Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
2004-03-18
2004-12-28
Picard, Leo (Department: 2125)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S108000, C702S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06836698
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a maintenance system for machine tools which has: one or more user management apparatuses connected to numerical control sections of one or more machine tools each including a driving mechanism section and a numerical control section for controlling the operation of the driving mechanism section; and a manufacturer management apparatus disposed on the side of a manufacturer who manufactures the machine tools, and in which the user management apparatuses and the manufacturer management apparatus are connectable to one another via the Internet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large number of components each having its use limit, i.e. the life are used in a driving mechanism section constituting a machine tool. In a main spindle apparatus, for example, a bearing is used for rotatably supporting a main spindle. A coned disc spring is used in a clamp mechanism section for fixing a tool to the main spindle. Also in a feed mechanism section, a bearing is used for rotatably supporting a ball screw.
If the life of such a consumable component reaches the end thereof, it is necessary to exchange the component. If the life can be correctly predicted, a component to be exchanged can be previously prepared, or the corresponding component can be exchanged in an interval of operations in view of the production plan. Such an exchange is advantageous because the production plan is not disturbed by repair.
However, the life of such a consumable component is largely varied in accordance with the operating conditions of the machine tool, and hence it is usually difficult to correctly predict the timing when the life of the component is ended. When the life of a component is ended at an unanticipated timing and the component is broken, therefore, there arises a problem in that the machine tool cannot be operated in order to repair the component, and the production plan is disadvantageously disturbed. In another case such as that where there is no stock of components identical with the broken component and it takes a long time period to prepare the component, the machine tool cannot be restored for a long term, thereby causing another problem in that the production plan must be largely amended.
Depending on the operating condition of the machine tool when the component is broken, there may arise a case where also another component(s) is broken. In such a case, the repair requires an additional time period.
On the other hand, a manufacturer who manufactures the machine tool does not know when, which, and how many consumable components are required. Therefore, it is necessary for the manufacturer to always store a fixed number or more components as stocks for safety, in order to avoid a case where the component is out of stock when a user requires the component.
In addition, maintenance persons on both of the user and manufacturer's sides are required to deal with such problems in their off-hours such as holidays or nighttime. Therefore, the working conditions of the maintenance persons are bad.
The invention has been conducted in view of the above-mentioned circumstances. It is an object of the invention to provide a maintenance system in which planned maintenance of a machine tool can be efficiently performed, and the rate of operation of the machine tool can be enhanced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to attain the object, the invention provides a maintenance system for machine tools, comprising: one or more user management apparatuses connected to numerical control sections of one or more machine tools each including a driving mechanism section, and the numerical control section which controls an operation of the driving mechanism section; and a manufacturer management apparatus disposed on a side of a manufacturer who manufactures the machine tools, the user management apparatuses and the manufacturer management apparatus being connectable to each other via the Internet, wherein
each of the user management apparatuses comprises:
user-side operation data storing means for storing data relating to an operating condition of the driving mechanism section of each of the machine tools; and
data transmitting means for collecting data relating to the operating condition of the driving mechanism section from the numerical control section, for accumulating the data into the user-side operation data storing means, for checking whether a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied or not, and for, only when the transmission condition is satisfied, transmitting the operating condition data of the driving mechanism section accumulated in the user-side operation data storing means to the manufacturer management apparatus, in a data form of an electronic mail, and
the manufacturer management apparatus comprises:
manufacturer-side operation data storing means for storing operating condition data of the driving mechanism sections received from the user management apparatuses;
data receiving means for receiving the operating condition data of the driving mechanism sections transmitted from the user management apparatuses, and for updating operating condition data stored in the manufacturer-side operation data storing means with the received operating condition data;
consumption degree data storing means for storing data relating to a consumption degree of each of the driving mechanism sections;
consumption degree evaluating means for evaluating at any time the consumption degree of each of the driving mechanism sections, based on the operating condition data of the driving mechanism section stored in the manufacturer-side operation data storing means, and for updating consumption degree data stored in the consumption degree data storing means with the evaluated consumption degree data; and
alarm outputting means for monitoring at any time whether the consumption degree data stored in the consumption degree data storing means exceeds a predetermined reference value or not, and for, when the consumption degree data exceeds the reference value, outputting an alarm indicating this condition.
According to the invention, first, the data transmitting means of each of the user management apparatuses collects the data (operating condition data) relating to the operating conditions of the driving mechanism sections from the numerical control section of each machine tool, and the data is accumulated in the user-side operation data storing means.
As the driving mechanism section, for example, useful are a main spindle apparatus, a clamp mechanism section for fixing a tool to a main spindle, a feed mechanism section, and an automatic tool exchange apparatus. Bearings disposed in the main spindle apparatus, the feed mechanism section, and the automatic tool replacing apparatus, coned disc springs disposed in the clamp mechanism section, and the like correspond to components (consumable components) having use limits (lives). In addition to these components, the consumable components may include oil for an oil cooler, lubricating oil supplied and circulated in a gearbox, and a backup battery for backing up a memory in the numerical control apparatus.
The operating condition can be grasped as items relating to a main spindle rotation speed, a tool exchange instruction, a tool clamp/unclamp instruction, an axis movement instruction, and the like. The operating condition data is constituted by data corresponding to the items, and stored in the user-side operation data storing means while the corresponding items and data are correlated to one another.
It is checked at any time whether the predetermined transmission condition is satisfied or not. Only when the transmission condition is satisfied, the operating condition data of the driving mechanism sections accumulated in the user-side operation data storing means is transmitted to the manufacturer management apparatus in the data form of an electronic mail.
The transmitted operating condition data is received by the data receiving means. The operating condition data of the driving
Fujishima Makoto
Karyu Akio
Komatsu Masahiro
Maeda Kingo
Nakazawa Yuichi
Cabrera Zoila
Mori Seiki Co. Ltd.
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