Electricity: motive power systems – Positional servo systems – Program- or pattern-controlled systems
Patent
1982-06-18
1986-05-27
Shoop, Jr., William M.
Electricity: motive power systems
Positional servo systems
Program- or pattern-controlled systems
364170, 318632, 318572, 318591, G05B 1919
Patent
active
045917710
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a numerical control system, and more particularly to a numerical control system in which a tool or a table can be manually moved as the tool axis direction of the tool relative to a workpiece is kept unchanged.
In a machine tool, for example, a machining center, a tool or a table is rotated in the directions of a B-axis (vertical rotational direction) and a C-axis (horizontal rotational direction) so as to control the axial direction of the tool relative to a workpiece (the axial direction being termed the "tool axis direction"), movement also occurs in the directions of the three X, Y and Z axes so as to subject the workpiece to a desired machining operation.
In forming a hole in the workpiece under such simultaneous 5-axis control, first of all, a tool holder is positioned by moving it in the X-, Y- and Z-axial directions unitarily with the tool, while the tool axis direction and the axial direction of the hole to be machined are brought into agreement by rotating the tool in the B-axial directions. Thereafter, while maintaining the tool axis direction, the tool holder is moved toward the workpiece by simultaneous 3-axis control of the X-, Y- and Z-axes. The machining of the hole is started, and the drilling operation is performed down to a predetermined depth. Lastly, the tool is drawn out in the direction opposite the machining to complete the drilling operation. This system has hitherto been proposed.
In the machine tool such as a machining center which conducts machining with the tool inclined relative to the tool holder, an operator may want .circle.1 to manually increase or decrease the depth of the cut in the course of the machining with the inclined tool, or .circle.2 to manually drill an inclined surface. Here, the expression "manual operation" signifies the function of moving the tool or the table by manually operating an ordinary manual pulse generator or jog button.
In the aforementioned cases .circle.1 and .circle.2 , the tool must be manually moved by the simultaneous 3-axis control of the X-, Y- and Z-axes as the tool axis direction of the tool is held in agreement with the direction of the hole.
In the manual operation of the prior art, however, the tool 12 (see FIG. 1), is moved in every axial direction by means of the manual pulse generator or the jog button, and the requirement in the cases .circle.1 and .circle.2 cannot be met.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel numerical control system in which a tool can be moved by a manual operation as the tool axis direction and the direction of a hole to be machined in a workpiece are held in agreement, in other words, the tool axis direction relative to a table (or the workpiece) is maintained.
To accomplish the above and other objects, when a tool or a table is rotated in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions so as to control the axial direction of the tool relative to a workpiece and when the tool is also moved in the directions of the X-, Y- and Z-axes so as to subject the workpiece to desired machining, the tool axis direction relative to the workpiece is calculated on the basis of the amount of rotation of the tool or the workpiece, and the control of manually moving the tool or the table in the calculated direction under the simultaneous control of at least two of the X-, Y- and Z-axes is achieved by numerical control.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate 5-axis control when a table and workpiece are fixed and when a tool is moved or rotated in the directions of the X-, Y- and Z-axes and the B- and C-axes;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are circuit block diagrams of embodiments for realizing the present invention;
FIG. 5 illustrates a situation where the depth of the cut is manually decreased at a predetermined point in the course of simultaneous 5-axis control; and
FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram of the present invention for maintaining the tool axis orientation during manual pulse generation in the c
REFERENCES:
patent: 3551656 (1970-12-01), Wohlfeil
patent: 3611102 (1971-10-01), Leenhouts
patent: 3633011 (1972-01-01), Bederman
patent: 3818290 (1974-06-01), Harper
patent: 3866027 (1975-02-01), Cutler
patent: 3967176 (1976-06-01), Wagener
patent: 4250551 (1981-02-01), Paveglio
patent: 4296364 (1981-10-01), Fukuyama
patent: 4330831 (1982-05-01), Schwefel
International Search Report, Nov. 10, 1981.
Supplementary European Search Report, The Hague Date: 4/24/84 Examiner: Cornillie.
Fujibayashi Kentaro
Kawamura Hideaki
Nagamine Tsuyoshi
Nozawa Ryoichiro
Fanuc Ltd.
Keane Patrick C.
Shoop Jr. William M.
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