stored in the PC device, and whether or not the tool included in the machining program is suitable for machining based on the machining program is automatically checked in advance based on the tool information stored in the PC device, If it conforms, it performs machining. If it does not conform, the next machining program is selected and the same check operation is performed, and the tool information of the machined tool is input to the PC device to update the stored data. It is characterized by the automatic checking method of tools used by the NC machine tool.

[0006]

All the tool information stored in the magazine of the automatic tool changer for NC machine tools is input and stored in the PC in advance. When the machining program is selected corresponding to the machining work, the tool in the machining program is automatically searched prior to machining, and the tool information of the tool stored in the PC device is compared. If the tool meets the machining conditions of the machining program, the machining is started. If the tool is not compatible, another compatible tool (sub tool) in the magazine is searched, and if there is no corresponding tool, the next machining is performed. The program is called and the same operation is performed. When the predetermined processing by the compatible tool is completed, the tool information of the tool is measured and checked, and the tool information in the PC device is updated.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration suitable for implementing this embodiment.
The NC machine tool is an NC device 1 that controls the drive of the machine 5.
And a PC device 2 attached thereto, a tool magazine 3 (one or more) for storing a large number of tools 7 in a tool pot, and an automatic tool changing section for automatically changing tools between the tool magazine 3 and the machine 5. It is composed of 6 etc. The tool 7 stored in the tool magazine 3 is provided with tool information 4 about the tool. When the tool 7 is stored in the tool pot of the tool magazine 3, the tool information is input to the PC device 2 side, And configured to be stored. The tool information 4 includes necessary information about the tool such as the type, shape, size, life of the tool, presence / absence of damage, accuracy, and the like. In the PC device 2, a tool search unit 9 that searches for a tool included in the machining program by inputting the machining program 8, and the tool is a machining program based on the searched tool and the tool information stored in the PC device 2. The tool information examination unit 10 examines and judges whether or not it is suitable for machining. The automatic tool changer 6 automatically changes the tool 7 between the tool magazine 3 and the machine 5. Further, on the machine 5 side, a tool information measurement check unit 13 that measures and checks the machined tool 7 and stores new tool information in the tool 7 is provided. Tool information measurement check unit 13
Is input to the PC device 2, and the tool information of the corresponding tool 7 already stored is updated in the PC device 2.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. First, when a check command (step 100) is issued, the machining program 8 required for machining is input (step 101). Next, the tool search unit 9 searches for the contents of the tool necessary for processing in the processing order in the processing program (step 102). Here, it is judged whether or not there is a corresponding tool (step 103), and if there is a corresponding tool, the tool information examining unit 10 checks the state of the tool shape or the like (step 104). If there is no corresponding tool, the presence or absence of the corresponding tool is confirmed (step 105), and if there is, the process proceeds to step 104. If there is no corresponding tool, the next work machining is instructed (step 106), and the process returns to step 100 again. The tool information 4 shown in FIG. 1 is input to the PC device 2 in advance (step 20
0) is stored in the PC device 2 (step 201).
The tool information examining unit 10 checks whether or not the corresponding tool is suitable for the machining of the machining program 8 based on the tool information input into the PC device 2 of the retrieved corresponding tool (step 107). Corresponding tool is damaged,
If the shape, dimensions, etc. are not suitable (NO), the process returns to step 105. Next, the machine 5 performs machining according to the predetermined machining program 8 based on the instruction from the machine controller 12 (step 108). After the processing is completed, the dimensions and the like of the corresponding tool are measured and checked (step 109).
The tool information is input to the PC device 2 and the tool information is updated (step 110). As described above, in the case of the present embodiment, it is possible to pre-read the machining program to be machined and automatically check the availability of the tool without requiring special operation or programming as in the conventional technique. The tool check can be performed easily, quickly and surely.

Although the contents of the tool information 4 are shown in FIG. 1 in the above embodiment, the contents are not limited thereto.

[0010]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) Prior to machining, the contents of the tools in the machining program are automatically checked, and only those that are suitable for machining are handed over to the machine side. Therefore, for example, machining with a damaged tool is not performed and defective products occur. It will be lost and the quality can be stabilized. (2) Since the tool check is automatically performed based on the machining program, quick and reliable check is performed. (3) It is not necessary to list the tool contents before the machining program as in the prior art, the program can be created in a short time, and the machining contents can be easily changed. (4) Since no special device is required as the checking means, it can be implemented easily and at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 NC Device 2 PC Device 3 Tool Magazine 4 Tool Information 5 Machine 6 Automatic Tool Exchange Section 7 Tool 8 Machining Program 9 Tool Search Section 10 Tool Information Examining Section 11 Tool Handover Command Section 12 Machine Control Section 13 Tool Measurement Check Section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A tool included in a machining program in which tool information such as shape, size, life, damage state, accuracy of a tool used in an NC machine tool having an automatic tool changer is input and stored in a PC device. Automatically checks in advance based on the tool information stored in the PC device whether or not is suitable for the machining based on the machining program. If it is suitable, the machining is performed, and if not, the next machining program is executed. Is selected, the same check operation is performed, and the tool information of the machined tool is input to the PC device to update the stored data.