JPH0553639A - Tool transfer controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To share all tools included in an FMS by transferring such tools included in a tool stocker or a tool magazine of each numerically controlled machine tool between the tool stocker and the tool magazine and also between the tool magazines of the numerically controlled machine tools. CONSTITUTION:The tool magazine calculation commands required for exchange of tools are transferred to the numerical controllers 201-20N via a communication controller 14 of a tool transfer controller 10. Then the controllers 201-20N control the tool magazines 211-21N. Meanwhile the controller 10 transfers a tool transfer command to a tool transfer controller 30 and calculates the commanded tool out of a tool stocker 32. Then the tools calculated at the stocker 32 are transferred to the magazines 211-21N when a transfer command is given to a tool transfer device 31.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a numerically controlled machine tool having a plurality of tool magazines, a work transfer device, a tool stocker for storing tools shared by a plurality of numerically controlled machine tools,
A flexible manufacturing system (Flexible Manufacture) including a tool transfer device for transferring tools between a tool stocker and a tool magazine, and a central processing unit for centrally managing them.
ing System; hereinafter referred to as FMS),
Of all the tools installed in the tool stocker and the tool magazine of each numerically controlled machine tool, the tools other than the tools registered as permanent tools are handled as common tools for the entire system,
The present invention relates to a tool transfer control device that transfers a tool between a tool stocker and a tool magazine or between tool magazines of a plurality of numerically controlled machine tools by the tool transfer device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an FMS comprising a numerically controlled machine tool having a plurality of tool magazines, a work transfer device, and a central processing unit for centrally managing them, various FMSs are used in order to efficiently produce high-mix low-volume parts. It has been devised. Generally, in the case of high-mix low-volume production, the number of tools tends to increase, but increasing the capacity of the tool magazine of each numerically controlled machine tool is problematic in terms of cost. A method in which the tools shared by the above are stored in a tool stocker or the like and the tools are distributed by the tool transfer device when the tools need to be replaced has been put into practical use. However, in the conventional technology, the tool stocker is equipped with tools overflowing from the tool magazine of each numerically controlled machine tool and spare tools such as service life,
According to the tool exchange request from each numerically controlled machine tool, a method of transferring the tool from the tool stocker to the tool magazine of the numerically controlled machine tool has been adopted. In this case, even if there is a common tool used for each numerically controlled machine tool, if that tool is in the tool magazine of another numerically controlled machine tool, it cannot be used until it returns to the tool stocker. Had to be prepared, which resulted in a large number of tools to be prepared, resulting in high tool cost.

FIG. 5 shows a general configuration example of an FMS. A numerically controlled machine tool 7 having a plurality of tool magazines 6, a tool stocker 4 for storing tools shared by the system, a tool transfer device 5 for transferring tools between the tool stocker 4 and the tool magazine 6, a material, Warehouse 3 for storing semi-finished products and finished products, and work transfer device 1 for distributing work to each machine
And a setup station 8 for setting materials and collecting finished products, and a central processing unit 9 for overall management of the whole.

A detailed description of such an FMS will be given with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 6 and the flowchart of FIG. In the tool determination unit 50, among the tools mounted in the tool magazine 6, the tools used for the workpiece currently being machined are moved in the tool magazine layout which is the information of the tool magazine stored in the central processing unit 9. When it is reserved as a tool that cannot be used (step S20), and when the next work is determined (step S21), the tool magazine layout and the tool layout of the next work are compared (step S2).
2) Reserve the tool used in the next work for the next work (step S2)
3). Next, the necessary / unnecessary tool list creation unit 51 creates a list of the tools used in the next work which are not in the tool magazine 6 as necessary tools (step S2).
4) A list is created with the tools on the tool magazine not used in the current work and the next work as unnecessary tools (step S25).

