JPH0584640A - Control data generator for tapping machine, tapping machine controller, and tapping device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save labor by photograhing an image of an object to be machined in which holes are drilled and outputting NC data from the picture image for tapping. CONSTITUTION:Sheet metal A on which holes of the predetermined size are drilled at the predetermined positions by a punching press and the like is set to a reader 22 of a tapping machine controller 2. A travel table 24 is controlled by reading control data from a computer 23, and a camera 21 is made to take a photograph one meter away from the sheet metal A. This picture image data is input into the computer 23 via an interface 27. Next, the camera 21 is moved to the hole position, the holes are photographed at a short distance, and the hole diameter data is obtained. Then, each hole is displayed on a display 28. Whether tapping for each hole is necessary or not is specified by a keyboard 25, and tapping command data is input. NC data for a tapping machine 3 is output from each of these data by the NC data output program, and each hole is machined automatically.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for controlling a tapping machine (computer-controlled thread cutting machine).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the mass production of home electric appliances, industrial machines, etc., sheet metal such as stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, bakelite, etc. has been widely used for equipment containers or covers, control boxes and the like. The sheet metal has various sizes, shapes, production lots, etc. depending on its use, and the processing method is becoming complicated. In addition to cutting to the desired size, sheet metal processing requires high and low processing such as drilling and threading.However, depending on the object to be processed, the position and size of the holes may differ, or multiple holes may be drilled. There is a case where only a predetermined hole is threaded.

Recently, punching is performed by a punching press (computer controlled drilling machine) and tapping is performed by a tapping machine (computer controlled screwing machine). A computer-controlled machine tool such as a punching press or a tapping machine requires NC data which is numerical control data including data designating a position to be machined and data designating a size to be machined. Conventionally, the NC data used for controlling the punching press is only the NC data for the punching press and cannot be used for controlling the tapping machine. Therefore, the NC data for controlling the tapping machine is newly developed by copying or the like and is input to the tapping machine separately from the NC data for the punching press.

[0004]

However, since the work of developing and inputting NC data is a work that requires labor and time even by copying, it is a factor that hinders labor saving, quality improvement, and cost reduction. Is becoming Therefore, the present invention is
In order to solve such inconvenience, NC data for tapping machine control is automatically read from an object to be drilled by a punching press and can be input to the tapping machine. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a tapping device that includes a control device and a tapping machine and can be systematically controlled.

[0005]

In the control data generating device for a tapping machine of the present invention, an image pickup means for inputting an image of a work object having a hole of a predetermined size at a predetermined position by a punching press or the like. And a position calculation means for calculating and outputting data indicating the position of the hole from the image, and an NC data output means for outputting NC data based on the data indicating the position.

In the tapping machine control device of the present invention, an image pickup means for inputting an image of a work object having a hole of a predetermined size at a predetermined position by a punching press or the like, and the hole from the image. Position calculation means for calculating and outputting the data indicating the position, hole diameter calculating means for calculating and outputting the data indicating the size of the hole from the image, and a tapping command for tapping the hole or not. Means including tapping command input means, NC data output means for outputting NC data based on the data indicating the position, the data indicating the size and the tapping command, and the control means for controlling the tapping machine by the NC data. Was taken.

In the tapping device of the present invention, an image pickup means for inputting an image of a work object having a hole of a predetermined size at a predetermined position by a punching press or the like, and the position of the hole from the image. Position calculating means for calculating and outputting data indicating the hole size, hole diameter calculating means for calculating and outputting data indicating the size of the hole from the image, and a tapping command for inputting a tapping command indicating whether or not the hole is to be tapped. Inputting means, control data outputting means for outputting tapping control data based on the data indicating the position and data indicating the size, and a tapping command, and tapping processing at a predetermined position and size based on the control data. A tapping machine is provided.

[0008]

According to the tapping machine control data generating apparatus having the above-mentioned structure, the position calculating means obtains data indicating the position of the hole from the image of the work object input by the image pickup means. Then, since NC data created based on the data indicating the above position is output, if the tapping machine is controlled based on this NC data, tapping of a predetermined size will be performed on the hole drilled in the work target. It is done.

Further, according to the tapping machine control device having the above-mentioned structure, the data showing the position of the hole is obtained from the image of the work object inputted by the image pickup means by the position calculating means, and the data showing the size of the hole is obtained. Is obtained by the hole diameter calculation means, and by the tapping command input means,
A tapping command for tapping the hole is input.

Since the tapping machine is controlled by the data indicating the position, the data indicating the size, and the NC data created on the basis of the tapping command, the hole drilled in the work object is responsive to the tapping command. A tapping process with a predetermined size is performed. Then, according to the tapping device having the above configuration, the position and size of the hole is obtained by imaging the work object, the tapping control data is generated based on the hole position, and the tapping machine is controlled based on the control data. Perform tapping processing.

