JPH0796447A - Tool control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatize monitoring of the state of a tool and correlation between a work and the tool so as to improve an availability factor. CONSTITUTION:Length, diameter and tool faults of a tool installed on an NC machine tool 4 are detected and the kind of the tool is monitored. Only in the case when all the necessary tools required for machining the work are in a tool magazine, the work is machined, and in other cases, the work is exchanged, and the exchanged work is machined.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an NC control automatic machining means for automatically machining a work, for example, a tool management device used for efficiently utilizing a magazine center or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When performing high-mix low-volume production or high-mix low-volume production, multiple types of workpieces are continuously automatically machined with high flexibility in order to improve productivity, save labor, and reduce costs. Therefore, a tool management device for machining a work has been developed. FIG. 17 shows a conventional tool management device developed for this purpose and described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 294951/1992.

This tool management device, when the production plan data input section 100 for inputting the production plan data and the production plan data from the production plan data input section 100 are changed,
Search for all tools used for the parts specified in all production planning data other than processed, and compare them with the tools on the tool magazine mounted on the NC machine tool (not shown) Among the tools necessary for machining the designated parts, the tools that are not in the tool magazine are determined to be insufficient tools, and the unnecessary tools are determined to be unnecessary tools. Based on the tool usage time for each tool specified in the tool layout, the tool usage time is accumulated, and the remaining tool life value of the tool installed in the NC machine tool magazine is compared with the tool usage cumulative value. And a spare tool prediction determination unit 120 that calculates the number of spare tools from the tool life set value of each tool set in the tool master data, and a tool that has become a life during machining and a broken tool that has broken. Poor tool to determine the jig determining section 1
30 and a supply / recovery tool determination unit 140 that determines to supply an insufficient tool and a spare tool as a supply tool from a tool chamber and to recover an unnecessary tool and a defective tool as a recovery tool. . .

When the production plan data and the machining process data are input to such a tool management device, the tool layout data for each process, the ATC (automatic tool change) layout data representing the tool mounted on each NC machine tool, and the A spare tool list, a shortage tool list, an unnecessary tool list, and a bad tool list are created based on the tool master data in which the life set time of each tool is registered, and the spare tool list and the shortage tool list are supplied from the tool room. As a list, an unnecessary tool list and a bad tool list are output as a collected tool list.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, since there is no means for confirming whether the correct tool has been installed after the tool setup, machining with a tool different from the intended tool is performed. There is a possibility that the tool may be damaged or the NC machine tool may be broken. Further, after listing out the necessary tools, if the tool is not attached, the NC machine tool may stop, and the operating efficiency decreases.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances. The tool setup time is shortened by calculating the contents of the tool setup, and the tool management is performed in consideration of tool life and tool loss. Even if the tool that has been set up is judged to be the correct tool and the machining with the correct tool is instructed, and even if the instructed tool setup is not performed, only the workable workpiece is machined. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool management device capable of improving the operating rate of NC machine tools.

[0007]

A tool management device of the present invention is an NC machine tool having one or more tool magazines, and an automatic work changing device for exchanging a work for the NC machine tool. Measurement and detection means for measuring the tool major axis of the tool attached to the NC machine tool and detecting tool loss, life for each type of tool, standard tool length and standard tool diameter, tool length error tolerance and tool Means for storing a diameter error tolerance, means for comparing the tool major axis measured by the measurement detecting means and the stored tool major axis, monitoring of the state of the tool in the tool magazine, and tool setup position Of the tools installed in the
When calculating the tool including the number of spare tools required when executing the machining schedule assigned to the machine tool and calculating the unnecessary tool, and when machining the workpiece attached to the automatic work changer And a control device for issuing a command to carry the work into the NC machine tool when all the tools required for the above are mounted in the tool magazine. In the above configuration, the number of spare tools is included based on the type of work scheduled to be machined assigned to the NC machine tool and the number of machining plans, and the tool type and usage time analyzed from the NC program used for machining the work. The control device outputs an instruction to install the required tool and an instruction to remove the unnecessary tool.
Information is also output for tools that have reached the end of their lives during machining or that have lost chips. The measurement detection means confirms whether the attached tool is a correct tool and prevents machining with a different tool. Further, the control device instructs to load the work into the NC machine tool only when all the tools necessary for machining the work attached to the automatic work changing device are attached to the tool magazine, and thereby the tool is loaded. Prevents the NC machine tool from stopping because there is no

[0008]

