JPS6357157A - Transport control method for work pallet in machine tool equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a work pallet to be controlled only by a machining program in a machine tool side, by storing a return instruction of the work pallet to a work pallet storage means in the machining program. CONSTITUTION:A return instruction M100 of a work pallet 9 to a work pallet storage means 10 is left as stored in a machining program PRO. And when this return instruction M100 is read, on the basis of arranged conditions of the work pallets 9 in a pallet changer 3 and a machine tool 2, the optimum action pattern is determined from plural prepared return action patterns. And on the basis of this determined action pattern, it is constituted that return action of the work pallet 9 to the work pallet storage means 10 is performed. That is, the return action of the work pallet 9 to the work pallet storage means 10 is executed on the basis of the instruction stored in the machining program PRO.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Industrial Field of Application The present invention relates to a machine tool such as a machining center, a work pallet storage rack for storing a work pallet, and a work pallet storage rack for storing a work pallet. The present invention relates to a work pallet transport control method suitable for application to machine tool equipment including a work pallet transport robot or the like that transports pallets.

(b), Conventional technology Conventionally, when this type of machine tool is used in certain equipment, the workpiece storage rack and the workpiece storage rack are stored separately from the machine tool log. This was done using a controlled program.

(C) 0 Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with this configuration, in order to properly operate the machine tool equipment, in addition to the machining program on the machine tool side, a control program for managing the work pallets is required. Therefore, the entire configuration was W'it, and there was an inconvenience that it required a lot of time and effort to operate the system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, the present invention aims to provide a method for managing work pallets in machine tool equipment, which allows work pallets to be managed only by the machining program on the machine tool side. .

jLil, Means for solving the problem, that is, the present invention provides a work pallet during the machining program (PRO).
The return command to the work pallet storage means (10) of (9) is stored, and when the waste disposal command is read, the work pallet (9) in the pallet changer (3) and work i [(2) is stored. ) based on the placement status of
The optimum operation pattern is determined from the operation pattern of the return operation of the number of pieces prepared in advance, and the operation of returning the work pallet (9) to the work pallet (9)-storage means is performed based on the determined operation pattern. Be configured.

Note that the numbers in parentheses are for convenience and indicate corresponding elements in the drawings, and therefore, this description should not be limited to the descriptions in the drawings. r (e) below
The same applies to the column ``, action''.

(e) 0 effect With the above configuration, in the present invention, the operation of returning the work pallet (9) to the work pallet storage means (10) is executed based on a command stored in the machining program (PRO). It acts on

(f), Example Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of machine tool equipment to which the present invention is applied, Fig. 2 is a control block diagram showing an example of a numerical control device in machine tool equipment to which the present invention is applied, and Fig. 3 is a pallet. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the loading operation pattern determination subroutine, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the pallet preparation pattern determination subroutine I, and FIG. 6 shows the contents of the pallet layout file memory. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the program file memory. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a machining program.
t is a diagram showing the presence status of work pallets in the work pallet storage rack, pallet changer, and machine tool, and the corresponding work pallet transport pattern when a pallet load command is output.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the presence status of work pallets in the work pallet storage rack and pallet changer and the corresponding work pallet transport pattern when a pallet preparation command is output, and Fig. 11 shows a pallet return command. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the presence status of work pallets in the pallet changer and the machine tool and the corresponding work pallet transport pattern when output.

As shown in Fig. 1, the machine tool equipment 1 has a machine tool 2 such as a machining center, and the machine tool 2 is supplied with a work pallet carrying a workpiece into the machine tool area, and further has a machine tool 2 such as a machining center. The loader 3 on the 2nd side loads the workpiece that has been machined from inside and discharges the workpiece.
A two-part chain 3 is provided starting from a and 3a. A rail 5 is laid in front of the machine tool 2 in the figure, and a work pallet Fn feeding robot 6 is provided on the rail 5 so as to be movable and driven in directions of arrows C and D along the rail 5. . A carriage 7 is supported by the work pallet transport robot 6 so as to be movable and driven in the vertical direction, that is, in the directions of arrows A and B. The carriage 7 transports a work pallet 9, and also supports a pallet changer 3 and a work pallet storage rack to be described later. Can the work pallet 9 be passed between the two?