After that, the tool stocker tool determination unit 52 searches the tool stocker 4 for a tool in the required tool list (step S26), and the tool stocker tool transfer unit 53 checks for the presence of the tool in the tool stocker 4. If (step S30), the necessary tools are transported from the tool stocker 4 to the tool magazine 6 (step S31), and if the necessary tools can be mounted in the tool magazine 6, the tool magazine 6
If it is not mounted in the tool magazine 6 and cannot be mounted in the tool magazine 6, the tool is replaced with a tool in the unnecessary tool list, and the removed unnecessary tool is transported to the tool stocker 4 for return (step S32). If the required tool does not exist in the tool stocker 4 (step S30), the process ends as an alarm (step S33).

[0006]

As described above, in the prior art, when the next work is determined, the tool currently mounted in the tool magazine is compared with the tool to be used in the next work, and a shortage occurs. If there is a tool, the tool is transferred from the tool stocker that stores the tools shared by each numerically controlled machine tool by the tool transfer device and transferred to the tool magazine. However, if a shared tool is installed in the tool magazine of another numerically controlled machine tool, the tool cannot be transported, so prepare multiple tools to be used with multiple numerically controlled machine tools, or There is a problem in that the machine operation rate is reduced and the tool cost is high, such as waiting for the numerically controlled machine tool required until the tool returns as an unnecessary tool.

That is, in the FMS including a numerically controlled machine tool having a plurality of tool magazines, a work transfer device, and a central processing unit for centrally managing them,
The number of tools tends to increase in order to efficiently produce high-mix low-volume parts, but the method of increasing the capacity of the tool magazine of each numerically controlled machine tool is also problematic in terms of cost. In the conventional technology, the tool stocker is equipped with tools overflowing from the tool magazine of each numerically controlled machine tool and spare tools such as the service life, and according to the tool replacement request from each numerically controlled machine tool, the numerically controlled machine tool The method of transporting tools to the tool magazine was adopted. in this case,
Even if there is a common tool used for each numerically controlled machine tool, if that tool is in the tool magazine of another numerically controlled machine tool, it cannot be used until it returns to the tool stocker, so it is necessary to prepare multiple common tools. However, there is a drawback that the number of tools to be prepared as a result is large and the tool cost is high.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention compares the tools currently mounted in the tool magazine with the tools to be used in the next work when determining the next work, and finds out if there are insufficient tools. For example, first search for the existence of tools in the tool stocker.If all necessary tools are not found in the tool stocker, search for unnecessary tools of other numerically controlled machine tools. By transporting the required tools from the tool stocker and the tool magazine of other numerically controlled machine tools, all the tools can be shared in the FMS, except for the permanent tools that are specially designated as machine fixing. The machine operation rate can be increased with a minimum of tools.

That is, the present invention provides a numerically controlled machine tool having a plurality of tool magazines, a work transfer device, a tool stocker for storing tools shared by the numerically controlled machine tools, and a tool between the tool stocker and the tool magazine. The present invention relates to a tool transfer control device in a flexible manufacturing system including a tool transfer device for transferring and a central processing unit for centrally managing them. When the next work is determined during machining, the tool determination means for determining whether or not the tool used in the next work exists in the tool magazine of the numerically controlled machine tool, and the numerical value determined by the tool determination means. List of required tools that are tools to be supplied to the tool magazine of the controlled machine tool and the current work and the next work List creating means for creating an unnecessary tool list which is a tool not used in the above, tool stocker tool judging means for judging whether or not the necessary tool of the numerically controlled machine tool exists in the tool stocker, and the numerically controlled machine A tool magazine tool determining means for searching the unnecessary tool list of a numerically controlled machine tool other than the numerically controlled machine tool when it is determined that the tool stocker does not exist among the necessary tools of the machine; When a tool is present in another numerically controlled machine tool, the numerically controlled machine tool is provided with a transfer reservation means for making a reservation as a tool to be transferred to the numerically controlled machine tool. Tools other than those registered as permanent tools are shared, and when the required tool list is created, the tools in the tool stocker are searched preferentially. Then, the tool is transported to the numerically controlled machine tool by the tool transporting device, and necessary tools not present in the tool stocker are transferred from the tool magazine of another numerically controlled machine tool reserved by the transport reservation means to the numerically controlled machine tool. This is achieved by directly carrying the tool by the tool carrying device to the tool magazine.