1 shows the structure of an embodiment of the present invention, in which a tool main magazine 6 and a tool sub-magazine 7 are provided.
C machine tool 4, an automatic work changing device 5 that carries a work to be machined into the NC machine tool 4, an NC device (hereinafter, referred to as a CNC) that controls the NC machine tool 4, and a programmable logic controller ( Hereinafter, referred to as PLC), and a control device 1 that performs overall control and various controls described later. The apparatus having such a configuration performs processing based on the processing schedule created from the processing lot input to the control device 1. The contents of the machining schedule are the machining priority order of the workpiece, the machining program number and the machine tool number. In the case of the present embodiment, the machining machine is determined at the time when the schedule is generated from the inputted lot. Of the tool main magazine 6 and the tool sub-magazine 7 provided in the NC machine tool 4, the tool main magazine 6 has a tool automatic tool changing device (hereinafter referred to as AT) as shown in FIG.
It is written as C. ) It has a mechanism for moving to the position of 10. A tool mounting pot 24 is used as this tool carrier, and each tool mounting pot 24 is numbered. The tool main magazine 6 is operated by the main magazine operation panel 9.

On the other hand, the operation of the tool sub magazine 7 is switched by operating the sub magazine operation panel 8.
FIG. 7 shows an example of the sub-magazine operation panel 8. The manual interruption button 18 of the operation panel 8 can be pressed to switch to the manual operation, while the push button to the automatic return button 19 controls the sub-magazine 7. Can be automatically operated. In the case of manual operation, the tool sub-magazine 7 does not automatically operate even during automatic processing, and tool setup can be performed in this state. The tool setup is the tool mounting pot 2 at the tool setup position 12 (see FIG. 2).
4 by attaching or removing tools. Then, by inputting the tool group number of the attached tool to the attachment tool input digital switch 21 of the sub magazine operation panel 8 and pressing the tool attachment button 22, the pot number for the tool setup and the tool group number of the attached tool are displayed. Input to the control device 1. In the control device 1, the service life time, the tool diameter, the tool length, the tool diameter, and the allowable value of the tool length corresponding to the tool group number are registered. The control device 1 notifies the CNC 2 of the pot number, the group number, and the life time of the attached tool, whereby the life management information can be set.

The tool exchange hand 11 is used for the delivery of tools between the tool sub magazine 7 and the tool main magazine 6.
(See FIG. 2). In addition, the tool change from the tool main magazine 6 to the NC machine tool 4 is ATC10.
Done by

At the machining position of the NC machine tool 4, the measurement detecting means shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is provided. This measurement and detection means includes a measurement and detection element 14 on the table 13.
It is configured with. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the tool length of the tool 15 is measured, and the tip portion of the tool 15 is the measurement detection element 14
The measurement is performed by contacting the side surface of the detection head 14a. If the predetermined value is not reached in this measurement, the measurement detection means detects a tool loss. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the tool diameter of the tool 15 is measured, and the measurement is performed by bringing the tip end surface of the tool 15 into contact with the upper surface of the detection head 14a of the measurement detection element 14. Even in this measurement, if the predetermined value is not reached, the measurement detection means detects the tool loss.

The CNC 2 and the PLC 3 have a tool life management function, a preliminary tool calling function, an automatic tool length measuring function, and a tool loss detection function. The tool life management function is a function of managing the life of the tool attached to the tool magazine by counting the usage time and adding up the usage times. Tools that have reached the end of their life are not used. The added usage time is notified to the control device 1. Thereby, the control device 1 can monitor the usage time of each tool in the tool magazine. In this case, the tools are managed in group units, and the same tool group is the same type of tools and has the same life. The spare tool calling function is a function of making the corresponding tool unusable and calling and using the same tool group when the tool usage time reaches the set tool life time or when the tool is lost. The automatic tool major axis measurement function automatically measures the tool length and the tool diameter by bringing the tool 15 into contact with the detection head 14a of the measurement detection element 14 when an unused tool is called for the first time. It is a function. When this automatic tool major axis measurement is performed, the CNC 2 and the PLC 3 notify the control device 1 of the measured value. After the tool has been used, the tool loss detection function measures the tool 15 with the detection head 1 of the measurement detection element 14.
This is a function of determining whether or not the tool is missing by bringing it into contact with 4a. If it is missing, the tool is unusable. And CNC2 and PL
When C3 determines that the tool is missing, the information is notified to the control device 1.