On the other hand, a work pallet storage rack 10 is provided along the rail 5, and the work pallet storage rack 10 can store a work pallet 9 loaded with a work. are arranged in five rows vertically and six rows horizontally.

By the way, the numerical control device 8 of the machine tool 2 has a main control section 11, as shown in FIG. , pallet transport control section 15, mechanism control section 16
, a program file memory 17, a keyboard 19, etc., and further connected to the transfer robot control section 21 of the work pallet transfer robot 6 via the line 20.The machine tool equipment 1 has the above-described configuration. Since we have
When the machine tool 2 processes a workpiece on a workpiece pallet 9 stored in a workpiece pallet storage rack 10, the main control section 11 reads out a machining program PRO to be executed from the program file memory 17. As shown in FIG. 7, the program file memory 17 stores a plurality of machining programs PRO to be executed by the machine tool 2, each assigned a machining program number PNO, and the main control unit 11 Based on the machining program number PNO instructed from the keyboard 19 etc., the machining program PRO1e to which the corresponding machining program number PNO is attached is generated from the program file memory 17h).
Read out the pallet management program P shown in FIG.
The machining program PRO is executed based on MP.

That is, the pallet management program PMP executes step S1.
Then, the command of the first block of the machining program PRO read from the program file memory 17 shown in FIG. 8 is read. The first command is rMlolj, and this M1+2-digit command is regarded as a command to load the work pallet 9 to the machine tool 2 in the machining program PRO. That is, Mlol is the number 1 following the M code.
indicates a command to load the work pallet 9 to the machine tool 2, and the following two-digit number indicates the pallet number P T N of the work pallet 9 to be loaded. Therefore, Ml
ol is a command to load the work pallet 9 whose pallet number PTN is 01 into the machine tool [2].

The pallet management program PMP thus manages the r M
1 * * 2 directive (** is a specific number.

Same below. ) is in the machining program PRO, the loading operation pattern determination subroutine SUB 1 is executed for the pallet transport control section a 15 to determine the loading operation when transporting the workpiece pallet 9 to the machine tool 2. Let the pattern be determined.

That is, in step S3 of the subroutine 5UB1, as shown in FIG. 4, it is determined whether or not the work pallet 9 that has been instructed to be loaded is being set up by an operator. When the work pallet 71-3 is being set up, it is impossible to supply the work pallet 9, so wait for the set up to be completed in step S4, and when the set up is completed, or step S
3, if it is determined that the work pallet 9 is not being set up, the process proceeds to step S5, where work + a + 4 (i
: "Machine" in ID means machine tool 2. Same below. ) 2, and determines whether the work pallet 9 exists in the machine tool 2. If the work pallet 9 does not exist in the machine tool 2, the process proceeds to step S6,
(r2Pc in the diagram means “double pallet changer 3”)
It is an abbreviation of Same below. ) 3 to determine whether there is a work pallet 9 on it.

These determination operations are performed by the pallet transport control section 15 searching the pallet layout file and memory 13.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pallet layout file memory 13 stores a pallet layout file PLF, and the pallet layout 7 isle PLF indicates where each work pallet 9 currently exists. It is shown in correspondence with the pallet number P T N attached to 9.

In the palette layout file PLF, "L": yo.
"rM" means that the work pallet 9 is in the machine tool 2, "RJ" means that the work pallet 9 is in the storage rack 10, and "P" means that the work pallet 9 is on the pallet changer 3. do. In addition, rL",
The numbers after "rM", "rR", and "rp" are identification numbers that indicate individual storage locations; for example, "rR3" is storage rack 1.
The number within 0 indicates that there is a work pallet 9 in storage g110a of 3. Accordingly, when referring to the palette layout file PLF, the work baleno;・9
You can immediately know the current location of.