[0011]

EXAMPLES The tapping device of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples. In each drawing, A is a sheet metal as a work object, 2 is a tapping machine control device of the present invention, and 3 is a tapping machine that performs tapping processing based on inputted NC data. The tapping device 1 of the present invention comprises the tapping machine control device 2 and the tapping machine 3.

The tapping machine control device 2 is a reading device 2 having a CCD camera 21 as an image pickup means.
2 and a computer 23 as a control data generation device for a tapping machine having an image processing function. The CCD camera 21 is connected to the reading device 22.
It is set on a three-axis moving table 24 for picking up an image from an arbitrary position and an arbitrary height on the sheet metal A set at.

The computer 23 is a position calculation program P1 as position calculation means for calculating and outputting data indicating the position of the hole from the image, and a hole diameter for calculating and outputting data indicating the size of the hole from the image. A hole diameter calculation program P2 as a calculation unit, a keyboard 25 as a tapping command input unit for inputting a tapping command as to whether or not the hole is to be tapped, a data indicating the position, a data indicating the size, and a tapping command. NC data output program P3 for calculating NC data based on
A tapping machine interface 26 as a control means for controlling the tapping machine 3, an interface 27 for outputting read control data to the reading device 22, and a display 28.

The reading device 22 and the tapping machine 3 are connected to the computer 23 by the interfaces 27 and 26, respectively.

In the above construction, the sheet metal A having a plurality of holes formed in predetermined positions by a predetermined size by the punching press is set in the reading device 22 of the tapping machine control device 2. Then, the moving table 24 is controlled by the read control data from the computer 23, and the CCD camera 21 is imaged 1 meter away from the sheet metal A. (See FIG. 2) This image data is input to the computer 23 via the interface 27.

A position calculation program P whose outline is shown in FIG.
In No. 1, the image data is binarized to remove noise and the like, and angular position data of each corner for showing the contour of the sheet metal A and hole position data showing the center of each hole are obtained.
It should be noted that this hole position data is output as a relative position from the origin with any one of the corners as the origin. Figure 3
Shows an image A ′ of the sheet metal A.

Next, the CCD camera 21 is moved to the position of each hole, and the hole is imaged from a close distance of 20 cm this time. (See FIG. 4) This close-up image data is image-processed by the hole diameter calculation program P2 whose outline is shown in FIG. 7, and hole diameter data indicating the diameter of the hole is obtained. By imaging each hole from a close distance, hole diameter data of each hole can be obtained.

Instead of the CCD camera 21 for obtaining a two-dimensional image, a one-dimensional CCD line sensor 4 and a one-axis moving mechanism 5 may be used as shown in FIG. At this time, the one-dimensional CCD line sensor 4 is a line sensor in the X-axis direction, and is moved in the Y-axis direction by the one-axis moving mechanism 5 to obtain the entire image of the sheet metal A.

Since the one-dimensional CCD line sensor 4 can obtain a sufficiently high resolution, the CCD camera 2 described above can be used.
As in No. 1, the diameter of the hole can be calculated without imaging from the close distance. Further, when a fluorescent light source is provided on the back surface of the sheet metal A so that the back surface is illuminated, the contours of the holes and edges become clear.

Next, each hole of the sheet metal A is displayed on the display 28, the necessity of tapping for each hole is designated from the keyboard 25, and tapping command data is input. (See Fig. 5) Angular position data, hole position data,
Hole diameter data. From the tapping command data, NC data for the tapping machine is converted and output by the NC data output program P3 whose outline is shown in FIG.

This NC data is output via the tapping machine interface 26 of the RS232C standard, for example, and input to the tapping machine 3. The NC data may be input to the tapping machine 3 via a magnetic storage medium such as a magnetic disk or a magnetic tape.

In the tapping machine 3, the NC data is input to the tapping machine controller 31, and each hole is tapped based on the received NC data. First, when the sheet metal A is set on the table of the tapping machine 3,
First, the head is moved to the origin position and then to the position of the hole for which tapping command data is designated. And
A drill of a predetermined size is selected based on the hole diameter data of this hole, and the drill is lowered while rotating to perform tapping processing. After tapping, turn the drill upside down and stop the rotation.

Then, it is moved to the position of the next hole to be tapped, a drill having a size corresponding to this hole diameter is selected, and tapping is carried out in the same manner as described above. The movement at this time is performed by calculating the relative position with respect to the position of the previous hole.
After performing the tapping processing as described above on all the holes designated by the tapping machine control device 2, the head is returned to the origin position to complete the tapping.

These tapping processes are not limited to a specific tapping machine, and it is possible to output NC data according to the specifications of the tapping machine to be used. In this manner, all the desired holes in the sheet metal A are tapped according to the specified specifications.