[0010]

In the tool transfer control device of the present invention, the tools existing in the tool stocker and the tool magazine of each numerically controlled machine tool are transferred between the tool stocker and the tool magazine and between the tool magazines of a plurality of numerically controlled machine tools. By doing
All the tools in the FMS can be shared because the tools that are no longer needed at a certain point are distributed to each numerically controlled machine tool.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A tool transfer control device 10 of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 will be described. The tool transfer control device 10 communicates with the CPU 11, the memory 12 in which the control program operates, the external storage device 13 for registering the tool layout and the tool magazine layout, the numerical control devices 201 to 20N and the tool transfer controller 30. And a communication control device 14 for controlling the tool transfer control device 10.
The tool magazine indexing command associated with the tool change is transferred to the numerical control devices 201 to 20N via the numerical control device 2
01 to 20N control tool magazines 211 to 21N, respectively. Further, the tool transfer control device 10 transfers a tool transfer command to the tool transfer controller 30, indexes the specified tool in the tool stocker 32, and
By issuing a transfer instruction to the tool transfer device 31, the tools indexed by the tool stocker 32 are transferred to the tool magazines 211 to 211N of the designated numerically controlled machine tool.

A detailed description of the tool transfer control device 10 according to the present invention will be given with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 2 and the flowchart of FIG. In the tool determination unit 40, among the tools mounted in the tool magazine, the tools used for the workpiece currently being machined cannot be moved in the tool magazine layout that is the information of the tool magazine stored in the central processing unit. Book as (Step S
1). Then, when the next work is determined (step S
2) The tool magazine layout is compared with the tool layout of the next work (step S3), and the tools used in the next work and existing in the tool magazine are reserved for the next work (step S4). Next, in the necessary / unnecessary tool list creation unit 41, among the tools used in the next work,
A list is created with tools that are not in the tool magazine as required tools (step S5), and tools on the tool magazine that are not used in the current work and the next work are created as unnecessary tools (step S6).

Thereafter, the tool stocker tool determination unit 42 searches the tools in the necessary tool list for existence in the tool stocker (step S7). If all the necessary tools are not present in the tool stocker (step S8), In the tool magazine tool determination unit 43, it is searched whether or not a necessary tool that is not in the tool stocker is an unnecessary tool of another numerically controlled machine tool (step S11). If the necessary tool exists (step S12), the transfer reservation unit 44 registers the transfer reservation tool as a transfer reservation tool because it is requested by another numerically controlled machine tool on the tool magazine layout of the corresponding numerically controlled machine tool (step S12). In S13), if all the necessary tools are present in the tool stocker in the tool stocker tool transfer unit 45 (step S8), the necessary tools are transferred from the tool stocker to the tool magazine of the corresponding numerically controlled machine tool (step S9). When a required tool enters the tool magazine, the tool is transferred to the tool magazine by the tool transfer device, and when the required tool does not enter the tool magazine, it is replaced with an unnecessary tool and transferred, and the unnecessary tool is transferred to the tool stocker. (Step S10), the process ends.

If all the required tools are not present in the tool stocker (step S8) and there is a required tool which is reserved for conveyance by another numerical control machine tool (step S12), the corresponding numerical control is first performed from the tool stocker. The necessary tools are transferred to the tool magazine of the machine tool (step S14), and the tool magazine tool transfer unit 46 transfers the necessary tools from the tool magazine of the numerically controlled machine tool to the requested tool magazine of the numerically controlled machine tool. Reprinted (step S1
5) If the required tools cannot fit in the tool magazine,
The unnecessary tool is replaced with another, and the unnecessary tool is conveyed to the tool stocker (step S16), and the process ends. If the required tool is not present in the tool stocker or the unnecessary tool of the other numerically controlled machine tool, an alarm is generated (step S17) and the process is terminated.