As a result of referring to the pallet layout file PLF in this way, if there is no work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3, the operation pattern is determined to be ``ra''. That is, the operation pattern raJ is based on the pallet number PT commanded in the work pallet storage rank 10, as shown in FIG.
This is a case where there are N work pallets 9, but there are no work pallets 9 (regardless of the pallet number P T N) in the pallet changer 3 and machine +1 machine 2. In this case, the work pallet storage rack 10 and the machine Since there is no obstacle to loading the work pallet 9 between the machines 2, the work pallet transfer robot 6 transfers the pallet number P from the predetermined work pallet storage g1410a of the work pallet storage rack 10 to the pallet chender 3.
The operation pattern is such that a work pallet 9 with T N of 01 is transported, and then the pallet changer 3 supplies the work pallet 9 to the machine tool 2. In the work pallet transport robot 6, the carriage 7 is driven to move in the directions of arrows A and B, and the entire work pallet transport robot 6 moves along the rails 5 in the directions of arrows C and D, so that the workpieces on the work pallet 9 are moved. The transfer between the pallet storage rack 10 and the pallet changer 3 should be carried out smoothly.

Next, if the work pallet 9 is present on the pallet changer 3 in step S6, as shown in FIG.
In step S7, it is determined whether the work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 is the work pallet 9 that has been instructed to be loaded.

If the work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 is the work pallet 9 that has been commanded to be loaded, supplying the work pallet 9 into the machine tool 2 will complete the execution of the M1*N command, so the command should be executed. Change the movement pattern to “e”
I decide. That is, the operation pattern "e" is a case where there is a work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 that has been instructed to load, but there is no work pallet 9 in the machine tool 2, as shown in FIG. Yes, the pallet chender 3 immediately supplies the work pallet 9 to the machine 43 which has been instructed to load the load.

Further, in step S7, the work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 is changed to the work pallet 9 that received the load command.
If not, the motion pattern is determined to be "c". That is, in this case, as shown in FIG. 9, the work pallet 9 corresponding to the load command is stored in the work pallet storage rack 10, and there is another work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3. Furthermore, this is a case where there is no work pallet 9 in the machine tool area 2. Then, since the work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 becomes an obstacle to supplying a predetermined work pallet 9 to the machine tool 2, the work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 is first transferred to the work pallet by the work pallet continuous feeding robot 6. Predetermined work pallet storage f1110 of pallet storage rack 10
After that, the work pallet 9 corresponding to the load command is supplied from the work pallet storage rack 10 to the machine tool 2 via the pallet changer 3.

Further, in step S5 in FIG. 4, if it is determined that the work pallet 9 exists in the machine tool 2, the process proceeds to step S8, and the work pallet 9 in the machine 4m+42 is commanded to be loaded. It is determined whether the work pallet is 9 or not. Work pallet 9 in the machine tool 2
In the case of the work pallet 9 for which loading has been instructed, it is determined that there is an error in the loading instruction for M1** of the nib μgram PRO, and an alarm is generated in step S9 to warn the operator. If the workpiece pallet (workpiece pallet 9) in the machine tool 2 is not the workpiece pallet 9 that was commanded to be loaded,
Entering step SIO, it is determined whether or not the work pallet 9 exists on the pallet changer 3. If the work pallet 9 does not exist on the pallet changer 3,
Movement pattern: Decided to be yorbi.

As shown in FIG. 9, the operation pattern "rb" means that the work pallet 9 of the load command is in the work pallet storage rack 10, there is no work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3, and there is no work pallet 9 in the machine tool weave 2. Another work pallet 9
exists. In this case, unless the work pallet 9 in the machine tool 2 is taken out, a new work pallet 9 cannot be loaded, so the work pallet transport robot 6 loads the work pallet 9 from the work pallet storage rack 10. At the same time, the pallet changer 3 exchanges the work pallet 9 supplied by the work pallet transfer robot 6 with another work pallet 9 in the machining +[2, and transfers the work pallet 9 to the work pallet 9. is an operation in which the work pallet transport robot 6 returns the work pallet to a predetermined work pallet storage shelf 10a.

Next, if it is determined in step 310 that there is a work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3, step Sll is entered, and it is determined whether the work pallet 9 existing on the pallet changer 3 is the work pallet 9 to be loaded. Determine. As a result, the work pallet 9 existing on the pallet changer 3 is the work pallet 9 to be loaded.
If it is determined that the movement pattern is not
d” is determined.