Although the tapping command is input one by one from the keyboard 25, it may be input from a host computer (not shown) or the like. Further, the work efficiency can be further improved by performing the operation of obtaining the predetermined data in the same manner as above by setting the next sheet metal in the reading device 22 in parallel with the tapping process for the sheet metal A.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the head 32 of the tapping machine having the same function as the conventional one is provided with a CCD.
The head driving device provided in the tapping machine is equipped with the camera 33, and also drives the CCD camera 33.
A tapping device may be configured. It is advisable to provide a slit 34, which is different from the one for tapping, on the table on which the sheet metal A is placed and to illuminate it with a light source provided below.

Then, first, without performing tapping processing, the head 32 is scanned to obtain an entire image of the sheet metal A, data of the position and size of the hole are obtained, and then control for tapping is performed based on this data. Data is generated, and a tapping machine selects a drill having a predetermined size to perform tapping processing based on the control data. By doing so, it becomes possible to obtain a great labor-saving effect and space-saving effect.

The position calculating means and the hole diameter calculating means are not limited to the position calculating program P1 and the hole diameter calculating program P2 shown in the figure, but may be software or hardware having equivalent functions.
Further, the NC data output program P3 can have another form.

As described above, the position data and hole diameter data of all the holes can be automatically obtained only by setting the sheet metal A with the holes in the reading device 22. NC data for controlling the tapping machine can be obtained only by designating, and the tapping machine 3 can be controlled by this NC data.
Therefore, according to the tapping device, a great labor-saving effect can be obtained, and the cost of the product can be reduced. Further, since the necessary NC data is automatically obtained, human error such as input error can be eliminated, and the quality of the product can be improved.

[0030]

As described above, according to the control data generating device for a tapping machine of the present invention, the NC for controlling the tapping machine is simply set by setting the work object having a hole at a predetermined position. Since the data can be obtained, a great labor saving effect can be obtained, and the cost of the product can be reduced. Moreover, since the necessary NC data is automatically obtained, human errors such as input errors can be eliminated, and the quality of the product can be improved.

According to the tapping machine control device of the present invention, the NC data for tapping machine control is output by simply setting the work object having a hole at a predetermined position to output the NC data for the conventional NC control. Since the tapping machine can be controlled, the same effect as above can be obtained.
Further, according to the tapping device of the present invention, since the tapping machine control device and the tapping machine are provided, it is only necessary to set a work object having a hole at a predetermined position, and an image is taken of the hole. Since the position data is obtained, the control data for controlling the tapping machine is generated, and the process of tapping is systematically performed, so that further labor-saving effect and space-saving effect can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of configurations of a control data generation device for a tapping machine, a tapping machine control device, and a tapping device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a work process in the tapping machine control device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a work process in the tapping machine control device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a work process in the tapping machine control device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a work process in the tapping machine control device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a position calculation program.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a hole diameter calculation program.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an NC data output program.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of another embodiment of the tapping machine control device of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the tapping device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A work object, sheet metal 1 tapping device 2 tapping machine control device 3 tapping machine 4 imaging means, one-dimensional CCD line sensor 21 imaging means, CCD camera 23 computer 25 tapping command input means, keyboard 26 control means, tapping machine interface 32 tapping Machine head 33 Image pickup means, CCD camera P1 Position calculation means, Position calculation program P2 Hole diameter calculation means, Hole diameter calculation program P3 NC data output program

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yoshio Nakamura 107, Shin-Nakajima, Wakayama City MCC Inc.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means for inputting an image of a work object having a hole of a predetermined size at a predetermined position by a punching press or the like, and a position for arithmetically outputting data indicating the position of the hole from the image. A control data generating device for a tapping machine, comprising: an arithmetic means and an NC data output means for outputting NC data based on the data indicating the position. 2. An image pickup means for inputting an image of a work object having a hole of a predetermined size at a predetermined position by a punching press or the like, and a position for arithmetically outputting data indicating the position of the hole from the image. Calculation means, and hole diameter calculation means for calculating and outputting data indicating the size of the hole from the image,
Tapping command input means for inputting a tapping command as to whether or not to tap the hole; NC data output means for outputting NC data based on the data indicating the position, the data indicating the size, and the tapping command; NC
A tapping machine control device, comprising: a control unit that controls the tapping machine according to data. 3. An image pickup means for inputting an image of a work object having a hole of a predetermined size at a predetermined position by a punching press or the like, and a position for arithmetically outputting data indicating the position of the hole from the image. Calculation means, and hole diameter calculation means for calculating and outputting data indicating the size of the hole from the image,
Tapping command input means for inputting a tapping command for tapping the hole, and control data output means for outputting tapping control data based on the data indicating the position, the data indicating the size, and the tapping command. A tapping machine comprising: a tapping machine for performing tapping processing at a predetermined position and size based on the control data.