The tool magazine monitoring information of the control device 1 is tool information corresponding to each tool mounting pot 24, and the contents include a tool group number and a tool usage state (unused, in use, life, loss, forced use disabled). ) And tool life time and tool usage time, tool length and tool diameter, and tool length allowable value and tool diameter allowable value. Here, the "unused" state is a tool that has never been attached to the tool magazine and has never been used. The "in use" state means that the tool has been used more than once and the usage time has not reached the end of its life. The "life" state means that the tool is not used anymore after the usage time exceeds the set life time, the "damage" state causes a chip during machining, and the tool is not used anymore. It is a tool that has decided not to use it.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. Before the device is operated, the life time corresponding to the tool group number, the tool length and the tool diameter, and the tool length allowable value and the tool diameter allowable value are registered in the control device 1. FIG. 10 shows the control device 1.
An example of the registered contents displayed by the CRT is shown.

Further, a machining program corresponding to the workpiece to be machined is registered. The control device 1 calculates the tool group number and the usage time for each work from the registered machining program. FIG. 12 shows an example of this information. Further, the control device 1 constantly monitors the status of the tool magazine and updates the magazine status file. FIG. 11 shows an example of this update content.

FIG. 13 shows the processing after the above lot input. First, the lot is input to the control device 1 (step S1). The control device 1 creates a schedule from the inputted lot (step S2), and at the same time, the type and number of schedules assigned to each NC machine tool and each N
From the life expectancy of the tools in the tool magazine of the C machine tool, the type and number of tools required to process all the schedules assigned to each NC machine tool are calculated (step S
3). In addition, a tool that is not required to process the entire schedule from the tool magazine is calculated (step S
4). The calculated necessary tool and unnecessary tool are C of the control device 1.
Display on RT or output to printer. FIG. 8 shows an example of the necessary tool information that is output, and FIG. 9 shows an example of the unnecessary tool information that is output.

FIG. 14 shows a flow chart of the tool setup work. The worker performs tool setup based on the necessary tool list (see FIG. 8) and the unnecessary tool list (see FIG. 9) output by the above procedure (step S11). At this time, the manual interrupt button 18 of the sub magazine operation panel 8 is pushed. As a result, the tool sub magazine 7 does not operate even during automatic machining. In this state, the sub magazine normal rotation button 17 or the sub magazine reverse rotation button 18 is operated to move the empty pot in the tool sub magazine 7 to the tool setup position 12.
The operator attaches the required tool from the tool setup position 12 to the tool sub-magazine 7, inputs the attached tool group number from the attachment tool input digital switch 21, and presses the tool attachment button 22 (step S12). Alternatively, the unnecessary tool is moved to the tool setup position 12, the unnecessary tool is removed, and then the tool removal button 23 is pressed (step S1).
2).

The control device 1 uses the input tool group number to calculate the life setting time corresponding to the tool group number as CN.
Notify C2 and set the tool group number and tool life time corresponding to the magazine pot number required for life management and the unused status of the tool status (unused, in use, life, missing, forced use) Is changed (step S1
3). Then, the control device 1 updates the tool magazine information in the control device 1 and the necessary tool file (step S14), and further updates the unnecessary tool file (step S15). After all the tool setups instructed as described above are completed, the automatic return button 19 of the sub magazine operation panel 8 is pressed to return the operation to automatic.

FIG. 15 shows the processing after the start of processing. When the machining is started (step S31) and the automatic tool exchange is executed (step S32), the use time is added to the tool returned to the magazine. The added usage time is C
The control device 1 is notified by the NC 2. The control device 1 determines whether the usage time of the tool exceeds the life time of the corresponding tool by adding the usage times (step S33). If the tool is at the end of its life, the tool is regarded as a life tool, and the magazine status monitoring file shown in FIG. 11 is updated (step S34) and the necessary tool file shown in FIG. 8 is updated (step S34).
And updating the unnecessary tool file shown in FIG. 9 (step S
36) and. In this case, the control device 1 outputs that the tool has reached the end of its life, via the CRT or the printer.

When a new tool to be used next is attached to the spindle, the CNC 2 confirms the usage state of the tool (step S37), and when the tool is not in use, automatically measures the major axis of the tool (step S38). This measurement result is notified to the control device 1. The control device 1 determines whether the tool is a target tool based on the measurement result, the standard value, and the allowable value (step S39). When it is determined that the tool is not the target tool, the tool state is set to the forced unusable state (step S4
1) Update the magazine status monitoring file (Step S
42) and updating the required tool file (step S43)
Then, the unnecessary tool file is updated (step S44). Then, the control device 1 outputs via a CRT or a printer that the attached tools are different.