"Movement pattern rd" means that, as shown in FIG.
0, and there is another work pallet 9 in the pallet changer 3 and the machine tool 2. In this case, first the pallet changer 3
Unless the upper work pallet 9 is removed, the work pallet 9 for which the load command has been issued cannot be loaded. Therefore, the work pallet transfer robot 6 transfers another workpiece 9 on the pallet changer 3 to a predetermined work pallet storage shelf 1.0a by +2- pallet continuous conveyance robot 6.
After returning the work pallet 9 with the load command, the work pallet 9 with the load command is transferred from the work pallet storage rack 10 onto the pallet changer 3, and the pallet changer 3 transfers it to another work pallet 9 in the machine tool 2 and the supplied work. The pallet 9 is replaced and a predetermined work pallet 9 is supplied to the machine tool 1f22, and until then the machine tool 2
The work pallet 9 inside is returned to the work storage rank 10.

Further, if the work pallet 9 existing on the pallet changer 3 is the work pallet 9 to which the load command was issued in step 311, the operation pattern becomes "f".

That is, the operation pattern rfJ is based on the work pallet 9 to be loaded onto the pallet changer 3 as shown in FIG.
In this case, the pallet changer 3 is driven to change the work pallet 9 in the machine tool 2 and the work pallet 9 to be loaded on the pallet changer 3. is replaced, and another work pallet 9 that was previously in the machine tool 2 is returned to the work storage rack 10.

In this way, the pallet transport control unit 15 outputs the pallet layout file P L F J! in the layout file memory 13. ! Subroutine SUB while referencing
1, the main control unit 11 determines the operation pattern for transporting the work pallet 9 in steps 312 and 313 of the pallet management program PMP, based on the operation pattern determined by the subroutine SUR1.
The transfer robot control unit 21 and mechanism control unit 16 are instructed to load the work pallet 9. Upon receiving this, the transfer robot control unit 21 and mechanism control unit 16
The transport operation of the work pallet 9 is started by driving and controlling the work pallet transport robot 6 and the pallet changer 3, respectively. Note that steps 312 and 3
13 is a case where the operation pattern is "a". Next, in step 514, the next block of the machining program PRO is read out, and as shown in FIG. 8, the command 7M202J is stored in this block.

This command "M 2 * * J" is a command to prepare the work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 in the machining program PRO. In other words, M2O2 means that the number 2 following the M code is the one on the work pallet 9. It means a preparation command to the pallet changer 3, and the following two-digit number means the pallet number PTN of the work pallet 9 to be loaded. Therefore, M2O2 is the pallet number P T N
This is a command to prepare a work pallet 9 with a value of 02 on the pallet changer 3.

In this way, the main control unit 11: ``zs 2 * *
If a command 4 is present in the machining program PRO, the pallet transport control unit 15 executes the preparation pattern determination subroutine 5LI82 to prepare for transporting the work pallet 9 to the pallet changer 3. Let them determine the movement pattern of their movements. Note that step 31
After reading M2O2 according to No. 4, the main control section 11 performs work #A for the mechanism control section 1 in step S15.
Work pallet 9 in machine 2 (Canada 7 in Figure 8)
1. In the case of P RO, the pallet number PTN instructs machining of the work pallet 9) of 01, and in response to this, the mechanism control unit 16 executes processing commands from the multiple machining commands stored in M2O2 of the machining program PRO. Processing command collection CO
D is executed to perform predetermined machining on the workpiece on the workpiece palletator in the machine tool 2.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
At *, it is determined whether the work pallet 9 whose preparation has been instructed is being set up by the operator.

If the work pallet 9 is in setup 9, it is impossible to prepare the work pallet 9 for the pallet changer 3.
In step 317, wait until the setup is completed, and if the setup is completed or if it is determined in step 316 that the work pallet 9 is not being setup, the work pallet 9 is transferred to the pallet changer 3 in step 318.
Determine whether it is above. If the work pallet 9 is not on the pallet changer 3, the operation pattern is rg
It is determined that J.

As shown in FIG. 10, operation pattern "g" is a case where there is a commanded work pallet 9 in the work pallet storage rack 10 and there is no work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3. In this case, , the work pallet transfer robot 6 transfers the instructed work pallet 9 from the work pallet storage rack 10 onto the pallet changer 3.

Next, if it is determined in step 318 that there is a work pallet 9 on the valent changer 3, the process proceeds to step 519 to determine whether the work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 is the instructed work pallet 9. Determine whether Work pallet 9 on pallet changer 3
If the work pallet 9 is the commanded work pallet 9, the target work pallet 9 is already prepared on the pallet changer 3, so no operation is performed, but the work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 If 1-9 is not the commanded work pallet 9, the operation pattern is determined as "hj".