FIG. 4 shows an example of tool management information managed by the central processing unit. The tool magazine layout of the numerically controlled machine tool is composed of a pot number (number), a tool code, and a tool flag, as shown in FIG. 6C, and the pot number and the tool code are installed in the tool magazine of the corresponding numerically controlled machine tool. And the tool type, and the tool flag shows the usage status of the tool at that time. In this example, the tool used for the work currently being machined is shown in FIG. 7A, and the tool used for the next work is shown in FIG. As a result, in the tool magazine layout of the numerically controlled machine tool, the tool flag of the tool currently used in the current work is marked with A, and the tool existing in the tool magazine of the tool used in the next work is reserved as the next work reserved tool. As a permanent tool, mark the mark B as a mark, and mark the tools that should not be moved from the tool magazine as marks C. The tools with these marks must be moved from the tool magazine of the corresponding numerically controlled machine tool. Reserved as a tool that cannot be used. Other tools are recognized as unnecessary tools, and if there is a request from another numerically controlled machine tool, T010,
A mark of * is added to the tool flag of T013, and the tool is registered as a transport reservation tool. In this example, among the tools used for the next work, T006 and T008 do not exist in the tool magazine, so the tool is transferred from the unnecessary tool on the tool stocker or the tool magazine of another numerically controlled machine tool by the tool transfer device. It

[0016]

According to the present invention, when the next work is determined, the tools currently mounted in the tool magazine are compared with the tools used in the next work, and if there is a shortage of tools, the tools are first present in the tool stocker. If all the required tools are not in the tool stocker, search for other unnecessary tools on the machine tool, and if there is any, make a transfer reservation, and set all the necessary tools on the tool stocker and other numerical controls. It is transported from the tool magazine of the machine tool. This allows all tools to be FMed, except for permanent tools that are specifically designated as machine-fixed.
Since it can be shared in S, the machine operating rate can be increased with a minimum of tools.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of tool management information.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a flexible manufacturing system.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional device.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation example of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Work Transfer Device 2 Auto Pallet Changer 3 Warehouse 4 Tool Stocker 5 Tool Transfer Device 6 Tool Magazine 7 Numerical Control Machine Tool 10 Tool Transfer Control Device 11 CPU 12 Memory 13 External Storage Device 30 Tool Transfer Controller 40 Tool Judgment Section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A numerically controlled machine tool having a plurality of tool magazines, a work transfer device, a tool stocker for storing tools shared by the numerically controlled machine tool, and tool transfer between the tool stocker and the tool magazine. In a flexible manufacturing system including a tool transfer device and a central processing unit for centrally managing them, when the next workpiece is determined while the numerically controlled machine tool is machining the current workpiece, the numerically controlled machine tool A tool judging means for judging whether or not there is a tool used in the next work in the tool magazine, and a necessary tool list which is a tool to be supplied to the tool magazine of the numerically controlled machine tool judged by the tool judging means, List creating means for creating an unnecessary tool list which is a tool not used in the current work and the next work, A tool stocker tool determining means for determining whether or not the required tool of the numerically controlled machine tool exists in the tool stocker, and it is determined that the required tool of the numerically controlled machine tool does not exist in the tool stocker. Tool magazine tool determining means for searching the unnecessary tool list of a numerically controlled machine tool other than the numerically controlled machine tool at that time, and a tool exists in the other numerically controlled machine tool, the numerically controlled machine tool Of the tools mounted on the numerically controlled machine tool and the tool stocker.
Tools other than those registered as permanent tools are shared, and when the required tool list is created, the tool in the tool stocker is searched preferentially and the tool is transferred to the numerically controlled machine tool by the tool transfer device. However, the necessary tools that do not exist in the tool stocker are directly transferred from the tool magazine of another numerically controlled machine tool reserved by the transfer reservation means to the tool magazine of the numerically controlled machine tool by the tool transfer device. A tool transfer control device characterized in that