The control device 1 checks whether or not the same tool exists in the tool magazine (step S45). If the same tool exists, the process returns to the execution of ATC in step S32. When the same tool does not exist, the work payout process is performed (step S53).

On the other hand, when it is determined that the tool attached to the spindle is correct, the control device 1 changes the tool status in the magazine status monitoring file to "in use" (step S40). Then, the processing is executed (step S46).

After using the tool attached to the spindle, the tool defect detection is performed on the tool (step S47). When the tool is missing, the CNC 2 gives a tool missing notice to the control device 1. Then, the control device 1 outputs the fact that the tool is lost via the CRT or the printer.

If the tool is missing, the controller 1 sets the tool status of the tool to the missing status, updates the magazine status monitoring file (step S48), updates the required tool file (step S49), and unnecessarily. The tool is updated (step S50). Then, the work being processed is regarded as a defective work (step S51), the processing is interrupted, and the work is discharged outside the machine (step S53). If the tool is not missing, the above processing is repeated until the machining is completed (step S52). When this processing is completed, the processed work is delivered to the outside of the machine and the processing is completed. (Step S53).

FIG. 16 is a flow chart for performing automatic work piece exchange control. The control device 1 checks the state of the NC machine tool 4 (step S21), and does not perform the processing when the NC machine tool 4 is being machined. When the machining is completed, it is checked whether or not there is a workpiece waiting for machining (step S22). If it does not exist, the process ends. If they exist, it is checked whether or not all the tools necessary for machining the workpiece waiting for machining are present in the tool magazine (step S23).

On the other hand, if it does not exist, the work to be machined is removed from the machining target (step S25), and the process returns to step 22. If it exists, it is checked whether or not there is a work in the NC machine tool (step S26).
If the work exists in the machine tool, the work is paid out (step S27). Then, the workpiece to be machined is carried into the NC machine tool 4 (step S28), and machining is started (step S29).

In such automatic workpiece exchange control, the workpiece is machined only when all the tools required for machining are present in the tool magazine. In other cases, the workpiece is replaced and the workpiece is replaced with the tool. Since the comparison is made, the operation rate is improved.

In this embodiment as described above, the tool setup time can be shortened by the information of the tool magazine, the information of the necessary tools necessary for machining, and the information of the removable tools, and the state of the tool magazine can be checked. It is possible to simplify. Further, at the time of tool setup, since the attached tool is automatically passed or rejected, it is possible to prevent destruction due to an error in tool setup. Further, even when the instructed tool setup is not performed, only the work that can be processed is carried into the NC machine tool and processed, so that the operation rate of the NC machine tool can be improved.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the type and number of tools required at the time of lot input and the removable tools from the tool magazine are calculated, so the setup time of the tools can be shortened. Since the pass / fail inspection of the attached tool is automatically performed, it is possible to prevent the damage of the tool due to an error in the tool setup and the destruction of the NC machine tool, and even if the instructed tool setup is not performed, Since the work that can be processed by the tool currently attached to the tool magazine is carried into the NC machine tool and processed, the operation efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a tool magazine arrangement according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a measurement detection unit.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a measurement detection unit.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the operation of the measurement detection means.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the operation of the measurement detection means.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a sub magazine operation panel.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a list of required tools.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing a list of unnecessary tools.

FIG. 10 is a front view showing a tool registration list.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing a tool magazine list.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing work tool information.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart after lot input processing.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of tool setup work.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of processing processing.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of work replacement control.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Control device 4 NC machine tool 5 Automatic work changing device 6 Tool main magazine 7 Tool sub magazine

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An NC machine tool having one or more tool magazines, an automatic work changing device for exchanging a work for the NC machine tool, and measurement of a tool major axis of a tool attached to the NC machine tool. And a tool detection means for detecting tool loss, a tool life for each type of tool, a standard tool length and a standard tool diameter, a means for storing a tool length error allowable value and a tool diameter error allowable value, and the measurement detection Means for comparing the tool major axis measured by the means with the stored tool major axis, monitoring of the state of the tool in the tool magazine, monitoring of the tool installed at the tool setup position, and allocation to the NC machine tool Calculation of tools including the number of spare tools required when executing the specified machining schedule and calculation of unnecessary tools, and mounting on the automatic work changer And a control device for issuing a command to carry the work into the NC machine tool when all of the tools required for processing the work are attached to the tool magazine. Tool management device.