As shown in FIG. 10, "operation pattern Fh" refers to a case where there is a commanded work pallet 9 in the work pallet storage rack 10 and another work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3. Since the work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 is an obstacle to executing the preparation command, first the work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 is moved to the work pallet storage shelf in the predetermined work pallet storage rack 10 by the work pallet transfer robot 6. 10a, and thereafter the instructed work pallet 9 is fed onto the pallet changer 3 by the work pallet transport robot 6.

In this way, the pallet transport control unit 15 issues the preparation command M2**
After determining the operation pattern corresponding to the operation pattern, the main control section 11 immediately instructs the transfer robot control section 21 to perform a preparation operation for the work pallet 9 based on the determined operation pattern. As a result, a workpiece to be processed next is prepared on the pallet changer 3 while the mechanism control section 16 is processing the workpiece.

The main control unit 11 also operates a pallet management program PMP.
In step 320, is the machining of the work mounted on the work pallet 9 in the work iwtZ (in the case of the machining program PRO shown in Fig. 8, the work mounted on the work pallet 9 with pallet number PTN 01) completed? is monitored, and if it is determined that the machining of the workpiece has been completed (step 321 is entered, the machining program P
The pallet number PTN in RO is stored in the next block of the machining command collection COD corresponding to 01, t:M1O
Read the second command. As mentioned above, the M1** command is a command to load the work pallet 9 to the machine tool 1f22, so the main control unit 11 causes the pallet transport control unit 15 to execute subroutine SUB1 to determine the operation pattern at that time. Let me decide. In this case, the workpiece to be processed next is prepared on the pallet changer 3 due to the preparation command from M2**, so the operation pattern is 7f.
”, and in step 322, the pallet changer 3 is activated via the mechanism control unit 16! Pallet number P T
The work pallet 9 with N=02 is loaded into the machine tool 2, and the work pallet 9 carrying the completed workpiece with pallet number PTN 01 is pulled out onto the pallet changer 3.

Next, the main control unit 11 reads the next command block of the machining program PRO in step 323, and this block stores a preparation command for the work pallet 9 called M2O3, as shown in FIG. . Therefore, the main control unit 11 instructs the mechanism control unit 16 to process the newly supplied work pallet 9 using the machining program PRO.
At the same time, in step 325, the machined workpiece is loaded on the pallet changer 3 based on the operation pattern "f". The transfer robot controller 21 is instructed to return the work pallet 9 with pallet number PTN 01 to a predetermined work pallet I[l'[10a.

In this way, the main control unit 1
1; Instructs the pallet transport control unit 15 to perform an operation pattern based on the M2O3 preparation command in subroutine 5tJB2.
Let it be decided by. In this case, the operation pattern is "1g", and the command work pallet 9 (pallet number PTN is 0).
3) is fed onto the pallet changer 3 in step 326.

In step 327, the main control unit 11 constantly monitors whether machining of the workpiece on the workpiece pallet 9 with pallet number PTN 02 in the machine tool 2 is completed, and when machining of the workpiece is completed, step 328 Then, the next command M1O3 is read.

Since M1** is a loading command for the work pallet 9, the main control unit 11 sends subroutine S to the pallet transport control unit 15.
The operation pattern is determined by UB1. in this case,
Since the work pallet 9 with pallet number PTN 03 has already been supplied to the pallet changer 3 by the M2O3 command, the operation pattern is "f" and step S
Work pallet 9 with pallet number PTN 03 at 29
is supplied to the machine tool 2, and M in step S30
Workpiece storage shelf 10 of workpiece pallet 9 loaded with processed workpieces processed according to the processing command set COD following the 1O3 command and according to the operation pattern "f" in step 531
Please return it to a. In this case, since there is no M2 end zero command after the M1O3 command, no new work pallet 9 is prepared on the pallet changer 3.

In step 332, the main IIJ M section 11 determines whether machining of the workpiece loaded on the workpiece pallet 9 with pallet number PTN 03 has been completed. So, Canadian nib 4g P
Reads the command M100 of the next block of RO. This command is a command to return all work pallets 9 in the machine tool 2 and on the pallet changer 3 to the work pallet storage shelf 10a, and there are three types of return operation patterns as shown in FIG. do. That is, the main control section 11
When the M100 command is read, it instructs the pallet transport control unit 15 to determine a return operation pattern.

As shown in FIG. 11, when there is a work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 and in the machine tool 2, the pallet transport control unit 15 sets the operation pattern to "1" and first moves the workpiece pallet 9 on the bar I knot changer 3. The work pallet 9 is returned to the work pallet storage rack 10, and the work tffi is
The work pallet 9 in tAZ is pulled out onto the pallet changer 3 and returned to the work pallet storage rack 10 by the work pallet attempt robot 6. In addition, there is a work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3, and the machine tool 2
If there is no work pallet 9 inside, the operation pattern "J" is used in which only the work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3 is returned to the work pallet storage rack 10. Furthermore, there is no work pallet 9 on the pallet changer 3,
If there is a work pallet 9 in the work PA[2, an operation pattern rk in which the work pallet 9 in the machine tool +It2 is pulled out onto the pallet changer 3 and then the work pallet 9 is returned to the work pallet storage rack 10.''
becomes.

In this way, when the pallet transport control unit 15 determines the return operation pattern based on the ~1100 command, the main control unit 11 causes the mechanism control unit 16 and the transport robot control unit 21 to return the work pallet 9 based on the determined operation pattern. A command is issued to return the workpiece pallet to the work pallet storage rack 10, and predetermined operations are performed in steps S34 and 335 (in this case, operation pattern "k"), and the execution of the nib = multi-ram PRO is completed. do.

igj0 Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, a command to return the work pallet 9 such as Mloo to the work pallet storage means such as the work pallet storage rack 10 is stored in the machining program PRO. Then, when the return command is read, the optimum operation pattern is determined from a plurality of return operation patterns prepared in advance, based on the arrangement status of the work pallets in the pallet changer 3 and the machine tool 2. Since the structure is configured such that the operation of returning the work pallet 9 to the work pallet storage means is performed based on the determined operation pattern, the operation of returning the work pallet 9 to the work pallet storage means can be performed in the machining program PRO. This eliminates the need for a dedicated program for returning the work pallet 9 that is separate from the machining program PRO, allowing for simple and hassle-free system operation control of work pallet transport in machine tool equipment. It becomes possible to provide a method.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of machine tool equipment to which the present invention is applied, Fig. 2 is a control block diagram showing an example of a numerical control device in machine tool weaving equipment to which the present invention is applied, and Fig. 3 is a pallet. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the loading operation pattern determination subroutine, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the pallet preparation pattern determination subroutine, and FIG. 6 is the pallet layout file model. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the fucogram file memory, Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a machining program, and Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the contents of a pallet load command. A diagram showing the presence status of work pallets in work pallet storage racks, pallet changers, and machine tools, and the corresponding work pallet transport patterns. Figure 10 shows the work pallet storage rack when a pallet preparation command is output. Figure 11 shows the existence status of work pallets in the pallet changer and the machine tool, and the corresponding work pallet transport pattern. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a work pallet transport pattern corresponding to the work pallet. 1... Machine 81 machine equipment 2 Machine tool 3... Pallet changer 6... Work pallet transport means (work pallet transport robot) 9 - Work pallet 10... Work pallet storage means (work pallet storage Rack) Applicant Yamazaki Mazak Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Phase 1) Shinji (and 1 other person) '17y7u15, I
- + Figure 2 Figure 1' L J 5UB2 Figure 6 LF Figure 7 48 Figure ``I02 ■''

Claims (1)

[Claims] A work pallet storage means for storing a work pallet, a machine tool, and a work pallet for supplying and supplying the work pallet to the machine tool.
In machine tool equipment having a pallet changer for discharging and a work pallet transport means for transporting the work pallet between the work pallet storage means and the pallet changer, a command to return the work pallet to the work pallet storage means is issued during a machining program. When the return command is read, the optimal movement pattern is determined from among the movement patterns of multiple return movements prepared in advance, based on the placement status of the work pallets in the pallet changer and machine tool. A method for controlling the transport of a work pallet in machine tool equipment, wherein the work pallet is returned to the work pallet storage means based on the determined operation pattern.